STUDENTS' CORNER - 231

Supply Chain Management

Let us remember the words of Peter Drucker , the internationally acknowledged management guru, when he was talking about logistics: ‘ Logistics is a dark continent’.  Simple words but they are very challenging. In essence, it implies that one can never know enough to say he has mastered the logistics.

 Of course, it is true of every aspect of living that includes relationship, religion and even business.  There is so much of misery, unhappiness, wrangling, so on

 Despite living together for decades, there is still misunderstanding between two persons, say, husband and wife. Tolerating each other is not the outcome of understanding but of fear of losing social recognition and tolerance is a minimum expression of consideration. Necessity leads to tolerance and it is not understanding. And the global news talks so much of religious conflicts; and people are prepared to kill or get killed for the sake of their religion. What kind of living is this that does not breathe in harmony and happiness? And there are umpteen number of business enterprises that began well but did not last long.

Budget is estimate and projections but does not indicate success of living; based on past experience in the field and on the projects for the future you arrive at a budget and budget itself tells you that you cannot be certain over every aspect in the budget.

Logistics is another subject like any other discipline that keeps growing and expanding and one does not have time and patience to master the whole of logistics. Logistics somehow has come to be associated more closely with business only; because movements of goods constitute the very bed-rock of business. But it not only goods, products that move ; your mind is constantly moving even without your permission; your blood is moving without your efforts and your breath is moving ; and the scientists affirm that the very universe is moving in such a way that it is moving in all directions , front and sideways; that is, universe is expanding.

It is not philosophy but it is a fact. Everything moves. Against this background, let us approach the supply chain disruptions.  Experts in supply chain management have come out with plenty of ideas like Back-Up inventory, Diversification of Suppliers and Communication to Customers. All experts, directly or indirectly, land on the customers and they insist understanding your customers is essential for any business enterprise.

Here, using the words of Drucker, it can be said ‘Understanding customers is a dark continent’. Management experts are never tired of saying ‘Customer is always right’ and ‘Customer is the King’.

Let us spend some time on customers and their inevitability for any sustainable business.