Introduction to Supply Chains (Englisch)

This chapter is devoted to present the evolution of the supply chains as the main structure for the production and distribution of goods to the final customers. The evolution of supply chains, as well as the factors influencing their growth are discussed in the chapter, together with some definitions and examples. An informal definition of a supply chain and their elements is also given. Next, the bullwhip effect is introduced as the principal factor affecting the dynamic performance of the supply chain, together with some figures showing its influence in terms of the increase of the supply chain costs across sectors and countries. We then present some of the causes of the bullwhip effect are introduced, along with the main barriers encountered to overcome it. Next, we discuss the need of models capable to capture the dynamics of the supply chain to better understand and reduce the bullwhip effect. The chapter concludes with a summary of the concepts and ideas presented and with the suggestion of several references for further reading.