Supply Chain – Logistics Management

In today’s increasingly complex business environment, various players in the supply chain are working very hard in forming an integrated supply chain system. The aim of such an effort is to link every partner in the process chain and align process objectives across all of the organizations in the supply chain. To meet market demands correctly, rapidly, and profitably, technology‐based and quality‐driven capabilities must be maintained within the firm and between supply chain partners in order to minimize system‐wide costs, reduce lead time and transit time, and improve customer service levels. To this end, supply chains must be managed effectively. There are many components that must be combined to achieve such a goal, and many ways are possible to organize and illustrate such combined components. As a result, it is most important to choose the best book and capitalize on the benefits of its organization and presentation. Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper’s new book, Supply Chain – Logistics Management, is written to provide a comprehensive introduction of supply chain components to business leaders and quality practitioners. The major supply chain system components described in the text include:

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  logistics in supply chain management;

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  technology structure;

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  operations;

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  network design; and

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  administration.

Understanding those system components and their interactions is critical to successful supply chain application. Although such understanding can be initiated through training programs, it must be refined and extended through sound and solid education. Over the last two decades of the twentieth century, companies of all sizes have developed a better appreciation for this point. Readers with the aim toward quality education will treasure the hard work and effort of the book. For example, to initiate and accomplish a technology‐based project in a broader supply chain context, the readers need to understand the relationships between new technology initiatives and enterprise’s current information systems, and subsequently develop a plan for systemic implementation. In this book, technology initiatives such as advanced planning and scheduling (APS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) solutions are discussed in great detail. Major enterprise information system components highlighted in the text include legacy systems, communication modules, planning systems, and execution systems. The thorough discussions on such subjects enable readers to understand the relationships and system dynamics among APS, CPFR, ERP, communication components, and enterprise execution systems. Utilizing this thorough knowledge of system mechanics and system dynamics, readers can effectively and creatively employ their understanding and skills to create and sustain a robust integrated supply chain system. Together with quality initiatives companies of all sizes can create a quality supply chain to last a long time. As companies adopt supply chain management, they will find Bowersox et al.’s book very helpful. The offerings of their book are much broader than any existing training approaches.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this review or my previous reviews, please contact me at ckuei@fsmail.pace.edu