Journal ArticlesBrockhaus, S., S.E. Kersten, and A.M. 'A Framework for Benchmarking Product Sustainability Efforts: Using Systems Dynamics to Achieve Supply Chain Alignment,' Benchmarking: An International Journal, Vol. 1, (2016), pp. 127-164.Fawcett, S.E., S.

• Supply Chain Process Flow
• Key Supply Chain Processes

Brockhaus, A.M. Knemeyer, and A. “Sustainability as Strategy: Caught in the Luxury Trap,” Supply Chain Management Review, Vol. 6, pp 16-25.Grimm, C., A.M. Polyviou and X. Ren, “Supply Chain Management Research in Management Journals: A Review of Recent Literature (2004-2013),” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol.

5, (2015), pp. 404-458.Hofer, A.R., A.M. Knemeyer and P.R.

Murphy, “Achieving and Exceeding Logistics Outsourcing Expectations in Brazil: A Replication Study,” Transportation Journal, Vol.54, No. 3, (2015), pp.

339-367.Knemeyer, A.M. Fawcett, “Supply Chain Design and Integration: Why Complex Collaborative Systems are Easy to Talk About But Hard To Do,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 3, (2015), pp. 301-302.Saldanha, J.P., J.E. Knemeyer and V. Vijayaraghavan, “Coping Strategies for Overcoming Constrained Supply Chain Technology: An Exploratory Study,” Transportation Journal, Vol. 3, (2015), pp.

368-404.Saldanha, J.P., J.E. Knemeyer and V.

Vijayaraghavan, “Implementing Supply Chain Technologies in Emerging Markets: An Institutional Theory Perspective,” Journal of Supply Chain Management, Vol. 5-26.Brockhaus, S., W. Kersten, and A.M. Knemeyer, “Where Do We Go From Here? Progressing Sustainability Implementation Efforts Across Supply Chains?” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol.

2, (2013), pp. 167-182.Goldsby, T., A.M. Knemeyer, J.W. Miller, and C.M. Wallenburg, “Measurement and Moderation: Finding the Boundary Conditions in Logistics and Supply Chain Research,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 2, (2013), pp.

109-116.Winter, M. Knemeyer, “Exploring the Integration of Sustainability and Supply Chain Management: Current State and Opportunities for Future Research,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol.

1, (2013), pp. – 2013 IJPDLM Outstanding Paper AwardLeuschner, R., D.M. Lambert and A.M.

Knemeyer, “Logistics Performance, Customer Satisfaction, and Share of Business: A Comparison of Primary and Secondary Suppliers,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 3, (2012), pp. 210-226.Rossiter Hofer, Adriana, A.M. Knemeyer and P.R.

Murphy, “The Roles of Procedural and Distributive Justice in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 3 (2012), pp. – 2013 Bernard J. La Londe Best Paper AwardKnemeyer, A.M. Naylor, “Using Behavioral Experiments to Expand Our Horizons and Deepen Our Understanding of Logistics and Supply Chain Decision-Making,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol.

4, (2011), pp. 296-302.Wallenburg, C.M., D.L. Knemeyer and T.J. Goldsby, “Commitment and Trust as Drivers of Loyalty in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: Cultural Differences Between the United States and Germany,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol.

1, (2011), pp. 83-98.Cahill, D. Goldsby, A.M. Knemeyer and C.M. Wallenburg, “Customer Loyalty in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: An Examination of Moderating Effects of Conflict Frequency,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol.

2, (2010), pp. 253-277.Eroglu, C. Knemeyer, 'Exploring the Potential Effects of Forecaster Motivational Orientation and Gender on Judgmental Adjustments of Statistical Forecasts,' Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 1, (2010), pp. 179-195.Wallenburg, C.M., A.M.

Knemeyer, T.J. Goldsby, and D.L. Cahill, “Developing a Scale for Proactive Improvement within Logistics Outsourcing Relationships,” International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 1, (2010), pp.

– 2011 IJLM Highly Commended Paper AwardWallenburg, C.M., D. Goldsby and A.M. Knemeyer, “Logistics Outsourcing Performance and Loyalty Behavior: Comparisons between Germany and the United States,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol.

7, (2010), pp. – 2011 IJPDLM Highly Commended Paper AwardHofer, A.R., A.M. Knemeyer, and M.E.

Dresner, “Antecedents and Dimensions of Customer Partnering Behavior in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 2, (2009), pp. 141-159.Hofer, A.R. Knemeyer, “Controlling for Logistics Complexity: Scale Development and Validation,” International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol.

2, (2009), pp. 187-200.Knemeyer, A.M., W. Eroglu, “Proactive Planning for Catastrophic Events in Supply Chains,” Journal of Operations Management, Vol.

Retrieved 20 September 2012. Danton, Eric R. 18 September 2012. The Eastsider LA. Legend of korra season 4 full episodes.

2, (2009), pp. 141-153.Deepen, J., T.J. Goldsby, A.M. Knemeyer and C.M. Wallenburg, “Beyond Expectations: An Examination of Logistics Outsourcing Goal Achievement and Goal Exceedance,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 2, (2008), pp. 75-105.Rabinovich, E., A.M.

Knemeyer and C.M. Mayer, “Why Do Internet Commerce Firms Incorporate Logistics Service Providers in Their Distribution Channels?

The Role of Transaction Costs and Network Strength,” Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 25, (2007), pp. 661-681.Rabinovich, E. Knemeyer, “Logistics Service Providers in Internet Supply Chains,” California Management Review, Vol.

4, (2006), pp. 84-108.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “Exploring the Potential Impact of Relationship Characteristics and Customer Attributes on the Outcomes of Third-Party Logistics Arrangements,” Transportation Journal, Vol. 1, (2005), pp. 5-19.Knemeyer, A.M.

Murphy, “Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?: An Examination of User and Provider Perspectives Towards Third-Party Logistics Relationships,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 10, (2005), pp. 708-727.Lambert, D.M. Knemeyer, “We’re In This Together,” Harvard Business Review, Vol.

12, (December 2004), pp. (Reprinted in, “21st Century Supply Chain Collection,” Harvard Business Review, 2004 and “Harvard Business Review on Supply Chain Management,” Harvard Business School Press, 2007)Lambert, D.M., A.M. Knemeyer and J.T.

Gardner, “Supply Chain Partnerships: Model Validation and Implementation,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 2, (2004), pp. 21-42.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “Evaluating the Performance of Third-Party Logistics Arrangements: A Relationship Marketing Perspective,” Journal of Supply Chain Management: A Global Review of Purchasing & Supply, Vol. 1, (Winter 2004), pp.

35-51.Rogers, D.S., Lambert, D.M. Knemeyer, “The Product Development and Commercialization Process,” International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 1, (2004), pp. 43-56.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “Promoting the Value of Logistics to Future Business Leaders: An Exploratory Study Using a Principles of Marketing Experience,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol.

10, (2004), pp. 775-792.Bolumole, Y., A.M. Knemeyer and D.M. Lambert, “The Customer Service Management Process,” International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 2, (2003), pp. 15-31.Knemeyer, A.M., T.M.

Corsi and P.R. Murphy, “Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: Customer Perspectives,” Journal of Business Logistics, Vol. 1, (2003), pp. 77-109.Knemeyer, A.M., T.G. Ponzurick and C.M.

Logar, “A Qualitative Examination of Factors Affecting Reverse Logistics Systems,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 6, (2002), pp. 455-479.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “Academic and Career Issues in Logistics,” Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy, Vol. 4, (2002), pp. 411-429.Knemeyer, A.M.

Murphy, “Logistics Internships: Employer and Student Perspectives,” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 32, No.2, (2002), pp. 135-152.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “Just Do It: Educators’ Views on Logistics Internships,” Defense Transportation Journal, Vol.

6, (December 2001), pp. 6-10.Knemeyer, A.M.

Murphy, “Logistics Internships: Employer Perspectives,” Transportation Journal, Vol. 4, (Fall 2001), pp. 16-26.Knemeyer, A.M. Murphy, “A Taste of the “Real” World: Suggestions for Improving the Effectiveness of the Logistics Internship Experience,” Defense Transportation Journal, Vol. 5, (October 2000), pp. 8-16.Knemeyer, A.M., P.R. Murphy and R.F.

Poist, “Opportunities for Women in Logistics: An Analysis of Student Perspectives,” Transportation Journal, Vol. 1, (1999), pp. 34-41.Corsi, T.M., R.J.

Windle, and A.M. Knemeyer, “Evaluating the Potential Impact of Interstate Highway Rights-of-Way Commercialization on Economic Activity at Interchanges,” Transportation Journal, Vol. 2, (1999), pp.

– Results of study cited in Wall Street JournalMurphy, P.R., J.M. Daley and A.M. Knemeyer, “Comparing Logistics Management in Small and Large Firms: An Exploratory Study,” Transportation Journal, Vol.

3, (1999), pp.18-25.Knemeyer, A.M., P.R. Murphy and R.F.

Poist, “Do You Think I'm Sexy?: Suggestions for Improving the Attractiveness of the Logistics Major,” Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy, Vol. 1, (Fall 1998), pp.

BooksMurphy, P.M. Knemeyer, “Contemporary Logistics” 11th Edition (2014), Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice Hall.Lambert, D.M., A.M. Knemeyer and J.T. Gardner, “Building High Performance Business Relationships,” 1st Edition (2010), Sarasota, FL, Supply Chain Management Institute. Book ChaptersCo-author on five chapters in, “Supply Chain Management: Processes, Partnerships, Performance”, 1st edition (2004); 2nd edition (2006); Chinese edition – Peking University Press (2007); 3rd edition (2008) and 4th edition (2014).

Lambert, Editor, Sarasota, FL, Supply Chain Management Institute.Knemeyer, A.M., D.M. Lambert and S.J. Garcia-Dastugue, “The Customer Service Management Process” – adapted from journal article appearing in the International Journal of Logistics Management in 2003.Rogers, D.S., D.M. Lambert and A.M. Knemeyer, “The Product Development and Commercialization Process” – adapted from journal article appearing in the International Journal of Logistics Management in 2004.Lambert, D.M., A.M.

Knemeyer and J.T. Gardner, “Developing and Implementing Partnerships in the Supply Chain” – adapted from journal article appearing in the Journal of Business Logistics in 2004.Lambert, D.M., A.M. Knemeyer, K.L. Croxton and S.J. Garcia-Dastugue, “Supply Chain Management: The Next Steps”Lambert, D.M, A.M. Knemeyer, and S.J.

Garcia-Dastugue, “Supply Chain Mapping”Co-author on a chapter in, “ Handbuch Kontraktlogistik: Das Management Komplexer Logistikdienstleistungen” (Contract Logistics Handbook: The Management of Complex Logistics Services), 1st Edition (2007), Wolfgang Stolzle, Jurgen Weber, Erik Holmann, and Carl M. Wallenburg, Editors, Weinheim, Germany, Wiley-VCH.Goldsby, T.J. Knemeyer, “Contract Logistics in North America”Co-author on a chapter in, “ Business Performance Measurement: Theory and Practice,” 2nd Edition (2007), Andy Neely, Editor, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press.Lambert, D.M. Knemeyer, “Measuring Performance: The Supply Chain Management Perspective”. Courses.BUSML 3380 - Logistics ManagementConcepts and methods used to plan and manage logistics activities in a business environment. Understanding of the components of logistics management and tradeoffs required to manage the integrated flow of goods through the supply chain.Prereq: Econ 2001.01 (200), or equivalent; and 2002.01 (201), or equivalent. Not open to students with credit for 780 or to students enrolled in UUSS, UExp, or PreBSBA-PR.BUSML 4383 - Supply Chain ManagementFocuses on distinction between logistics and supply chain management; cross-functional integration of key business processes within the firm and across network of firms that comprise supply-chain; framework for supply chain management.Prereq: 3380, and AcctMIS 2200 (211), 2300 (212), and BusMgt 2320 (330), 2321 (331); and BusMHR 2291 or 2292 (BusAsm 499.01).

Not open to students with credit for BusML 785.BUSML 7383 - Supply Chain ManagementStudents learn the distinction between logistics and supply chain management (SCM) and develop SCM skills with a focus on cross-functional integration of key processes within the firm and across the network of firms that comprise the supply chain.Prereq or concur: MBA 6252 or 6253, or enrollment in MAcc program, or enrollment in MBLE program.

Supply-chain management field of operations: complex and dynamic supply- and demand-networks. Wieland/Wallenburg, 2011)In, supply chain management ( SCM), the management of the flow of and services, involves the movement and storage of, of, and of finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption. Interconnected, interrelated or interlinked networks, channels and node combine in the provision of and required by end customers in a.

Supply-chain management has been defined as the 'design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply-chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand and measuring performance globally.' SCM practice draws heavily from the areas of, and marketing and strives for an integrated approach. Marketing channels play an important role in supply-chain management. Current research in supply-chain management is concerned with topics related to and, among others. Some suggest that the “people dimension” of SCM, ethical issues, internal integration, transparency/visibility, and human capital/talent management are topics that have, so far, been underrepresented on the research agenda.Although it has the same goals as, supply chain management is focused on a more traditional and based approach, whereas supply chain engineering is focused on a based one. Contents.Mission Supply-chain management, techniques with the aim of coordinating all parts of SC from supplying raw materials to delivering and/or resumption of products, tries to minimize total costs with respect to existing conflicts among the chain partners.

An example of these conflicts is the interrelation between the sale department desiring to have higher inventory levels to fulfill demands and the warehouse for which lower inventories are desired to reduce holding costs. Origin of the term and definitions In 1982, a consultant at introduced the term 'supply chain management' to the public domain in an interview for the.In the mid-1990s, more than a decade later, the term 'supply chain management' gained currency when a flurry of articles and books came out on the subject. Supply chains were originally defined as encompassing all activities associated with the flow and transformation of goods from raw materials through to the end user, as well as the associated information flows. This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: – ( June 2013) Successful SCM requires a change from managing individual functions to integrating activities into key supply-chain processes.

In an example scenario, a purchasing department places orders as its requirements become known. The marketing department, responding to customer demand, communicates with several distributors and retailers as it attempts to determine ways to satisfy this demand. Information shared between supply-chain partners can only be fully leveraged through.Supply-chain business-process integration involves collaborative work between buyers and suppliers, joint product development, common systems, and shared information. According to Lambert and Cooper (2000), operating an integrated supply chain requires a continuous information flow.However, in many companies, management has concluded that optimizing product flows cannot be accomplished without implementing a process approach. The key supply-chain processes stated by Lambert (2004) are:. Customer-service management. Demand-management style.

Manufacturing-flow management. Supplier-relationship management.

Supply Chain Process Flow

Product development and commercialization. Returns managementMuch has been written about. Best-in-class companies have similar characteristics, which include the following:. Internal and external collaboration. Initiatives to reduce lead time. Tighter feedback from customer and market demand. Customer-level forecastingOne could suggest other critical supply business processes that combine these processes stated by Lambert, such as:Customer process Customer relationship management concerns the relationship between an organization and its customers.

Customer service is the source of customer information. It also provides the customer with real-time information on scheduling and product availability through interfaces with the company's production and distribution operations. Successful organizations use the following steps to build customer relationships:. determine mutually satisfying goals for organization and customers. establish and maintain customer rapport. induce positive feelings in the organization and the customersprocess Strategic plans are drawn up with suppliers to support the manufacturing flow management process and the development of new products.

In firms whose operations extend globally, sourcing may be managed on a global basis. The desired outcome is a relationship where both parties benefit and a reduction in the time required for the product's design and development. The purchasing function may also develop rapid communication systems, such as (EDI) and Internet linkage, to convey possible requirements more rapidly. Activities related to obtaining products and materials from outside suppliers involve resource planning, supply sourcing, negotiation, order placement, inbound transportation, storage, handling, and, many of which include the responsibility to coordinate with suppliers on matters of scheduling, supply continuity (inventory), hedging, and research into new sources or programs. Procurement has recently been recognized as a core source of value, driven largely by the increasing trends to outsource products and services, and the changes in the global ecosystem requiring stronger relationships between buyers and sellers. And commercialization Here, customers and suppliers must be integrated into the product development process in order to reduce the time to market. As product life cycles shorten, the appropriate products must be developed and successfully launched with ever-shorter time schedules in order for firms to remain competitive.

According to Lambert and Cooper (2000), managers of the product development and commercialization process must:. coordinate with customer relationship management to identify customer-articulated needs;. select materials and suppliers in conjunction with procurement; and.

develop production technology in manufacturing flow to manufacture and integrate into the best supply chain flow for the given combination of product and markets.Integration of suppliers into the new product development process was shown to have a major impact on product target cost, quality, delivery, and market share. Tapping into suppliers as a source of innovation requires an extensive process characterized by development of technology sharing, but also involves managing intellectual property issues.Manufacturing flow management process The manufacturing process produces and supplies products to the distribution channels based on past forecasts. Manufacturing processes must be flexible in order to respond to market changes and must accommodate mass customization. Orders are processes operating on a just-in-time (JIT) basis in minimum lot sizes. Changes in the manufacturing flow process lead to shorter cycle times, meaning improved responsiveness and efficiency in meeting customer demand. This process manages activities related to planning, scheduling, and supporting manufacturing operations, such as work-in-process storage, handling, transportation, and time phasing of components, inventory at manufacturing sites, and maximum flexibility in the coordination of geographical and final assemblies postponement of physical distribution operations. Physical distribution This concerns the movement of a finished product or service to customers.

In physical distribution, the customer is the final destination of a marketing channel, and the availability of the product or service is a vital part of each channel participant's marketing effort. It is also through the physical distribution process that the time and space of customer service become an integral part of marketing. Thus it links a marketing channel with its customers (i.e., it links manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers). /partnerships This includes not just the outsourcing of the procurement of materials and components, but also the outsourcing of services that traditionally have been provided in-house.

The logic of this trend is that the company will increasingly focus on those activities in the value chain in which it has a distinctive advantage and outsource everything else. This movement has been particularly evident in, where the provision of transport, storage, and inventory control is increasingly subcontracted to specialists or logistics partners. Also, managing and controlling this network of partners and suppliers requires a blend of central and local involvement: strategic decisions are taken centrally, while the monitoring and control of supplier performance and day-to-day liaison with logistics partners are best managed locally. Experts found a strong relationship from the largest arcs of supplier and customer integration to market share and profitability.

Taking advantage of supplier capabilities and emphasizing a long-term supply-chain perspective in customer relationships can both be correlated with a firm's performance. As logistics competency becomes a critical factor in creating and maintaining competitive advantage, measuring logistics performance becomes increasingly important, because the difference between profitable and unprofitable operations becomes narrower. Kearney Consultants (1985) noted that firms engaging in comprehensive performance measurement realized improvements in overall productivity. According to experts , internal measures are generally collected and analyzed by the firm, including cost, customer service, productivity, asset measurement, and quality. External performance is measured through customer perception measures and ' benchmarking. To reduce a company's cost and expenses, warehousing management is concerned with storage, reducing manpower cost, dispatching authority with on time delivery, loading & unloading facilities with proper area, inventory management system etc.

Integrating suppliers and customers tightly into a (or ) and thereby achieving an efficient and effective supply chain is a key goal of workflow management. Theories There are gaps in the literature on supply-chain management studies at present (2015) : there is no theoretical support for explaining the existence or the boundaries of supply-chain management. A few authors, such as Halldorsson et al., Ketchen and Hult (2006), and Lavassani et al. This article may require to meet Wikipedia's. The specific problem is: This section requires grammar correction. Please help if you can.

( May 2019) Wal-Mart strategic sourcing approaches In 2010, Wal-Mart announced a big change in its sourcing strategy. Initially, Wal-Mart relied on intermediaries in the sourcing process. It bought only 20% of its stock directly, but the rest were bought through the intermediaries. Therefore, the company came to realize that the presence of many intermediaries in the product sourcing was actually increasing the costs in the supply chain. To cut these costs, Wal-Mart decided to do away with intermediaries in the supply chain and started direct sourcing of its goods from the suppliers. Eduardo Castro-Wright, the then Vice President of Wal-Mart, set an ambitious goal of buying 80% of all Wal-Mart goods directly from the suppliers.

Walmart started purchasing fruits and vegetables on a global scale, where it interacted directly with the suppliers of these goods. The company later engaged the suppliers of other goods, such as cloth and home electronics appliances, directly and eliminated the importing agents. The purchaser, in this case Wal-Mart, can easily direct the suppliers on how to manufacture certain products so that they can be acceptable to the consumers. Thus, Wal-Mart, through direct sourcing, manages to get the exact product quality as it expects, since it engages the suppliers in the producing of these products, hence quality consistency. Using agents in the sourcing process in most cases lead to inconsistency in the quality of the products, since the agent's source the products from different manufacturers that have varying qualities.Wal-Mart managed to source directly 80% profit its stock; this has greatly eliminated the intermediaries and cut down the costs between 5-15%, as markups that are introduced by these middlemen in the supply chain are cut.

This saves approximately $4–15 billion. This strategy of direct sourcing not only helped Wal-Mart in reducing the costs in the supply chain but also helped in the improvement of supply chain activities through boosting efficiency throughout the entire process.

In other words, direct sourcing reduced the time that takes the company to source and stocks the products in its stock. The presence of the intermediaries elongated the time in the process of procurement, which sometimes led to delays in the supply of the commodities in the stores, thus, customers finding empty shelves. Wal-Mart adopted this strategy of sourcing through centralizing the entire process of procurement and sourcing by setting up four global merchandising points for general goods and clothing. The company instructed all the suppliers to bring their products to these central points that are located in different markets. The procurement team assesses the quality brought by the suppliers, buys the goods, and distributes them to various regional markets. The procurement and sourcing at centralized places helped the company to consolidate the suppliers.The company has established four centralized points, including an office in Mexico City and Canada. Just a mere piloting test on combining the purchase of fresh apples across the United States, Mexico, and Canada led to the savings of about 10%.

As a result, the company intended to increase centralization of its procurement in North America for all its fresh fruits and vegetables. Thus, centralization of the procurement process to various points where the suppliers would be meeting with the procurement team is the latest strategy which the company is implementing, and signs show that this strategy is going to cut costs and also improve the efficiency of the procumbent process.Strategic vendor partnerships is another strategy the company is using in the sourcing process. Wal-Mart realized that in order for it to ensure consistency in the quality of the products it offers to the consumers and also maintain a steady supply of goods in its stores at a lower cost, it had to create strategic vendor partnerships with the suppliers. Wal-Mart identified and selected the suppliers who met its demand and at the same time offered it the best prices for the goods.

It then made a strategic relationship with these vendors by offering and assuring the long-term and high volume of purchases in exchange for the lowest possible prices. Thus, the company has managed to source its products from same suppliers as bulks, but at lower prices. This enables the company to offer competitive prices for its products in its stores, hence, maintaining a competitive advantage over its competitors whose goods are a more expensive in comparison.Another sourcing strategy Wal-Mart uses is implementing efficient communication relationships with the vendor networks; this is necessary to improve the material flow. The company has all the contacts with the suppliers whom they communicate regularly and make dates on when the goods would be needed, so that the suppliers get ready to deliver the goods in time. The efficient communication between the company's procurement team and the inventory management team enables the company to source goods and fill its shelves on time, without causing delays and empty shelves.

In other words, the company realized that in ensuring a steady flow of the goods into the store, the suppliers have to be informed early enough, so that they can act accordingly to avoid delays in the delivery of goods. Thus, efficient communication is another tool which Wal-Mart is using to make the supply chain be more efficient and to cut costs.Cross-docking is another strategy that Wal-Mart is using to cut costs in its supply chain.

Cross-docking is the process of transferring goods directly from inbound trucks to outbound trucks. When the trucks from the suppliers arrive at the distribution centers, most of the trucks are not offloaded to keep the goods in the distribution centers or warehouses; they are transferred directly to another truck designated to deliver goods to specific retail stores for sale. Cross-docking helps in saving the storage costs. Initially, the company was incurring considerable costs of storing the suppliers from the suppliers in its warehouses and the distributions centers to await the distribution trucks to the retail stores in various regions.Tax-efficient supply-chain management Tax-efficient supply-chain management is a business model that considers the effect of tax in the design and implementation of supply-chain management.

Key Supply Chain Processes

As the consequence of, cross-national businesses pay different tax rates in different countries. Due to these differences, they may legally optimize their supply chain and increase profits based on. Sustainability and social responsibility in supply chains is a business issue affecting an organization's supply chain or logistics network, and is frequently quantified by comparison with SECH ratings, which uses a triple bottom line incorporating economic, social, and environmental aspects. SECH ratings are defined as social, ethical, cultural, and health' footprints.

Consumers have become more aware of the environmental impact of their purchases and companies' SECH ratings and, along with (NGOs), are setting the agenda for transitions to organically grown foods, labor codes, and locally produced goods that support independent and small businesses. Because supply chains may account for over 75% of a company's carbon footprint, many organizations are exploring ways to reduce this and thus improve their SECH rating.For example, in July 2009, announced its intentions to create a global index that would rate products according to the environmental and social impacts of their manufacturing and distribution. The index is intended to create environmental accountability in Wal-Mart's supply chain and to provide motivation and for other retail companies to do the same.It has been reported that companies are increasingly taking environmental performance into account when selecting suppliers.

A 2011 survey by the found that 50% of multinationals expect to select their suppliers based upon carbon performance in the future and 29% of suppliers could lose their places on 'green supply chains' if they do not have adequate performance records on carbon.The US, signed into law by President Obama in July 2010, contained a supply chain sustainability provision in the form of the Conflict Minerals law. This law requires SEC-regulated companies to conduct third party audits of their supply chains in order to determine whether any tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold (together referred to as ) is mined or sourced from the, and create a report (available to the general public and SEC) detailing the due diligence efforts taken and the results of the audit. The chain of suppliers and vendors to these reporting companies will be expected to provide appropriate supporting information.Incidents like the with more than 1,100 victims have led to widespread discussions about across global supply chains.

Wieland and Handfield (2013) suggest that companies need to audit products and suppliers and that supplier auditing needs to go beyond direct relationships with first-tier suppliers. They also demonstrate that visibility needs to be improved if supply cannot be directly controlled and that smart and electronic technologies play a key role to improve visibility.

Finally, they highlight that collaboration with local partners, across the industry and with universities is crucial to successfully managing social responsibility in supply chains. Circular supply-chain management Circular Supply-Chain Management (CSCM) is 'the configuration and coordination of the organisational functions marketing, sales, R&D, production, logistics, IT, finance, and customer service within and across business units and organizations to close, slow, intensify, narrow, and dematerialise material and energy loops to minimise resource input into and waste and emission leakage out of the system, improve its operative effectiveness and efficiency and generate competitive advantages'. By reducing resource input and waste leakage along the supply chain and configure it to enable the recirculation of resources at different stages of the product or service lifecycle, potential economic and environmental benefits can be achieved.

These comprise e.g. A decrease in material and waste management cost and reduced emissions.

Components Management components SCM components are the third element of the four-square circulation framework. The level of integration and management of a business process link is a function of the number and level of components added to the link. Consequently, adding more management components or increasing the level of each component can increase the level of integration of the business process link.Literature on buyer-supplier relationships, and SCM suggests various possible components that should receive managerial attention when managing supply relationships. It has been suggested that this list be into a new article titled. ( October 2017)The following table compares topics addressed by selected professional supply chain certification programmes.