Supply Chain Strategies

• Published in: Valahian journal of economic studies 2012-07, Vol.3 (3), p.45
• Main Authors: Felea, Mihai, Albastroiu, Irina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 21st century; Collaboration; Competitive advantage; Customer services; Customers; Information systems; Manufacturers; Product development; Profitability; Purchase orders; Raw materials; Strategic planning; Studies; Suppliers; Supply chain management
• ISSN: 2067-9440; 2067-9440

Over the past decade, companies have adopted supply chain management as a critical element of their corporate strategies. A supply chain is composed of all the firms involved in the design, production, and delivery of a product to market. Supply chain management is the coordination of production, location, transportation, information and inventory among the participants in a supply chain. Supply chain strategy involving decisions how to structure the supply chain over next several years. It decides what the chains configuration will be, how resources will be allocated, and what processes each stage will perform. Strategic decisions made by companies include the location and capacities of production and warehouse facilities, the products to be manufactured or stored at various locations, the modes of transportation to be made available along different shipping legs, and the type of information system to be utilized. The operations and supply chain areas are important providers of value in any organization. This paper has presented a top-down model of the strategic planning process, with particular attention to the concepts of value, competitive advantage and core competency. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]