role of IT in scm

ROLE OF I.T. IN Supply Chain Management : 

22/07/2010 ROLE OF I.T. IN Supply Chain Management An overview, for GNITCM Dheeraj Kumar Mishra OPEN YOUR MIND

INTRODUCTION : 

INTRODUCTION Supply chain management (SCM) is concerned with the flow of products and information between supply chain members' organizations. Recent development in technologies enables the organization to avail information easily in their premises. These technologies are helpful to coordinates the activities to manage the supply chain. The cost of information is decreased due to the increasing rate of technologies. In the integrated supply chain model (Fig.1) bi-directional arrow reflect the information feedback flows. Manager needs to understand that information technology is more than just computers. Except computer data recognition equipment, communication technologies, factory automation and other hardware and services are included. Integrated supply chain model

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The importance of information in an integrated supply chain management environment Prior to 1980s the information flow between functional areas with in an organization and between supply chain member organizations were paper based. The paper based transaction and communication is slow. During this period, information was often over looked as a critical competitive resource because its value to supply chain members was not clearly understood. IT infrastructure capabilities provides a competitive positioning of business initiatives like cycle time reduction, implementation, implementing redesigned cross-functional processes. Several well know firms involved in supply chain relationship through information technology. Three factors have strongly impacted this change in the importance of information. First, satisfying in fact pleasing customer has become something of a corporate obsession. Serving the customer in the best, most efficient and effective manner has become critical. Second information is a crucial factor in the managers' abilities to reduce inventory and human resource requirement to a competitive level. Information flows plays a crucial role in strategic planning.

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Information and Technology: Application of SCM: In the development and maintenance of Supply chain's information systems both software and hardware must be addressed. Hardware includes computer's input/output devices and storage media. Software includes the entire system and application programme used for processing transactions management control, decision-making and strategic planning. Recent development in Supply chain management software is:1. Base Rate, Carrier select & match pay (version 2.0) developed by Distribution Sciences Inc. which is useful for computing freight costs, compares transportation mode rates, analyze cost and service effectiveness of carrier. 2. A new software programme developed by Ross systems Inc. called Supply Chain planning which is used for demand forecasting, replenishment & manufacturing tools for accurate planning and scheduling of activities.3. P&G distributing company and Saber decision Technologies resulted in a software system called Transportation Network optimization for streamlining the bidding and award process.4. Logitility planning solution was recently introduced to provide a programme capable managing the entire supply chain.

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Electronic Commerce It is the term used to describe the wide range of tools and techniques utilized to conduct business in a paperless environment. Electronic commerce therefore includes electronic data interchange, e-mail, electronic fund transfers, electronic publishing, image processing, electronic bulletin boards, shared databases and magnetic/optical data capture. Companies are able to automate the process of moving documents electronically between suppliers and customers.

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Electronic Data Interchange Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) refers to computer-to-computer exchange of business documents in a standard format. EDI describe both the capability and practice of communicating information between two organizations electronically instead of traditional form of mail, courier, & fax. The benefits of EDI are:1. Quick process to information.2. Better customer service.3. Reduced paper work.4. Increased productivity.5. Improved tracing and expediting.6. Cost efficiency.7. Competitive advantage.8. Improved billing. Though the use of EDI supply chain partners can overcome the distortions and exaggeration in supply and demand information by improving technologies to facilitate real time sharing of actual demand and supply information.

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Bar coding and Scanner Bar code scanners are most visible in the check out counter of super market.  This code specifies name of product and its manufacturer. Other applications are tracking the moving items such as components in PC assembly operations, automobiles in assembly plants.

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Data warehouse Data warehouse is a consolidated database maintained separately from an organization's production system database. Many organizations have multiple databases. A data warehouse is organized around informational subjects rather than specific business processes. Data held in data warehouses are time dependent, historical data may also be aggregated.

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Enterprise Resource planning (ERP) tools Many companies now view ERP system (eg. Baan, SAP, People soft, etc.) as the core of their IT infrastructure. ERP system have become enterprise wide transaction processing tools which capture the data and reduce the manual activities and task associated with processing financial, inventory and customer order information. ERP system achieve a high level of integration by utilizing a single data model, developing a common understanding of what the shared data represents and establishing a set of rules for accessing data.

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Conclusion World is shrinking day by day with advancement of technology. Customers' expectations are also increasing and companies are prone to more and more uncertain environment. Companies will find that their conventional supply chain integration will have to be expanded beyond their peripheries. The strategic and technological innovations in supply chain will impact on how organizations buy and sell in the future. However clear vision, strong planning and technical insight into the Internet's capabilities would be necessary to ensure that companies maximize the Internet's potential for better supply chain management and ultimately improved competitiveness. Internet technology, World Wide Web, electronic commerce etc. will change the way a company is required to do business. These companies must realize that they must harness the power of technology to collaborate with their business partners. That means using a new breed of SCM application, the Internet and other networking links to observe past performance and historical trends to determine how much product should be made as well as the best and cost effective method for warehousing it or shipping it to retailer.

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22/07/2010