Supply Chain Management in Industrial Production: A Retrospective View

Abstract

In the manufacturing industry the problem of setting up and managing supply chain relationships has recently become of an unprecedented complexity and importance. Today even the most common products are obtained through processes that are highly complex as regards the production technology, the required knowledge and the number of stages involved. The processes in the value chain are spread upon several different technological areas and they require the application of specialized and advanced knowledge in all phases. Consequently firms involved in the development of a new product must coordinate with the other actors in the chain from the earliest stages of design and engineering. In this chapter we present a retrospective analysis of the evolution of managerial perspectives on supply-chain management (SCM) in industrial production. In our view the philosophy underlying the management of Purchasing and Supply (PS) in industrial firms has reflected, over time, the managerial paradigm at the basis of the strategic choice of the firm. Thus, as well as for all main firm’s processes PS has evolved in order to provide an adequate response to changes in the competitive environment.