Supply Chain Management Best Practices [Hardcover]

David Blanchard (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 047178141X | ISBN-13: 978-0471781417 | Publication Date: December 5, 2006 | Edition: 1

Packed with abundant anecdotes, interviews, case studies, research, and analysis, Supply Chain Management Best Practices offers a comprehensive and unflinching look at the development of supply chain management. Author David Blanchard—Editor in Chief of Logistics Today, the leading supply chain publication—presents success stories through the eyes of practitioners and experts at competitive companies of all sizes and in various industries, who share their secrets, experiences, and accomplishments to help you get your own company on the "best practices" track.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In his book, Blanchard provides valuable ideas and potential solutions to the problems that regularly occur that might prevent SCM leaders from achieving their objectives." (Strategic Finance; 10/2007)

 "…good and interesting book, and has a place on every supply chain manager's shelf..." (Supply Chain Digest; 8/23/07)

"Packed with anecdotes, interviews, case studies, research and analysis” (Government Opportunities, August 2007)

"Conversational and easy to read…A fine book…recommended." (Supply Management, July 2007)

From the Inside Flap

" 'Best practices' don't just happen by throwing a lot of money at your supply chain problems...It takes time, talent, energy, focus, commitment...Those are the qualities that the best-run companies in the world share, and it's why they're on top."
—David Blanchard from Chapter 1, Supply Chain Management Best Practices

In the United States alone, companies spend more than $1 trillion every year on transportation, warehousing, distribution, and associated inventory management. The responsibility for managing that spending falls squarely on the shoulders of supply chain professionals. While the role of a supply chain professional may differ from company to company, the goals are similarly daunting: to develop and position a company's supply chains in order to compete and win in today's global marketplace.

Packed with abundant anecdotes, interviews, case studies, research, and analysis, Supply Chain Management Best Practices offers a comprehensive and unflinching look at the development of supply chain management by looking at some of the people and the businesses largely responsible for its momentum. Author David Blanchard—Editor in Chief of Logistics Today, the leading supply chain publication—provides a unique dual perspective as journalist and insider, with access to top supply chain professionals and their insights on building and sustaining a world-class supply chain.

This resourceful book is strategically organized into three parts: Part I briefly introduces supply chain management with examples of best-in-class supply chains in various industries and proven methods for measuring the performance of a supply chain. Part II presents the traditional core processes of supply chain management and discusses the best practices being followed by specific trendsetting companies within the global marketplace. Finally, Part III reveals the strategies, solutions, and technologies used by leading companies to design their extended enterprises.

Conversational and easy to read, Supply Chain Management Best Practices presents success stories through the eyes of practitioners and experts at competitive companies of all sizes and in various industries, who share their secrets, experiences, and accomplishments to help you get your own company on the "best practices" track.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047178141X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471781417
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well written, well documented overview, March 10, 2007

By 

Craig A. Shutt (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Supply Chain Management Best Practices (Hardcover)

Dave Blanchard writes in a clear, concise style and supports his points with case histories that relate each point to the real world. The book is divided into three parts to create a process of its own. It leads the reader through supply chains used in different channels, discusses the core questions that must be answered in creating a system and then looks at solutions the best companies use to help meet obstacles that arise.

He has a light-hearted style (the first sub-head is, "You Knew This Job Was Dangerous When You Took It"), which keeps the book from bogging down or becoming pedantic. But the information is up to date and concisely presented.

The book is heavily annotated, offering additional resources if the reader desires, and the index allows specific points to be located quickly, so it works well as a reference guide as well as an overview. That he occasionally references his own articles makes it clear that he has a long history in the industry, offering experience and context he can bring to bear on the topic.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Now I Understand, February 2, 2010

By 

K. Cooper (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Supply Chain Management Best Practices (Hardcover)

I just spent the last three years at a large company where we focused on Supply Chain improvement. It was three years of incredible experiences and accomplishments. Now that it is over and I read this book, I know what it is we did. I did a lot of the activities, but did not have the big picture in mind when I did them. Now I have the big picture and the experience to back it up. Excellent read!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to Read - No PhD in Required, September 17, 2010

By 

Steve Keifer (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Supply Chain Management Best Practices (Wiley Best Practices) (Hardcover)

Unlike most of the market research and books on supply chain management, Blanchard's text does not require a PhD in Operations Research or Supply Chain Theory to read. In fact, it is full of insightful real-world examples from a wide variety of industries making it very easy to follow. Blanchard provides a historical perspective on the supply chain as a discipline as well as the background on concepts such as the Toyota Production System, Electronic Marketplaces and Collaborative Forecasting & Replenishment. This Second Edition of the book is up-to-date, with full chapters devoted to RFID, supply chain security and green supply chains. The book also provides useful explanations of concepts such as lean manufacturing, cross-docking, service parts planning, postponement and sales & operations planning.

I had only two complaints in reading it. There is a chapter on customer service that I found to be extremely disappointing as it focused primarily on returns processing. Additionally, there is no content on invoicing, payment or the financial settlement process. But, overall the book provides an excellent primer for those seeking an introduction to supply chain. I would highly recommend Blanchard's work over others such as the Harvard Business Review on SCM and Essentials of Supply Chain Management, neither of which did I find as useful.