Supply chain

A supply chain is a network between a company and its suppliers to produce and distribute a specific product to the final buyer. Supply chains of thehave pasthistorically involved moving products, people, and money between organizations to ensure that end-consumers could get what they wanted atwithin thea rightpreferred timetimeframe. However, asAs companies continue to virtualize their operations by outsourcing functions that would typically be handled in-house, an increasing amount of complexity is added to their supply chain - with more participants representingchains, otherbecause parties at multiple levels of abstraction. Getting all ofwithin the playersnetwork tomust coordinate efficiently is a monumental effort which seems to require armies of people at each interacting organization. Technology hasn't been a silver bullet for simplifying all things supply-chain (yet) - but it hasin ledorder to more innovative businessbe modelseffective and services that can be provided for interacting companiesefficient.

Supply chains of the past involved moving products, people and money between organizations to ensure end-consumers could get what they wanted at the right time. However, as companies continue to virtualize their operations by outsourcing functions that would typically be handled in-house, an increasing amount of complexity is added to their supply chain - with more participants representing other parties at multiple levels of abstraction. Getting all of the players to coordinate efficiently is a monumental effort which seems to require armies of people at each interacting organization. Technology hasn't been a silver bullet for simplifying all things supply-chain (yet) - but it has led to more innovative business models and services that can be provided for interacting companies.