Supply Chain Decisions - Make Sure You Understand the Dollars and Sense
Jim Brown - July 21, 2003

Decisions That Count

Companies make decisions about their supply chains every day. The decisions may relate to introducing or retiring products, making changes to manufacturing or distribution capacity, or modifying market segments, channels or customers. In their efforts to improve productivity, companies also make decisions involving the introduction of new processes, outsourcing, new supply structures and technology. When companies face these decisions, they must make trade-offs between a number of strategic and operational options. The selection between these options can have a very large impact on the success or failure of the company. Decision-makers know that the answers have to be right, because they result in the commitment of significant company resources and expose the company to significant positive or negative impact in the eyes of the customers and shareholders. Not to mention the impact it can have on the career of the person making the decision...