The popular press is loaded with stories about supply problems affecting
many industries. Extensive outsourcing of major portions of a firm's
value chain, relentless pressure from customers to improve product and
service functionality and to reduce costs across almost every industry,
and steep global competition have combined to create a search for new
sources of competitive advantage. This search has led to supply
management, the management of suppliers, and improved supply base
relationships to become hot topics in the boardrooms of many
organizations.This book presents a roadmap and understanding of what it
really means to practice strategic supply management. No longer a
transactional activity, supply management is about creating and
sustaining new sources of competitive advantage. Dr. Trent articulates
how to create a supply management organization that you can count on to
deliver reliable sources of supply and, eventually, competitive
advantage. He purposely presents a holistic approach that focuses on
breadth rather than depth so that readers can see how the different
elements that comprise strategic supply management come together to
create a hard-to-duplicate source of competitive advantage. Strategic
Supply Management presents, in a concise manner, the need for supply
leadership, the organizational enablers that must be in place, and the
strategies and approaches that leading organizations pursue to achieve
advantages in price and cost, quality, cycle time, technology,
flexibility, and end customer responsiveness.This is a must read for any
procurement or supply management professional; finance, operations, and
engineering functional managers; executives who interact on a regular
basis with supply management professionals; and academics and students.
