Abstract.

Supply chain management is a critical aspect of conducting any business. In this article, we
provide an overview of the advancements in supply chain management. In the initial
section, we present alternative definitions and key issues related to supply chain
management followed by a discussion of complexities associated with managing supply
chains. Subsequently, we discuss major inefficiencies of poor supply chain management.
Finally, a brief summary of research activity to date and a discussion of future challenges
related to supply chain management are presented.

At the most fundamental level, supply chain management (SCM) is management of the

flow of goods, data, and finances related to a product or service, from the procurement of
raw materials to the delivery of the product at its final destination.Although many people
equate the supply chain with logistics, logistics is actually just one component of the supply
chain. Today’s digitally based SCM systems include material handling and software for all
parties involved in product or service creation, order fulfilment, and information
tracking―such as suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, transportation and logistics
providers, and retailers.

1. Introduction
Supply chain management is such a vast topic that as a result people often give it a different
definition based on their own personal experience. To some, supply chain management is all
about managing the supplier base, determining what to outsource and to whom, and
managing relationships with the various suppliers. To some others it is efficient ways of
transferring goods from one place to another taking into account the distribution and
transportation costs. To another set of people it is all about how the different firms in the
distribution channel or value chain are integrated in terms of information systems and
inventory management practices. To yet another group it is effective management of fixed
and variable assets required for running the business. In a sense all these definitions are like
the blind men defining the elephant based on its different organs. A comprehensive
definition of supply chain management can be given as follows. A supply chain is the set of
entities that are involved in the design of new products and services, procuring raw
materials, transforming them into semifinished and finished products and delivering them to
the end customers (Swaminathan 2001). Supply chain management is efficient management
of the end-to-end process starting from the design of the product or service to the time when
it has been sold, consumed, and finally disposed of by the consumer. This complete process
includes product design, procurement, planning and forecasting, production, distribution,
fulfillment, and after-sales support.
Global supply chain (GSC) disruptions started after the World Health Oganization (WHO)
declared the coronavirus disease outbreak to be global health emergency at the end of
January 2020. During the first half of 2020, the virus spread to almost all the countries in
partial or total lockdown (McKenzie, 2020). Such a crisis affects the supply network at the
source and destination, has extreme effects on GSC, and interrupts production process
(Choudhury, 2020). According to Institute of Supply Management (ISM), about 75% of the
companies reported supply chain (SC) disruptions, 80% expected some kind of disruptions
in the near future, 62% reported delays in receiving goods, and 53% of firms reported
difficulties in getting information from China (McCrea, 2020a, 2020b). More than five
million companies with Tier 2 supplies were impacted by the pandemic (Dun and
Bradstreet, 2020). It is estimated that among the 450 million persons working in GSCs,
many have faced reduced income or even job loss due to COVID‐19 (Kippenberg, 2020).
Globally, organisations have been shutting down shops, deleting orders, and suspending
production. Some sectors like garment, mining, jewellery, and automobiles have been
suffering as the employees in these sectors are among the most vulnerable and being
affected by the pandemic (Kippenberg, 2020).

Guided By Submitted By:

Prof.Y.M. KHAN. Uday Fepale

BE Mechanical

Roll No:44034

PRN: 2019015201038052

ICEEM Aurangabad