Supply Chain
A supply chain is the connected network of organisations, people, activities and information that moves a product from raw material to the end customer — sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing, transport, distribution and returns. Supply chain management is the discipline of planning and coordinating that flow to balance cost, service and risk.
Modern supply chains are global and multi-echelon, spanning many suppliers, sites and carriers. Visibility across the whole chain — and the ability to act on it — is what separates a resilient operation from a fragile one.
The supply chain is where cost, service and risk are actually decided. A product's price, its availability and a company's exposure to disruption are all set by how well the chain is planned and run — which is why supply chain performance is a board-level concern, not just an operational one.
What is the difference between logistics and supply chain?
Logistics is the movement and storage of goods (transport, warehousing, distribution). The supply chain is broader — it includes sourcing, manufacturing, planning and returns as well as logistics.