Supply Chain and Transportation

Supply chain management is an effective integrated system that supports the management of material flow from the suppliers to the manufacturers and from the manufacturers to the customers. Supply chain management builds up and utilizes a network among the customers, retailers, distributors, suppliers, and manufacturers. Supply chain management may have the following objectives: (a) reduce inventory at all levels, (b) expedite and facilitate transportation, (c)make assignments to suppliers and vendors, and (d)maintain an online real-time computerized database for all involved parties. See Figure 1.2 of Chapter 1 for a simple example of a supply chain.