A supply chain is an essential phenomenon for every firm or company. This term stands for a system that is used by a business to produce and distribute goods or services to consumers. When it comes to developed companies, a supply chain involves “a network of multiple businesses and relationships” (Ben-Daya, Hassini, & Bahroun, 2017, p. 4719). Thus, a typical supply chain includes different disciplines that are significant for the firm’s productive performance.
To begin with, one should mention that a supply chain usually includes six disciplines. Jacobs and Chase (2014) explain that they are “product design, purchasing, manufacturing, service operations, logistics, and distribution” (p. 3). Each of the phenomena above plays a crucial role to allow an establishment to achieve successful results. However, it depends on a business’s focus which elements are the most significant.
For example, when it comes to a hospital supply chain, product design and manufacturing go into the background. It is so because the leading purposes of this supply chain are to acquire materials, move patients, and distribute resources adequately (Jacobs & Chase, 2017). Francisco and Swanson (2018) indicate this system should be sufficiently transparent to allow clients to determine its principles, which leads to customers’ satisfaction.
In conclusion, one can say that it is challenging to imagine a successful company without a supply chain. This phenomenon makes it possible for various establishments to acquire necessary materials, produce service or goods, and distribute them to customers. A typical supply chain includes six disciplines that contribute to its overall effectiveness. Thus, the purposes of a single company and the industry where it operates determine those disciplines that are more important than the others. In this case, the company should draw more attention to these elements.
References
Ben-Daya, M., Hassini, M., & Bahroun, Z. (2017). Internet of things and supply chain management: A literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 57(15-16), 4719-4742.
Francisco, K., & Swanson, D. (2018). The supply chain has no clothes: Technology adoption of Blockchain for supply chain transparency. Logistics, 2(1), 1-13.
Jacobs, F. R., & Chase, R. (2014). Operations and supply chain management (14th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.