Supply Chain as Strategic Asset: The Key to Reaching Business Goals

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xix

Introduction xxi

Chapter 1: Planning and Realizing the Goals of a Business Strategy 1

Strategy 2

Strategy Realization through Functional Capabilities 3

Strategy Planning: The Missing Link 5

Technology as the Enabler 8

Creating Competitive Advantage through Functional Capabilities 10

The Alignment of Business, Functional, and Technology Strategies 12

Chapter 2: Understanding Strategy 14

What Is Strategy? 14

Attributes of Strategy 19

Levels of Strategy Planning 25

The Strategic Horizon of Impact 28

Chapter 3: Concepts of Business Strategy 33

Porter’s Generic Strategies 34

The Resource-Based View 43

Capabilities-Based Strategies 46

Creating Advantages by Viewing the Corporation as the Sum of Its Components 51

Creating Advantages through the Value Chain 55

Developing Competitive Advantages through Capabilities 60

Understanding Advantage 67

Beyond the Business Strategy: Functional and Deployment Strategies 73

Chapter 4: Exploring Functional Strategy 75

What Is Functional Strategy? 77

Why Is the Functional Strategy Important? 86

Steps in Creating the Functional Strategy 89

Chapter 5: Current Thinking on Supply Chain Strategy 105

Current Thinking on Supply Chain Strategies 106

Understanding the Supply Chain Sphere of Influence 123

What Drives Your Supply Chain? 126

Chapter 6: Creating a Functional Supply Chain Strategy 139

The Effect of an Industry Segment on Supply Chain Design 140

The Effect of a Business Strategy on Supply Chain Design 142

The Effect of the Primary Driver on Supply Chain Design 143

Supply Chain Strategy and Business Strategy 148

Chapter 7: Technology Strategy 164

What Is Technology Strategy? 167

Components of a Technology Strategy 171

Why Develop a Technology Strategy? 179

Technology Strategy and Organization 185

Process Overview and Deliverables for Creating Technology Strategy 188

Chapter 8: Supply Chain Nirvana: Bringing It All Together 203

What Is Supply Chain Nirvana? 205

Defining a Supply Chain Strategy That Works 207

What Can a Well-Aligned Supply Chain Strategy Do for You? 226

How to Get There 236

Keeping It All Together 250

Appendix A: Sample Artifacts for Creating an Effective Supply Chain Strategy 255

Appendix B: An Overview of the Scope of the Supply Chain in Modern Corporations 272

Supply Chain Planning 275

Supply Chain Execution 276

Supply Chain Collaboration 279

Appendix C: The Supply Chain and Corporate Financial Performance 283

Cost of Sales 284

Inventory 287

Working Capital 289

Tune Your Supply Chain for Financial Performance 290

Notes 293

Bibliography 297

About the Author 299

Index 301