Supply Chain Management

Tiffany Vaughn

Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management has several key issues and key purchasing operations. Key purchasing operations are the pillars of purchasing and progressive strategies. According to the text there are four pillar; human resources organizational design, information technology, and measurement. (Monczka) These all effect the key purchasing operations. The acquisition of materials, services, and equipment, of the right qualities, at the right time, in the right quantities, at the right prices, with the right quality, and on a continuing basis (chopa) are a few key issues of supply management. You manage these issues by making clear supply management objectives.

The human resources department determines a healthy staff of employees. Employees can make or break an organization, finding quality worker is on the human resources department. The organizational design refers the achievement of their goals and the supply chain objectives. These designs should include supply strategy, executive responsibility for coordinating purchasing supply chain activities, and cross function teams to manage supply chain processes. The information technology has grown over the 21st century. The supply software should improve optimize production scheduling, customer service, transportation, reduce working capital cost, and forecast accuracy. The information technology should focus on real time across functional groups. The measurements are important because “First, objective measurement supports fact based rather than subjective decision making. Secondly, measurement is also an ideal way to communicate requirements to other supply chain members and to promote continuous improvements and change.” (Monczka )

Managing key issues of supply chain management start with developing goals and objectives for that firm. The operational activities will determine how good the quality is and if the the number of quantities is correct. Customer service has to be a...