Supply Chain Management & IT Essay -- Supply Chain Management Papers

Supply Chain Management & ITIntroductionSupply Chain Management (SCM) has reverse such an integral and essential part of e really day business that entire fields of major are dedicated solely to it. SCM, pioneered by Wal-Mart, has liberal in the last few years to include not only the management of the physical aspects of SCM, but also the electronic components, such as the net profit and many SCM tools, for instance SAP. Inventory being held across the retail supply chain at any one time amounts to $1 trillion, according to a report by Benchmarking Partners, based on U.S. Dept. of Commerce data. The Cambridge, Mass.-based consulting firm estimates 15 percent to 20 percent of those inventories ($150 billion to $200 billion planetary $40 billion to $50 billion in the United States) could be eliminated through improved planning, forecasting and replenishment. This is a major motivation for firms everywhere to debase costs by applying supply chain management tools. What is Supply Ch ain Management?Traditionally, the phrase Supply Chain Management meant assembly lines, warehouses, truckers and time sheets. Earlier, manufacturers had the high life of taking years to develop, market and sell their products. Back then, there were few variations in packaging and in the products themselves. In only a few years, the very fundamentals of manufacturing in virtually every industry have changed. Changes have taken place in the relationships between producers of primary products, manufacturers and retailers. Companies are looking at how to provide greater flexibility in moving parts globally. In a quest for greater efficiency and lower costs, theres been growing importance given up to managing the supply chain effectively for the benefit of al... ...older wealth is rising, making investors happy, whilst giving the technological industry (computers) a boost. Bibliography / References / Works CitedMcGraw-Hill, Irwin, Management Information Systems, Sixth discrepancy OBri en ISBN 0-07-282311-9, 2004Supply Chain Management Research Centerhttp//www.cio.com/research/scm/edit/012202_scm.htmlIs Supply Chain Management What I Need?http//stylusinc.com/WebEnable/Sales/SCM.phpWhat is SCM?http//scrc.ncsu.edu/ earth/s1whatis.htmlSCM What does it mean to Industry now?http//logistics.about.com/cs/supplychainmgmt/a/uc102803.htmIntegrated Supply Chain Managementhttp//www.dod.mil/comptroller/icenter/learn/iscm.htmHow Wal-Mart Keeps Getting it Righthttp//www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/apr2003/nf20030416_2930_db016.htmSAP Deutschlandhttp//www.sap.com/germany/index.aspx