Successful supply chain management requires a high degree of functional and organizational integration. A major problem is the uncertainty due to lack of coordination in the supply chain. The lack of coordination causes manufacturing cost, inventory cost, replenishment lead time, transportation cost and labour cost to increase and the level of product availability and profitability to reduce. This research work has been aimed at understanding the gap between the expectations and performance on different attributes of Logistics and Supply Chain Management adopted at different the stages in the supply chain viz., by customers, retailers, suppliers and transporters in Kerala. The study is also aimed at understanding the level of implementation of latest concepts in supply chain management among the different entities.

This textbook discusses supply chain management and provides a comprehensive overview of all the key activities and issues of supply chain and logistics functions as an integrated discipline. Taking a comprehensive approach, it reviews end-to-end supply chain management from procurement to production to warehousing, distribution and customer service. It explores how each interface can be managed with the ultimate objective of providing superior customer experience to ensure satisfaction at the least cost while delivering incremental value in a competitive environment. This volume: Guides on designing effective development and management of the supply chain network, which is an invaluable source of sustainable, competitive advantage in today’s turbulent global marketplace Examines the complexities and challenges of catering to the flexible and fluctuating customer demand, warehousing, channel distribution and transportation, global logistics value chain management, and performance management Discusses short practical cases to explain the decision-making process with respect to manufacturing decisions and inventory for efficient working capital management, both of which are critical for supply chain performance Explores performance management matrix, maturity models and so on This book will be useful to students, researchers and faculty from the fields of business management, supply chain and logistics management, and mechanical and civil engineering. It will also be an invaluable companion to consultants and business executives working in the field of supply chain and logistics.

This work presents a comprehensive model of supply chain management. Experienced executives from 20 companies clearly define supply chain management, identifying those factors that contribute to its effective implementation. They provide practical guidelines on how companies can manage supply chains, addressing the role of all the traditional business functions in supply chain management and suggest how the adoption of a supply chain management approach can affect business strategy and corporate performance.

This book examines the performance of organized retail chains supplying the agri-input and output services in terms of achieving their objective of utilising collective bargaining power in the marketing of their agricultural produce, integrating empirical experience from India and other selected developing countries. The scenario of marketing for agricultural products has been undergoing rapid changes with the rise of organised retailing (the Indian term for ‘supermarkets’), a process that is likely to accelerate in years to come, with India being on the threshold of a supermarket revolution. In fact, India is referred to as the ‘final frontier’ in the development of supermarkets. The growth of supermarkets in India is faster than that in China, which is also witnessing an exponential growth as part of the “third wave” of supermarket diffusion. The book investigates the links between organised retailing and farmers and farming in India. Apart from raising issues of equity, inclusion and problems in policy framework, it also discusses policy interventions that are essential in order to make the development of organised retailing more inclusive and beneficial to the farming community and agricultural sector. The book further serves as a guide for policy makers, helping them to select the right kind of interventions to balance growth with equity as market forces penetrate deeper into the agricultural marketing space.

This book focuses on the need to develop sustainable supply chains - economically, environmentally and socially. This book is not about a wish list of impractical choices, but the reality of decisions faced by all those involved in supply chain management today. Our definition of sustainable supply chains is not restricted to so-called "green" supply chains, but recognises that in order to be truly sustainable, supply chains must operate within a realistic financial structure, as well as contribute value to our society. Supply chains are not sustainable unless they are realistically funded and valued. Thus, a real definition of sustainable supply chain management must take account of all relevant economic, social and environmental issues. This book contains examples from a wide range of real-life case studies, and synthesizes the learnings from these many different situations to provide the fundamental building blocks at the centre of successful logistics and supply chain management.

New solutions and best practices for mitigating risk Includes full length examples in each chapter By three of the world’s leading experts in Supply Chain Management In the coming years, several global macrotrends are likely to substantially disrupt modern business practices, add unprecedented complexity to supply chains, and cause massive problems for supply chain, logistics, and operations managers. Now, three leading experts help you understand these macrotrends, anticipate and assess their potential impact to your business, systematically mitigate emerging risks, and leverage new opportunities for sustainable profit. The authors help you plan for continued population growth and migration; the growing buying power of rising economies; broader and deeper global connectivity; national geopolitical activities aimed at protecting access to natural resources; and the likely impacts of environmental and climate change. They offer actionable insights for virtually all supply-chain related decisions: from locating plants and warehouses to prioritizing markets, designing products, and choosing suppliers.