Delivering The Goods: The Art Of Managing Your Supply Chain

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"Delivering the Goods looks at business logistics through the history of successful military logistical operations undertaken by leaders from Alexander the Great to General Norman Schwarzkopf. After exploring some of the most inventive solutions ever devised for logistical problems, the authors apply the lessons learned to modern business. In the process they include real-world examples of techniques for supply chain optimization used by various organizations - from the modern U.S. Army to the computer company Sun Microsystems." "In the increasingly competitive and cost-conscious corporate environment of the next few decades, the question of delivery - how rapidly, how well, and how cheaply you deliver goods and services to the customer - will be the paramount differentiating factor for companies. In fact, one fifth or more of sales for a typical American company is represented by transportation and distribution costs, or what are essentially supply chain costs. Therefore, even a slightly more efficient delivery system can become a significant competitive advantage for large companies." Delivering the Goods provides case studies and histories of successful logistical operations throughout history, but it also offers practical guidance on applying proven logistical principles to your business. Manage your supply chain properly, and you just might bring home the ultimate spoils of war - customers. Consultant Schechter and writer Sander attribute the bursting of the dot.com bubble largely to neglect of the supply side of business, and the sales-based marketing philosophy that dominated American business during most of the postwar period. They begin by describing the origins of logistics as a military art, then explain its application to business. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR Table of Contents Preface Prologue 1 Sect. I Supply and Command, A Journey through Time Ch. 1 War Is Logistics 17 Ch. 2 To Forage or Not to Forage 33 Ch. 3 The Arsenal of Democracy 51 Ch. 4 The Soldier As Customer 69 Ch. 5 Early Business Logistics: The South Sea Bubble and the Shipping Room Mob 87 Ch. 6 Logistics and the Modern Corporate Battlefield 111 Sect. II Cracking the Code and Applying the Code Ch. 7 Getting Ready for the View 129 Ch. 8 Acquiring the View 139 Ch. 9 Putting It All Together 157 Ch. 10 The Kobacker Company 169 Ch. 11 The U.S. Air Force 179 Ch. 12 Sun Microsystems 187 Epilogue 197 Glossary 203 References 231 Index 241