Supply chain management is the vital business function that coordinates all of the network links. Supply-chain management is the management of the activities that procure raw materials, transform them into intermediate goods and final products, and deliver the products to customers through a distribution system these activities are the components of a supply chain. The supply chain function’s role is to help identify the products and services that can best be obtained externally to improve performances to develop, evaluate, and determine the best supplier, price, and delivery for them. The wholesaling and the retailing industries incorporate a logistic focus within their strategic decisions; this is because it will enable them to control the movement of goods from the supplier to end customers without waste. This helps to obtain efficiency of operations through the integration of all material acquisition, movement, and storage activities in the firm which is the objective of logistics.
One of Dell’s supply chain management is by using technology to decrease storage and increase efficiency. Meaning, Dell uses their company supply and shipping networks that exemplifies the latest trend in logistics, which is, visibility. Dell makes sure that their inventories can be trace and tracked throughout their entire logistical operations. With solid visibility made possible by technology, the company could query all of its shipments by bill of lading number to figure out which shipments are already in transit, and which are sitting in port,” explains Shanton Wilcox, a principal in Capgemini Consulting’s supply chain management practice. “That gives the company a starting point, and puts it in a much better position to deal with the catastrophic scenario.” Also when executed properly, supply chain visibility will also come into play on a day-to-day basis. For example, shippers