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How Supply Chains Create Shareholder Value by Dr. David Lascelles, Supply Chain Planning UK Limited

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upply chain management is no longer a boring Cinderella of the business world. Not since the mid-nineties when enterprises as diverse as Amazon, Cemex, Cisco Systems, Dell Computers and Zara started to create dominant competitive positions, build huge market capitalisations and delight their shareholders through the brilliant management of their supply chains. No, supply chain management has become a hot topic in boardrooms worldwide. The case histories of Internet retailer, Amazon; web systems builder, Cisco; PC giant, Dell; and Spanish fashion retailer, Zara are well documented. But Cemex, a Mexican cement supplier? Well, you don’t need to be in hi-tech or high fashion to reap the benefits of supply chain excellence. The effects can be just as dramatic for a commodity supplier. As a result of its supply chain performance improvement efforts, Cemex enjoys the highest value-to-sales ratio of the world’s six largest cement manufacturers. These enterprises represent just the tip of the iceberg. More than one study indicates that superior performing supply chains increase free cash flows – the key driver of shareholder value – by up to 20% on average. Supply chain excellence is a crucial engine of economic growth. And yet, even though it represents one of the most exciting opportunities to create value and build market share, the supply chain remains one of the most confusing and least understood aspects of business. The purpose of this briefing is to help you review the salient issues and apply the findings in a real-world environment. So let’s start with a simple definition of the supply chain and supply chain management: The supply