Logistics and Supply Chain Management and the Impact of Information Systems and Information Technology

Abstract

Supply chain management is the backbone of the movement of goods and services. Supply chain management is a term that has evolved from logistics. Traditional supply chain management involved a salesperson, who was the focal point in the supply or logistical chain. In a traditional supply chain model, a business would contact a salesperson to inquire about a product or a salesperson would pitch a product to a business; then the ordering process or supply chain management of movement of goods would funnel through the salesperson as the initial interface. Today, the supply chain has evolved; IT has changed the landscape of the supply chain with applications, such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), CRM (Customer Relationship Management systems), and ERP (Enterprise Resource Programs). The result is major changes in competitiveness, efficiency, costs, and strategy. This chapter examines the evolution of supply chain management and the impact of IT.