SCRC Basics - Supply Chain Management at NCSU

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.Terms & Definitions

Clear SCM terms and definitions support the understanding of this evolving profession. The SCRC is committed to documenting and disseminating the growing body of knowledge of supply chain management through development of information resources. The list of terms defined below is a work in process and will be continually updated.

Supply chains can viewed from three different perspectives:

Physical flows | Information flows | Relationships

The physical flows include all value-adding and movement activities from the supplier's supplier through the inbound movement processes, operations, to the outbound distribution processes whick lead ultimately to the firm's customer's customer.

The information flows start with the customer's initiation of the order for a product or service and flow upstream through the various order-processing, scheduling, and inventory management systems. Information flows are also associated with the movement of money through the supply chain, and with performance information regarding the various supply chain participants.

Supply chain information and physical flows can only operate efficiently and effectively if there are appropriate supply chain relationships between all supply chain parties. These relationships exist between suppliers and customers, both within and external to the firm. Relationship issues include defining and specifying which parties will perform which activities, specification of performance and production characteristics, contractual arrangements, risk assessment and sharing agreements, performance reviews, negotiation, performance feedback and a host of others.



Physical Flows	Information Flows	Relationships
Capacity Capacity management Capacity planning Capacity strategy Capacity utilization Distribution channel Distribution channel design Facility location Inbound logistics Interplant transfer Inventory Inventory positioning Inventory replenishment Inventory stock levels Lean manufacturing Maintenance Manufacturing Manufacturing layout strategy Material handling Outbound logistics Packaging Preventative maintenance Quality Quality programs Reverse logistics Six Sigma Supply chain design Warehouse mgmt layouts	Activity-based cost accounting Activity-based management Business-to-business (B2B) Capacity Capacity requirements planning Channel management Cost Cost management Cost system design Currency conversions Customer relationship management Customer value Data management Demand management Forecasting Forecasting errors Forecasting methods Forecasting sharing Globalization Information sharing Information technology Inventory management systems Language Lead time/cycle time Logistics information systems Logistics management Market analysis Operating policies and procedures Order management Promotions Scheduling Standards/compatibility Statistic quality control Supply chain inventory visibility Target costing Total cost of ownership Total costs	Agreements Collaboration Commodity strategy development Continuous improvement Contracts Contract management Customer order fulfillment process Industry standards Insource vs outsource Joint ventures Legal issues Negotiation New product development Performance management Program management Project management Purchase requirements Relationship management Service level agreements Sourcing strategy Specifications Statements of work Strategic alliances Supplier development training Supplier integration in new product development Supplier intelligence Supplier performance evaluation Supplier/customer partnerships Training

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