Supply chain is a dynamic network of retailers, transporters, storage facilities, distributors and suppliers the get involved in the production processes, delivery and sales of their products to the customers. The supply chain activity normally starts with the customers’ order and comes to an end when such customers have paid for services and their goods delivered, for instance; when online purchase is made from Samsung webpage, the chain involves the customer, Samsung website receiving the customers’ order, Samsung Company including its suppliers. They then use the order following every step to ensure that the customer receives his or her product (Tayur, Ganeshan, & Magazine, 1999).
Since the involvement of customers into the supply chain, various innovations and improvements have risen; most orders from the customers and supplies are now web based thus reaching the manufactures in seconds. Third part programs like Zapier; enable task automation between online services like Gmail and base camp, it keeps the business owners updated by their customers’ orders and thereby progressively informing them of any new products and promotions. When a customer makes an order; he or she triggers the zap that records their details and sends them to online systems like Gmail where action is taken by responding to their demands. The software therefore helps the management in running their businesses and as a result, contributes in the achievements attained (Sianipar & Yudoko, n.d.).
Coordination mechanism is a kind of information technology mechanisms that has been widely used in the supply chain. It assists in identification and classification of the existing different kinds of interdependences; those between task, resources and between a task and a resource. In addition, the aggregation mechanism is used explicitly to collect and aggregate information, Hewlett-Packard Corporation uses it for the purposes of making sales forecasts (Lee & Whang, 2000).
In conclusion therefore, supply chain virtually involves the whole channels of production from supply, manufacturers and distributers with the main objective being to meet their customers’ demands. The platforms therefore give feedback opinions of customers about products and how they could be improved.
References.
Lee, H. L., & Whang, S. (2000). Information sharing in a supply chain. International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 1(1), 79–93.
Sianipar, C. P. M., & Yudoko, G. (n.d.). Understanding Issue Dissemination and Arrival Patterns on Suppy-Chain Using Network Analysis and Social Media (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. ID 2175420). Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2175420
Tayur, S., Ganeshan, R., & Magazine, M. (1999). Quantitative Models for Supply Chain Management. Springer.
