Customer Reviews

Essentials of Supply Chain Management

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As a consultant in this area, I have recommended this book to my clients. This well-structured, easy-to-read book is an excellent introduction to concepts of Supply Chain Management. Its target audience, executives who must learn about supply chain in order to make strategic decisions, could be expanded to include any person who wants or needs to learn about supply chain. I highly recommend it as a first book for any project manager who is new to this are.
The book contains 8 chapters, each with a similar structure: a list of the learning and performance objectives of preceding the actual content, which is presented in a logical and interesting way. The content is accompanied by helpful diagrams and a series of examples or case studies labeled "Executive Insight" or "In the Real World". It also contains lists of helpful "Tips and Techniques".
The author begins with an overview of the general concepts of Supply Chain Management. One of the objectives of this chapter is to be able to "Start an intelligent conversation about supply chain management issues in your company" It is a tall order, and the author succeeds, introducing the neophyte to the basic concepts of Production, Inventory, Location, Transportation and Inventory with clear and concise prose. In a very interesting example, Hugos uses the story of Alexander the Great to illustrate how a good supply chain functions.
The following 4 chapters systematically cover the basics of supply chain: Planning and Sourcing, Making and Delivering, Coordination and Technology and Supply Chain Metrics. Each of these chapters takes up the fundamental concepts involved and explains them in a simple and understandable fashion. For those that are reading this book as an introduction to supply chain, there will be many an "aha"of understanding as you read along. Of particular interest for the IT project manager, Hugos explains at length what the various technologies are that serve the supply chain.
In the final 2 chapters the author assists the reader in analyzing the type of market(s) that their company targets, and how to determine and plan for a supply chain to succesfully serve them. As well, the chapter includes a number of usefel tools and techniques that can be used to plan out a supply chain project. Most project managers should find this section to be very useful. He closes the book with a look to the future, and uses the concept of "Emergent Behavior" to make predictions about supply chains of the future. He explains how supply chains will develop "Self Adjusting Feedback Loops", using automation to keep information constantly flowing around the loop.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Supply Chain Management. It will be helpful in particular to project managers and IT professionals who want to work in the manufacturing sector. It is well thought out and eminently readable!
Kevin Callahan, The PMCi

The book focuses on operational and tactical aspects of supply chain management. The coverage is clear, logical and highlights key points well. Each chapter ends with a summary. There is a wealth of figures, tips and techniques and explanatory "boxes", all of which are concise, relevant and useful.
Supply chain management has moved rapidly from 'poor relation' to high strategy, driving strategic alliances and involving world wide logistics. This book does no more than touch on these wider strategic issues; its concern is with the fundamentals which provide the platform on which strategy can be successful. It succeeds admirably within its objectives.

As a person with little time lately for personal reading, I have to be judicious about my reading adventures. I feel that Mr. Hugos created a very "easy read", while providing ample information about his topic to educate the person "on the go".

My profession involves interfacing with CIOs daily, and I can now feel more confident in my acumen around the Supply Chain Management space. I think Mr. Hugos accomplished his objective of enlightening executives about this topic, w/o using the "techno-speak" that often chases them away. Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I am interested in finding out more about the "Essentials" series.

Mr. Hugos, I thank you!

This book gives a wonderful and very thorough overview of the practice of Supply Chain Management.

The author starts off by explaining the objectives of SCM; the drivers that govern a Supply Chain; the conflicting demands of "efficiency" vs "responsivenes"; the variables that the Supply Chain manager would constantly need to juggle with and optimize keeping in mind the market segment that they are serving.

Later he goes on to discuss about the business operations (plan, source, make, deliver) that constitute a supply chain and the technology choices that are available in today's world to solve these problems. The real-life concerns of performance targets, budgets and ROI are also discussed.

The author provides an abundance of "Real Life Examples" and "Executive Insights" that demonstrate how these principles are being used (and in many cases pioneered!) by various companies in different industry segments.

This is not a book that goes into excessive quantitative analysis or depth in any subject. Rather it is an overview that is extremely useful for beginners who want to get a grasp on this subject. It is probably the first book you should read on SCM - and also the book you could use to summarize your concepts and put them to practice.

The author's fluid writing style and simplicity in his choice of words (no fancy buzz words that make you want to run away!!), make it a pleasure reading this book.

This book is great. For the executive manager in supply chain management or IT disciplines, the book is truly an essential. It cut through the theory with plenty of real life examples. My recommendation: buy it, carry it, and use it!!

Pete Mauro

I bought this book to learn the basics of SCM. I found what I was looking for in terms of information.
But the book seemed like a text book which reminded me my school days.
It is definitely a very useful tool if you need quick information about the basics of SCM.

This is a wonderful book that provides step-by-step procedures for the business minded person who wants to succeed. The interviews with the executives were extremely helpful and interesting to read. This author is an excellent writer and I look forward to more works from him.

Michael Hugos is a new voice to the John Wiley & Sons "Essentials" series of business texts and a most welcome voice at that. Clearly, he has attacked a complex subject in supply chain management. To Mr. Hugos' ultimate credit, he delivers the reader into his world of supply chain management without hiding behind techno-jargon. Imagine this: a plain-speaking CIO/author with a vision and an ability to simplify the complex without talking down to his reader. Quite simply, Mr. Hugos' book is a freshing wind of IT knowledge and know how.
If you wish to understand supply chain management, buy this book.

Kelly Yaksich
Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
Dex Media

At the university were I work we are under a lot of pressure to improve our operations. I loved the way the book strips away all the artificial complexity that so many people employ when talking about supply chain management. This book shows you the big picture and then shows you where your job fits into it.

We have been consulted half to death by some of the most prestegious companies. We have had a couple of big systems projects go bad in the last four years. People couln't even clearly explain how those systems were going to work. This book provides a clear framework that everyone can use to understand our problems and discuss possible solutions.

I CAN ONLY HOPE THE ADMINISTRATION READS THIS BOOK BEFORE WE TRY OUR NEXT BIG PROJECT.

This books gives excellent tips and techniques that are very useful in every day business. This book is very valuable to anyone who wants to take the steps to succeed. This author should be applauded for making a difficult process sound easy. Thank you.