SCM (Supply Chain Management) covers all activities related to a company’s industrial macro-process. It thus encompasses all activities involved in the creation and production of the products marketed by the company (purchasing, procurement, production, order management, distribution, logistics). By using appropriate information systems, it manages not only physical flows (materials, components, finished products, etc.) but also information flows (orders, forecasts, inventory levels, lead times, etc.). Both intra- and inter-organizational, Supply Chain Management requires coordination among all internal (marketing, R&D, purchasing, sales, etc.) and external partners of the company.
