INTRODUCTION
At the height of Henry Ford’s empire, he owned every aspect of the supply chain, from the steel mills, the rubber plantation and the factory. But with diversification of markets and increasing globalisation, companies do not have this luxury. Supply chains have grown longer and require more time and money to delivr, companies need to focus on core competencies while still maintain a control over the supply chain. The polarisation of the global market is important too and is currently characterized by expanding product variety, short life-cycle, shifting customer demand and continuous advancement in technology.

HISTORY AND PRESENT
Twenty years ago, experts were predicting the death of companies that did not relocate to countries with smaller overheads and costs. The fanatical levels of competition between companies reduced the prospect of success or failure to one absolute: cost. This led to an exodus of companies travelling to production facilities on the other side of the globe. Thus supply chains became long and unwieldy, reducing the amount of control and oversight over it.

The influx of wealth in the LEDCs allowed the governments to improve standards , according to the International Labour Organisation, wages in Asia between 2000 and 2008 rose by 7.1-7.8%/ year; this reduced the cost advantage that brought the companies flocking to their doors. Oil and energy prices and consequently transportation costs have sky rocketed, which reduces the cost advantage that the company was benefiting from. An amalgamation of all these factors is forcing companies to consider moving back to their old bases of production to maintain more control on the supply chain and become more flexible.

The flexibility becomes a key aspect of the whole supply chain mix due to the advent of the omni-channel retailer and the consumer driven supply chain. The blurred