Supply chain management in logistics systems. Modern foundations of supply chain management. Pros and cons of the profession

Question:
Please tell me the difference between logistics and Supply Chain Management. What is the specificity of the pharmaceutical business?

Answer:

The question is very relevant in the modern development of the economy in general, the pharmaceutical business in particular.

In principle, there is still no single definition for both the term logistics and the term Supply Chain Management. Especially in Russian sources. Although in the West there are different points of view on this matter, which are represented by several "schools". Let's try to figure out what is the difference and how interesting these areas are for the pharmacy business as an end seller.

So, we talked about what logistics is a few issues ago. And yet we repeat the general theses.

Logistics has two main tasks:

Manage / control / minimize costs;
Provide a certain level of service (maintenance) to internal and / or external consumers. For a pharmacy chain, these are the level of possible (permissible) shortage and the speed (time) of delivery.

One of the common definitions of logistics is as follows:

Logistics is the direction of the company's activity, which consists in the management of material and related flows (cash, information).

The main activities for logistics are:

- procurement management,

- warehouse management (if any),

- transport management,

- foreign economic activity management (if any),

- management of the distribution of stocks.

The best results in logistics can be achieved if the participants are united in one department. Otherwise, optimization will be carried out locally in each department, which will inevitably lead to two results:

optimization of costs within the company will not be achieved,
cross-functional conflicts will arise due to the presence of local tasks.

And here Supply Chain Management (DRM)(Supply Chain Management, SCM) is already a more complex category. Unlike logistics, DRM is to perform the same tasks, but within a chain. That is, optimization does not take place within the company, but when working with counterparties.

Purpose of supply chain management

To maximize the competitiveness and profitability of the company, as well as the entire network structure of supply chains, including the end consumer.

In this regard, the integration and reengineering of supply chain processes should be aimed at improving the overall efficiency and productivity of participants in the supply chain.

DRM is a fairly new direction in management. Its origin can be attributed to the second half of the 80s of the last century. Mass distribution as a strategic direction in the west of the UCP received much later. In Russia, there is still a more local solution of problems. But as the experience of companies that have been involved in this area for a long time shows, they turn out to be the best in their class.

Supply chain management is the integration of eight key business processes:

Customer Relationship Management;
Customer service;
Demand management;
Order execution management;
Production process support;
Supply management;
Management of product development and its bringing to commercial use;
Returnable materials management

The difference between DRM and logistics and their capabilities can be described as follows:

Logistics is responsible for the physical implementation of materials management. Efficiency or inefficiency of logistics can determine about 10% of a business's success.

DRM is responsible for balancing needs and supply throughout the consumer value chain. Efficiency or inefficiency of DRM can determine about 30% of business success.

Serious results in DRM can be achieved only by using modern information technologies and advanced approaches in the framework of the integration and coordination of the actions of participants in the supply chains.

As an illustration of the differences between logistics and DRM supply, we can give the following example from the practice of one of the pharmaceutical distributors.
The supplier invites the distributor to purchase a consignment of goods with the following conditions. If a distributor purchases a batch that covers three months of sales to his customers, then the distributor will receive, in addition to the discount, a bonus from the supplier.
If we consider this task from the point of view of logistics at the supplier and distributor, then the scheme should be as follows.
The distributor considers the supplier's proposals in terms of cost-effectiveness. At the same time, comparing the savings on the purchase price and the bonus with all logistics costs (transport, warehouse, cost of frozen money), warehouse capabilities, shelf life, etc.
The supplier's logistics, in turn, must ensure further this delivery. That is, there must be stocks at the required level, the accompanying documents must be in order, the warehouse must ship this delivery on time. That is, the supplier is obliged to provide logistics services at the appropriate level.

What would the same situation look like, only from the point of view of DRM?

Such an offer from the supplier can (and most often does) lead to a significant increase in costs in the supply chain, which ultimately affects the price of the product. On the other hand, there may be a shortage of goods for some time. How will this happen ?!
If the client is offered a batch for three months to cover the demand, then the client will continue to make orders rarely, but in large batches. In this regard, the supplier will increase the instability of demand for this product. And the more unstable the demand, the more difficult it is to forecast / plan it for the next period. The worse the forecast, the more difficult it is to adequately plan the stocks of both finished products and raw materials. Accordingly, the supplier's logistics and / or production will suffer. Logistics will be forced to inflate stocks, and production will often break the production plan for new urgent orders.
The distributor, as a result of this approach, will periodically have interruptions in supplies, and in pharmacies there is a "intracity" deficit.
And in general - an increase in costs and loss of sales. Of course, the result may look somewhat daunting at first glance.

Therefore, it is suggested in a number of subsequent publications to consider these problems in more detail and in numbers. And also to consider how these problems are solved within the framework of the DRM market leaders and not only.

The process of organizing the delivery of materials from the supplier to the consumer should provide for a flexible system that can quickly respond to production requests related to changes in market conditions. In the presence of competition, entrepreneurs track positive trends in the market. Changes in manufactured products can be influenced by a decrease or increase in consumer demand, which requires a corresponding decrease or increase in production volumes, the appearance on the market of a new product made from a new material that improves the user properties of the product. All this requires an entrepreneur to make quick decisions related to changes in the terms of supply of raw materials and materials. Therefore, before establishing economic ties with suppliers, it is necessary to study the supplier's potential, focusing on production requirements and possible changes in delivery conditions.

The supply of the necessary raw materials or materials can be carried out both directly from the manufacturer to the consumer and through intermediaries. Delivery from manufacturer to consumer is called transit, and through an intermediary, warehouse.

The transit form of supply of materials allows to significantly reduce the residence time of material flows in the sphere of circulation, and also allows to reduce distribution costs by reducing the cost of loading and unloading operations, warehousing. The use of a transit supply scheme is advisable to use for large consignments of supplies of a constant assortment in large batches, when the products do not require additional logistics work and operations to prepare for production consumption.

The duties of an intermediary may include work related to the implementation of a number of production services to prepare products for production consumption, the implementation of after-sales service for the products sold, as well as the provision of a range of other types of business services.

When considering the issue of choosing or switching from one form of delivery to another, it is necessary to take into account transport and procurement costs.

Transport - procurement costs represent the costs associated with the organization of the order and its implementation, as well as the cost of procurement and delivery of material resources. They are only part of the logistics costs.

These include:

· Costs for the formation of a network of supply chains, as well as the selection and evaluation of suppliers;
· Freight forwarding costs;
· Postal and telegraph, travel, entertainment and other expenses;
· Shortages and losses on the way within the norms of natural loss;
· Other expenses (security, fulfillment of additional requirements of consumers, etc.).

Depending on who the supplier is, the type of logistics system is determined. If the movement of material flows is carried out in transit, then a logical system with direct connections is formed. If a warehouse delivery form is used, a layered logistics system is formed. Sometimes an enterprise - a consumer simultaneously receives material resources from different sources - manufacturers and intermediaries - in practice, flexible logistics systems are most often common.

The most effective supply management system is the use of a just-in-time logistics system. The use of this system will make it possible to achieve great success in case of instability of the market for final products, as well as in the development of new products.

The application of the just-in-time system provides for the operation of consumers with a much lower stock of raw materials and materials than in the conditions of traditional supply. As a result, the requirements for the reliability of all participants in the logistics process, including transport workers, are increasing. If, in the context of traditional supply, when choosing a carrier, first of all, they pay attention to transportation tariffs, then when using the "just in time" system, preference is given to a carrier that can guarantee the reliability of meeting delivery times.

For enterprises using the "just in time" system, the following features are characteristic:

· Stable production output;
· Frequent deliveries in small batches;
· Deliveries based on long-term orders;
· The minimum amount of accompanying documentation;
· The amount of information on deliveries is fixed for the entire volume, but may vary from one delivery to another;
· Lack of supply of goods with excess or shortage;
· Suppliers are guided by the use of standard containers and packaging.

Application of the “just in time” system allows achieving the following results:

· Reduce the cost of maintaining stocks;
· Reduce the number of rejects;
· Reduce storage capacity.

Supplier benefits:

· The qualified labor force is retained;

· Reduction of storage costs;

· Simplification of the procurement approval procedure due to the proximity of the supplier.

The use of the "just in time" system should be preceded by the differentiation of the assortment (nomenclature) of the supplied commodity or production resources in order to highlight the most significant items. ABC analysis can be used as a differentiation tool.

The methodology for calculating ABC is given in the Appendix.

Market relations are based on purchase and sale transactions. Before the flows of goods begin their movement from the seller to the buyer, they formalize their relations with the corresponding obligations - delivery contracts. Therefore, in distribution logistics, the problem of effective supply management is of paramount importance. In this aspect, the logistic approach involves the formalization of the relevant tasks, the assessment and analysis of the fulfillment of contractual obligations in this type of relationship.

Supply as an economic concept, it represents the sale and delivery of products to wholesale buyers.

These buyers are:

Intermediary trading structures for subsequent resale.
Service enterprises for off-market consumption.
Industrial enterprises and organizations for processing and industrial consumption.

Based on this, three commodity funds are distinguished in distribution logistics on the basis of end use:

1. Market fund.

It represents the supply of goods to wholesale and retail trade.

2. Industrial processing fund.

This is the supply of goods to industrial enterprises for their processing into finished products of a higher level.

3. Off-market fund.

It provides for the supply of goods to non-industrial institutional consumers.

From an economic point of view, the sale of finished products as a process can be divided into two stages.

At the first stage, the formation of commodity flows, the shipment of products to consumers, the promotion of commodity flows along the supply chains, and the organization of delivery to the final destination are carried out. From the point of view of marketing and logistics, this stage is the stage of delivery of goods.

At the second stage, consumers pay for the delivered products - sale.

Distribution logistics interests is the first stage of the relationship between market entities.

The logistics approach to supply management involves the rational solution of the following tasks:

Organization of full-fledged operational information support with reliable data on the progress of supply-related processes.
Regular implementation of a comprehensive exhaustive analysis of the fulfillment of obligations and the delivery plan in terms of volume, customers, assortment and quality.
Conducting research on trends, dynamics and uniformity in the fulfillment of contractual obligations over time.
Ensuring systematic control over the observance of delivery dates.
Improvement of the range of logistics services associated with supplies.

The basis for the management of logistics processes in the implementation of supplies is an delivery plan (program), which is expressed in a set of planning and settlement documents containing the basic requirements stipulated by contractual obligations: to volumes, nomenclature, quality, delivery times, distribution channels, forms of material flow promotion, logistics service, etc.

Information support plays an important role in planning the work and operations of distribution logistics and improving its quality.

The minimum information required to develop a supply plan should include:

Data on the volumes of expected balances of finished goods at the beginning of the forecast logistic period.
Data on the volume of commercial products planned for release at the enterprise in the forecast period.
Data on the volumes of the balances of marketable products in the warehouses of the logistics system at the end of the forecast period.

Carrying out the development of an appropriate plan (program) of supplies, it is necessary to classify the supplies themselves, provided for execution. This is done, firstly, in order to properly organize the entire sales system, and secondly, to improve the efficiency of managing logistics processes at the post-production stage.

In distribution logistics, deliveries are primarily categorized according to the principle of priority. Typically, deliveries are structured as follows:

Export.
Priority (letter).
Ordinary, that is, carried out on a general basis.

Based on logistics priorities, it is supported service discipline, which is a set of rules (algorithm) for servicing the customer's request in the logistics system.

In principle, the simplest service discipline is order first come - first served. In this case, no bids are given an advantage over others.

However, in practice, the most common flexible service discipline. It is implemented by introducing a system of priorities, which includes a set of absolute and relative priorities in various combinations.

The nature of supplies is influenced by form of promotion of commodity flows from supplier to consumer. On this basis, as you know, they are subdivided into deliveries:

transit;
warehouse.

Producers establish logistic ties to promote commodity flows with two types of customers: end consumers of commodity products and intermediary structures, which are involved in one way or another to promote material flows to end consumers.

As a rule, end consumers in most cases want to purchase goods that are maximally prepared for consumption, in small batches and on time. Such requirements are not always beneficial for the producer. For these and other reasons, to promote commodity flows to consumers, producers often turn to the services of resellers, who can purchase large quantities of goods, which means that the capacity of material flows at the producer-intermediary stage can be significantly increased. This simplifies the process of generating and managing material flows at the initial stage of moving along the supply chains.

In distribution logistics, the organization of supply management assumes their mandatory classification according to one more criterion - by delivery time.

According to this criterion, they are divided into:

urgent. Shipment is made for the execution of emergency deliveries, special orders and in other extraordinary cases;
periodic. Shipment is made within the period specified in the order (application);
calendar. Shipment is carried out according to a schedule previously agreed between the supplier and the recipient.

In recent years, distribution logistics has been widely used to improve the efficiency of supply management. fast response method. This is a method of planning and regulating the supply of goods to intermediary structures - participants in logistics chains to promote material flows. The rapid response method involves close interaction between the logistics system

(producer) and trade enterprises (wholesale, retail), as well as transformation (distribution) centers. Using this method, the optimization of commodity flows in the links of the supply chain is carried out. As a rule, a significant reduction in stocks is achieved, but not below the level that, under the prevailing conditions, allows to ensure the immediate satisfaction of a large number of customer requests.

The implementation of rapid response methods presupposes the manifestation of all the advantages of a logistics system, its ability to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. The manufacturer must have and skillfully use the ability to quickly restructure production for the release of new goods in small batches, timely adjust the algorithm of logistics work and operations, and instantly adjust the process of managing commodity and other flows. Such a pronounced pragmatic approach determines the presence of an intensive information exchange between the logistics system and the links of supply chains, especially in the field of control over static and dynamic flows of goods.

The rapid response method is based on the solution of the so-called supply distribution problems. This is the task of operational management of stocks and their consumption in the logistics system and the links of the logistics chain. The essence of the problem is as follows. It is assumed that a stock of a certain product is created in the warehouses of the logistic system and from intermediaries, which is periodically ordered to the main production for the logistic system and simultaneously for all warehouses in the logistic chain. The ordered quantity of goods is predicted and assumed to be known. In order not to get out of touch with reality, it is envisaged that the order may be executed with a time delay. The presence of goods in the warehouses of the logistics system and links in the logistics chain is also known. You need to decide how to distribute a certain amount of goods that form the corresponding material flows among all warehouses after the main production has completed the cumulative order.

In the process of solving the problem, it is also assumed that the warehouses do not receive the goods for a certain time before the implementation of the next aggregate order. The total order should be distributed between the warehouses of the logistics system and the supply chain in such a way as to minimize the amount of transport and other logistics costs, as well as the expected penalties and losses due to dissatisfaction with demand.

Supply Chain Management in Distribution Logistics is Results Based analysis of the implementation of the supply plan (program), which should be carried out continuously. This analysis is carried out on the basis of statistical reporting data, operational accounting, primary accounting documentation and current information. The information provided by these sources makes it possible to characterize the fulfillment of the plan (program) of shipment (delivery) by a number of indicators, the main of which are: the volume of products shipped, its range, terms, shipments by consumers, etc.

The logistics approach to supply management implies unambiguously strict adherence to contractual discipline, which is the most important condition for:

rhythmic work of the enterprise;
improving logistics and sales;
accelerating the turnover of working capital;
reduction of aggregate material (production) and commodity stocks.

All of this applies to both suppliers and recipients at the same time. Thus, the effect of each supply agreement has at least a double focus - on both business partners. If there are more parties to the agreement, then the direction of its action is correspondingly broadened. Therefore, in distribution logistics, the implementation of supply contracts and, in general, supply management is given increased attention. Moreover, the formation of any logistics system should begin precisely with the requirement to strive for full fulfillment of obligations for the supply of marketable products.

In distribution logistics, the analysis of contractual obligations begins with an assessment of the performance of the contract (contract, application, agreement) by the volume of delivery. To do this, the actual delivery quantity is compared with the contractual quantity. If a discrepancy is found, determine relative and absolute the size of the underdelivery.

It should be emphasized that in logistics, a delivery that exceeds the size established by the contract and is not subject to an additional mutual agreement is considered the same negative phenomenon as underdelivery. In the conceptual apparatus of logistics, the term “overfulfillment of the plan” is absent.

Market conditions require strict adherence to agreements, including the volume of delivery. Failure to comply with this requirement negatively affects the state and development of mutual relations. The normalization of production and economic activity is violated not only of all participants in this transaction, but also the subsequent course of events.

Unplanned flows of goods or inconsistent parameters can:

Slow down the turnover.
Cause unnecessary costs.
Delay the movement of commodity flows along the supply chains.
Become the cause of converting dynamic streams to static for a long time, etc.

A very important aspect in supply management from the standpoint of a logistics concept is the fulfillment of contractual obligations on the uniformity and rhythm of supplies.

Uniformity of delivery - This is the observance by economic partners of obligations for the receipt of commodity flows of equal capacity at regular intervals.

Rhythm of delivery- This is the observance of the time and quantity parameters of the supply, stipulated by the contract, taking into account the seasonal and cyclical characteristics of production, sale, promotion of commodity flows and consumption.

Both the uniformity and the rhythm of delivery significantly affect the economic and social efficiency of not only logistics, but also production and commercial activities in general.

Uneven and irregular delivery adversely affects the activities of all participants in the logistics process. She cites:

to the emergence of queues;
increasing the level of inventory;
imbalance in the structure of inventories;
irrational use of vehicles.

In this regard, negative consequences can be:

growth in logistics costs;
decrease in profitability;
increase in waste of time of buyers.

In the spheres of production and circulation, uneven and irregular supplies are fraught with the emergence of a chain of disruptions in production and economic ties. The turnover of goods and other circulating assets decreases. All this has a destructive effect on the economy as a whole.

Usually, commodity flows are sent to the buyer not immediately as the finished product is produced, but at certain intervals, which are due to a set of factors, for example:

The length of supply chains.
The capabilities of the current transport system.
The needs of the mediation environment.
Characteristics of the warehouse infrastructure.
Seller's marketing policy.
The features of the logistics system.
The need to accumulate the size of the consignment of goods, the most profitable for transportation, in order to form an optimal flow of goods.
The uniformity and rhythm (mode) of production among producers and consumers, etc.

It is known that the nature of market relations determines market surges in demand, the so-called demand peaks, for various reasons. In this regard, it is advisable in the periods preceding such surges, to dramatically increase the capacity of specific commodity flows or the tension in supply chains, and after the decline in rush demand, at the same rate, to reverse actions. Such a technology of logistics relations must first be foreseen and agreed upon in the relevant contracts (agreements) between partners.

The decisive influence on the uniformity of delivery is exerted by the methods of commodity circulation and the choice of the logistics channel.

So, large intermediary structures, as a rule, have a developed transport and warehouse infrastructure. This allows them to accumulate material flows, determine their further promotion or transform in accordance with the requirements of buyers.

Small resellers often do not have storage capacity and therefore choose policies to accelerate the flow of goods to customers. In such cases, the uniformity of supply is unstable.

Practice has repeatedly confirmed that due to rhythmic delivery, sometimes even calculated by the hour, a firm (trade) or enterprise (industrial) can afford to lower prices for commercial products. Due to this and a number of other advantages due to the logistics approach, they easily win in the competition. Therefore, when establishing economic ties, the assessment of the uniformity and rhythm of supplies is one of the decisive factors when choosing a supplier.

Failure to meet delivery times not only in market conditions, but even in administrative conditions, entails appropriate financial sanctions and casts doubt on the possibility of prolonging economic ties with an optional supplier. This is a significant reason why not only in logistics, but also in marketing, finance and management, the issues of uniformity and rhythm of supply are given increased attention.

In distribution logistics, various methods for assessing the level of uniformity of supply have been developed and are applied.

The simplest and most affordable is accounting for quantitative and time parameters of receipt or generation of a commodity flow on a strip chart. This makes it possible to quickly monitor compliance with the deadlines and agreed delivery sizes. By counting and summing up time units of delay (days, hours), you can clearly illustrate compliance with the terms of the delivery contract. The uniformity or unevenness of supply is visually represented as a line graph, in which the levels of supply are reflected as a percentage of the average level taken as 100.

A simple and affordable way to characterize the uniformity of delivery is calculation of the specific weight of the delivery volume for each contractual period, and then comparing it with the standard.

The normative is defined as 1 / n part of the estimated (forecasted) volume of shipment or receipt of goods. In this case NS - the number of periods, that is, the intervals between the receipt of consignments of goods. The greater the sum of the deviations, the greater the unevenness.

Despite the attractiveness of the methods presented above, they cannot provide everything necessary for building a model of the influence of the degree of uniformity of supply on the level of economic efficiency. They are also insufficient to determine the criteria for choosing a reliable supplier by the buyer. Therefore, for these purposes, a number of indicators are additionally used, in particular, the coefficients of variation (V) and uniformity ( R ). Both of these indicators are measured in percentages and theoretically can range from 0 to 100.

Uniformity Coefficient is defined as the difference between 100% and the coefficient of variation:

The coefficient of variation is calculated as follows:

where I is the average delivery size for the entire period;

cr n - standard deviation of delivery volumes for each equal period of time from the average level for the entire period.

where I i - delivery for the i-th period of time

Due to the fact that fluctuations of volumetric, summarized indicators are determined, the formula is used standard deviation:

To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the uniformity and rhythm of deliveries in distribution logistics, it is determined average delivery delays. This indicator characterizes the excess of the delivery time of goods (in units of logistic time - days, hours) in comparison with the standard (calculated) intervals. The average delivery delay time is found by the formula

where D ( - the duration of the excess for the i-th delivery;

NS - the number of deliveries for which the fact of deviation is recorded.

The assessment of the degree of delivery rhythm, i.e. compliance with the established deadlines, is carried out on the basis of arrhythmia coefficient (K Ar):

where To - the number of delivery periods.

Poison and I f - delivery (in natural and value units) under the terms of the contract and actually for i-th period of time (logistic period).

The closer the arrhythmia coefficient is to 0, the more rhythmic the delivery and, conversely, the further from 0, the higher the arrhythmia of the delivery.

For the analysis of assortment deviations of supplies in distribution logistics, the following methods are most widely used:

1. The method for determining the absolute linear deviations of delivery from the terms of the contract for each assortment item.

The sum of deviations for positions, when correlated with the corresponding quantitative indicators of delivery, will reveal the absolute (size) and relative (degree) values of violation of contractual obligations for the assortment.

2. Method for determining the degree of structural differences.

With its help, it is established to what extent the specific weights of individual assortment items in the total supply of goods coincide or diverge. To identify this, calculate the average linear deviation of the actual relative indicators of the assortment structure of the supply from the contractual obligations.

Very important in distribution logistics is delivery technology, which is of two types:

1. The supplier, generating commodity flows, organizes their promotion to the consumer through logistics channels (chains).
2. The supplier sells its products to the buyer at the place of production. In this case, the buyer receives and exports the marketable products on his own.

For any delivery option, the release of finished products must be documented. The delivery lot that forms the flow of goods is formed on the basis of the selection sheet. Selection list can be in the form of a paper or electronic document.

After the formation of the flow of goods (consignment), shipment is carried out.

Logistic shipment operation is the transfer of a commercial product to an intermediary, carrier or its own transport service for the delivery of a specific consignment to a specified destination.

If the sale of the goods is carried out on the basis of self-pickup, then the shipment of the batch is carried out directly to the consumer at the place of manufacture.

Shipment is taken into account, as a rule, in physical terms, and the date (time) of receipt of the product by the carrier, recorded in the shipping documents, or the date (time) of the act of handing over the product to the buyer at the place of its production, is considered the date (time of shipment). The shipment operation performs an integrative role between logistics operations within the logistics system (intrasystem) and a complex of logistics operations for the delivery of commodity products (promotion of the flow of goods).

Delivery is the process of moving (transporting) cargo to its destination.

Delivery terms characterize the efficiency of the logistics system and supply chains. They depend on many factors, and first of all on the type of cargo that forms the freight flow, the category of speed, the type of dispatch, etc.

There are two types of delivery:

1. Centralized.

In this case, the transport and relocation works are organized by the supplier. The work can be performed by the supplier himself or with the help of transport and forwarding structures involved for this purpose.

2. Decentralized.

Then the transport and relocation works are organized directly by the recipient on their own or with the help of the involved structures for the provision of logistics services.

If the delivery is carried out on its own, then it is called sampling of products by the consumer.

The promotion of material (commodity) flows in logistics channels and chains does not always end at the moment the goods are received by the customer (consumer, intermediary). Part of the consignment may be returned back. The reasons can be different, for example:

Damage to products due to poor transportation.
Changes in customer needs.
Incorrect addressing.
Unacceptable product quality.
Incorrect labeling, etc.

Under any circumstances, one of the functions of distribution logistics is rational organization of acceptance and placement of returnable products, as well as sending it for revision or alteration.

Reverse process control and its effectiveness depends on the characteristics of the marketable product and logistics channels. The complexity of managing return flows depends on the number of links in the supply chain involved in the return process.

In each logistics system, the placement of returnable products has its own characteristics. Sometimes the return is carried out directly from the warehouses of the logistics system, when deficiencies (defects) are identified before shipment or from distribution units (warehouses, sections, stations, sites, centers) controlled by the producer's logistics system. In this case, the management of the return flow for decision-makers is facilitated by the fact that solving the problem is reduced to optimizing the movement from one warehouse to another or within one warehouse, and then coordinating actions and sending defective products to the main production for processing.

The return process is much more complicated in cases where the delivery and placement of material flows must be carried out from the warehouses of intermediaries. However, the most expensive logistic processes for managing return material flows are those that involve organizing the return of sold products from the warehouses of the end consumer.

The mechanism for managing return flows can be simplified by establishing direct links between the manufacturer and the consumer from the point of view of after-sales service. Then logistics is closely integrated with the after-sales service (installation, repair, provision of spare parts, commissioning, consultations, etc.), which helps manufacturers and consumers to establish mutual service and logistics links, bypassing the main channels of streaming processes.

The efficiency of the logistics system increases dramatically if a complex integrated subsystem of automated sales management and logistics. Full information support, computerization, creation of local information systems help to optimize the marketing and logistics functions of the enterprise. The subsystem allows:

Organize rational registration of accepted orders.
Regulate the shipment of products, creating optimal flows of goods.
Manage supplies and inventory.
Increase the degree of forecasting accuracy, etc.

In addition, this subsystem makes it possible to take into account the relationship between commodity stocks, organization of supplies and financial indicators of production and economic activity both at the planning (forecasting) stage and in the process of operational regulation. It makes it possible to carry out current accounting of work in progress, finished products in the warehouse economy of the logistics system, goods shipped and received by the customer.

The integrated subsystem of automated sales management and logistics greatly facilitates and at the same time increases the accuracy of accounting (in value, physical and relative terms), compilation of balance sheets for material flow management in the post-production period.

From a logistic point of view in this subsystem, it is advisable to single out the tasks of strategic planning (forecasting), operational management, multivariate accounting and comprehensive analysis of the activities of logistics and marketing departments.

test questions

1. What is the significance of supply management issues in distribution logistics?
2. Expand the essence of the concept of "delivery".
3. On what basis and what commodity funds are allocated in distribution logistics?
4. Expand the essence of structuring sales as a process.
5. What tasks for supply management need to be solved in accordance with the logistic approach?
6. What is the basis for managing the logistics process in the implementation of supplies? Expand the essence.
7. What should be the minimum information required to develop a delivery plan?
8. Why is it necessary to classify supplies? Highlight their prioritization.
9. Expand the essence of the structuring of deliveries in the form of promoting commodity flows.
10. Expand the essence of structuring deliveries by time.
11. Describe the method of rapid response.
12. What is the essence of the supply distribution problem?
13. What is the need to analyze the implementation of the supply plan (program)?
14. Why is compliance with contractual delivery discipline a condition?
15. Highlight the essence of the analysis of the fulfillment of contractual obligations in terms of supply.
16. What are the consequences of unplanned trade flows?
17. Expand the concepts of "uniformity of delivery" and "rhythm of delivery".
18. What do uneven and irregular supplies lead to and what negative consequences can there be?
19. What factors determine the intervals in the supply of marketable products?
20. What tactics and why are used by suppliers when organizing supplies?
21. What are the consequences of the delivery time?
22. Expand the essence of methods for assessing the level of uniformity of supply.
23. Why and how are the coefficient of uniformity and coefficient of variation of supplies determined?
24. How are the average delivery size for the entire period and the standard deviation determined?
25. How are the average delivery delays and arrhythmia rate determined?
26. What methods are used in distribution logistics to analyze assortment variances?
27. Highlight the types of delivery technologies.
28. On what basis is the formation of commodity flows carried out?
29. Expand the nature and role of the shipping operation.
30. Expand the essence of the concepts of "delivery" and "selection of products by the consumer."
31. What types of delivery are distinguished and what characterizes the delivery time?
32. What are the reasons for the return of the consignment (part) of the delivery?
33. Expand the essence of management of return processes in distribution logistics.
34. What opportunities open up when using a complex integrated subsystem of automated sales and logistics management?

Various definitions of logistics can be found in the scientific literature. Logistics as a science and as a field of activity has been developing since ancient times. Here are the definitions that we use.

Logistics- the science of organizing and managing material and related information, financial flows in supply chains.

Material flow - movement of inventory items from the sender to the recipient.

Information flow Is the movement of information from its source to its consumer.

Financial flow - This is the movement of money in cash or non-cash form from the payer to the recipient.

Each of the types of flows listed above is characterized by speed and intensity. Flow rate shows how quickly materials, information or money move from one point to another point in the logistics system.

Flow rate shows its volume per unit of time, that is, the amount of materials, information or money transferred from the source to the recipient per unit of time (second, minute, hour, shift, day, week, month, etc.).

Supply chain - a set of organizations, people, activities and information involved in the process of converting primary raw materials into a finished product and the movement of raw materials (finished products) from the supplier of primary raw materials to the end consumer.

Supply chain management - a set of methods and approaches aimed at integrating the efforts of all participants in the supply chain to meet consumer demand in the most efficient way.

Thus, the main tasks of supply chain management can be considered two tasks:

ensuring the target level of customer service;
optimization of costs throughout the supply chain.

The goal of supply chain management, therefore, is to achieve a given level of customer service (which is one of the key factors in the competitiveness of an enterprise) in the most cost-effective way. In this case, it is usually necessary to look for compromises, since at the same time the best solution to each of these problems is difficult to achieve.

The supply chain contains 4 main flows:

the flow of goods and services from suppliers to consumers;
the flow of information about the demand and properties of products and services from consumers to suppliers;
financial flow, mainly moving from consumers to suppliers;
return flow of goods: return of surplus products, defective products, products for repair, etc. (return logistics).

The main and supporting processes are distinguished. The main processes include processes that create added value and are located in the so-called value chain. Customer value refers to the properties of a product or service that the customer would like to see and for which he is willing to pay. There are three most important points in supply chain management:

Supply chain coordination - efforts to synchronize the supply chain and increase its throughput. Coordination includes the following main elements:

access of participants in the supply chain to information, end-to-end rapid movement of information along the entire chain (both on the demand for products and on the supply of products, raw materials and materials);
harmonization of planning systems and methods, material movement, pricing, inventory levels, etc .;
reducing the complexity of the supply chain, reducing costs in the supply chain and increasing the throughput of enterprises in the supply chain.

Supply chain differentiation - ensuring that supply chain policies are consistent with the objectives of ensuring the competitiveness of products. In particular, we can talk about different channels of product delivery (in terms of the speed of movement of products, flexibility and reliability of the channel, its cost parameters) depending on the type of product. Different types of products may require different characteristics of the supply channel.

Reconfiguring the supply chain - this is the name for a change in the composition and number of links in the supply chain or relations between them. Changes can be in the length, width, intensity of channels, specialization of channels in certain sales markets (geographic, commodity). In almost any supply chain, sooner or later the moment comes when it is necessary to rethink the characteristics of the supply chain and reconfigure it in accordance with the characteristics of demand and factors of the competitiveness of the process of supplying products to customers.

Conceptually, there are two main approaches to supply chain management: vertical and horizontal integration. Integration allows you to configure the supply chain and coordinate its functioning.

At vertical integration one organization directly controls the links of the supply chain, that is, in this case, decisions on configuring the supply chain and coordinating its work are made from a single control center.

At horizontal integration Different parts of the supply chain are owned by different owners, and organizations need to agree on how the supply chain will function in order to coordinate the supply chain. Sometimes, with horizontal integration between enterprises, partnerships are formed, sometimes developing into strategic alliances.

Educational settings:

know

Principles of formation and functioning of supply chains;

be able to

Model business processes in supply chains;

own

Organizational and economic methods of supply chain management.

Key terms

Integrated logistics (supply chain logistics). Integrated supply chain. Supply chain management. Focus company. Direct supply chain. Extended supply chain. Maximum supply chain. Supply chain network structure (logistics network). Network structure configuration. Key (main) participants in the supply chain. Ancillary participants in the supply chain. Managed business ties. Tracked business ties. Unmanaged economic ties. Links with entities outside the supply chain. Logistic coordination function. Integration of business processes. Global supply chain optimization.

The evolution of the concept of supply chain management

The development of integration processes in the economy and their going beyond the main economic link along the lines of interaction with business partners in the supply and marketing of finished products led to the emergence of the concept integrated logistics, or supply chain logistics. Accordingly, the concept of "supply chain management" has been developed in the management of integrated logistics.

The term "supply chain management" was proposed by the system integrator - the company i2 Technologies and the consulting company Arthur Andersen in the early 1980s. The emergence of the concept of the same name (supply chain management - SCM) is associated with the publication of an article by K. Oliver and M. Weber "Supply chain management: Logistics Catches up with Strategy" in London in 1982.

Initially, supply chain management was identified with integrated logistics. For example, D. Bowersox and J. Kloss remain in this position and consider the relevant aspects of logistics and supply chain management almost as synonyms, believing that "the integration of logistics overcomes the framework of intra-firm coordination of procurement processes, logistics of production and physical distribution, extending to suppliers and consumers ".

The interaction of the functional areas of entrepreneurial logistics and their relationship with the business environment of the business is emphasized by the term "integrated supply chain". Its content is characterized by consistently built: supply chain, intra-industrial chain and supply chain of the enterprise. From the point of view of the systemic organization of logistics, integrated circuit supplies- it is, first of all, a set of economic entities: suppliers, manufacturers, consumers and intermediaries, who are in economic ties and are united by participation in a single reproduction cycle of a product (service).

As the concept of supply chain management develops, there is a division of conceptual and semantic categories and separate terms between logistics and SCM. But the definition of the European Logistics Association, SCM - supply chain management - is an integrated approach to business, revealing the fundamental principles of management in the supply chain, such as the formation of functional strategies, organizational structure, decision-making methods, resource management, the implementation of supporting functions, systems and procedures.

In the process of evolution, the conceptual apparatus of the supply chain management concept has changed significantly. In the 1980s. in developed economies in many industries, a situation has developed in which traditional methods of business management, working towards achieving savings in operating costs, have practically exhausted their resources. To maintain competitiveness, there was a need for new approaches, one of which was the concept of supply chain management. She put forward and substantiated the idea of coordinating the flow of materials and finished products not only within one firm, but also in a number of firms interacting in business.

The mastery of the concept and the formation of the practice of supply chain management are determined by the transition from the management of economic relations to the management of supply chains, in particular, from the management of economic relations for supply to the management of integrated supply chains. This is evidenced by the fact that "economic ties are subject to the general logic of the process of material and technical support, expressed by the sequence of stages of interaction - from finding partners to fulfilling contractual obligations and meeting the interests of each of them." The first practice was mastered by foreign companies, who really realized that effective supply chain management is the next step that they need to take to increase their competitiveness.

To date, four stages have emerged in the development of the supply chain management concept (Table 8.1).

Stage I. The origin of the SCM theory (1980s) At this stage of development, the concept of "supply chain management" was rather a new fashionable term, in its content not much different from the concept of "logistics". The SCM concept at that time was similar to and almost completely defined by the expanded interpretation of integrated logistics. D. Waters, regarding the relationship between the two concepts, noted that “this is more a matter of semantics, not reality.

Table 8.1

The evolution of the concept of supply chain management

		Characteristic
I. The origin of SCM theory		There is a need for a new concept of business management as the idea of coordinating the flows of materials and finished products, not only within one firm, but also in a number of firms in interaction. The concept of "supply chain management" in its content only slightly differed from the expanded interpretation of integrated logistics
II. Separating SCM theory from logistics	First half of the 1990s	There is a separation of the SCM theory from logistics, independent research of supply chains as an object of management appears, as well as areas of use of certain concepts of general and functional management in practice. Attempts are being made to differentiate the conceptual apparatuses. There is a need to systematize the applied concepts and terms of logistics and supply chain management
III. Formation of the classic SCM concept	Second half of the 1990s - early 2000s.	The distinction between integrated logistics and supply chain management is clearly defined, the functions of controlling and coordination in managing the flow of goods are assigned to the concept of "supply chain management". The main areas of research focus on the processes of integration and the creation of strategic partnerships, as well as ensuring control of the movement of goods flows and information coordination, coordination of actions of the participants in the chain. The complex of accumulated theoretical knowledge and practical experience forms training courses in a new discipline
IV. The current stage of development of the SCM concept	Second half of the 2000s	An even more in-depth study of the theory and practice of supply chain management and their adaptation to different markets is taking place. Modern supply chain management practice focuses on internal planning and resource optimization when building relationships between the focus company and the rest of the supply chain.

differences ... both terms refer to the same function. "

The logic of interpreting the concept of supply chain management at that time can be formulated as follows. Business entities form a supply chain through which an end-to-end material flow passes, which is an object of supply chain management in order to optimize output flow parameters. To achieve a common goal, all subjects - participants in the chain act in a coordinated manner. The movement of the material flow along the entire chain begins to be carried out with minimal costs due to the improvement in the value of the parameters of the system as a whole.

Thus, supply chain management implied the use of a logistic approach to coordinate the actions of all parts of the system, i.e. in fact, the concept of logistics was in demand for organizing a business in the production and commercial sphere.

Stage II. Separation of SCM theory from logistics (first half of the 1990s). The concept of supply chain management was defined as an independent scientific idea in the 1990s. At this time, the isolation of the theory of supply chain management takes place, independent theoretical studies in this and related areas of knowledge begin to develop. Attempts are being made to identify the essence and content of supply chain management as a science, as well as the areas of using the concept in practice. With the emergence of the SCM ideology, there is a division of logistics and SCM as independent terms, as well as conceptual and semantic categories. There is a need to systematize the applied concepts and definitions of logistics and supply chain management. The search begins for a reasonable organization of the basic vocabulary of logistics and SCM, which would make it possible to define classes of interrelated concepts and take into account all the diverse and heterogeneous set of terms used in these areas of knowledge. For a uniform interpretation of the main terms and concepts, the problem of standardization of terminology in logistics and SCM, which is dealt with by several foreign organizations, in particular the European Logistics Association ( European Logistics Association) and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals ( Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals).

Stage III. Formation of the classic SCM concept(i second half of the 1990s – early 2000s). At the stage of the formation of the classical concept, the distinction between integrated logistics and supply chain management was already clearly defined. The former coordinating role of logistics and end-to-end materials management in the supply chain becomes the prerogative of SCM, the controlling and coordination functions in materials management are also assigned to the concept of "supply chain management". Logistics is interpreted as a functional of controlling and optimization of all types of activities related to the movement of goods, i.e. the focus is shifted to operational activities (transportation, warehousing, cargo handling, transshipment, etc.), as well as the location of logistics and production facilities.

The rapid development of the concept required serious applied research in various industries and in various regional markets. The accumulated theoretical knowledge and practical experience formed the basis for the formation of training courses in the new discipline. At this stage, the ideology of supply chain management begins to develop both as an independent concept and as a functional area of management, commerce, marketing and logistics. The main areas of research focus on the processes of integration and the formation of strategic partnerships, as well as the use of the process approach, the study of the main functions of companies in the context of business processes. At the same time, special attention was paid to the development of processes for ensuring the synchronization of commodity flows, as well as the activation of communications between the links and information coordination of actions.

Stage IV.The current stage of development of SCM theory (mid 2000s and further). There is an even more in-depth study of supply chain management both as a concept and as a functional area of activity, as well as the adaptation of the concept to different markets. The SCM concept is aimed at solving the problems of integrated management of the functional areas of logistics and the coordination of the company's logistics process. The accumulated practical experience is analyzed and demanded by companies to improve their competitiveness. Particular attention is paid to the development of information technology using engineering and technical tools based on the application of the ideology of supply chain management in real time. Supply chain management practices focus on in-house planning and resource optimization and are key to building long-term relationships between the focus company and supply chain participants. All this requires further development of scientific research in areas related to SCM, to create new relevant concepts.

Currently, supply chain management as a SCM concept is one of the most effective ways to increase profits and market share and is being actively implemented in the economies of industrialized countries. Many large companies, including Russian ones, are mastering SCM principles as a new business ideology. The provision and development of the strategic advantages of logistics both abroad and in our country is facilitated by the nationwide coordinating bodies - the European Logistics Association and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. In the Russian Federation, such coordinators are currently represented by the National Logistics Association of Russia (NLA), the National Council for Supply Chains.

The purpose of these organizations is to:

to develop proposals and additions to the legislative and regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation in terms of logistics, since currently there is no legislation in our country in the field of logistics;
eliminate barriers in the tax, customs, transport legislation of the Russian Federation, which hinder the effective use of the strategic potential of logistics;
to form integrated logistics systems covering various areas of entrepreneurship, to create interregional and international integrated logistics transport, trade and information systems.

National Logistics Association of Russia Is a public organization founded by the State University - Higher School of Economics (SU-HSE), the Russian Association of Business Education and the Association of Freight Forwarders of St. Petersburg. The mission of the NLA is the formation and strengthening of logistics in Russia as a new scientific and practical direction, contributing to the socio-economic development of economic entities, sectors of the economy and the country as a whole, as well as improving the well-being of citizens. Among the main tasks of the organization are proclaimed:

analysis of foreign theoretical studies and practical experience in the field of logistics in order to adapt and implement them in Russia;
development of proposals and additions to the legislative and regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation in the part related to logistics;
coordination of the activities of enterprises, organizations and institutions engaged in research in the design, construction and maintenance of logistics systems; exchange of best practices in the application of logistics developments in the Russian Federation and abroad;
organization and participation in the certification procedure for logistics specialists in accordance with Russian and international requirements and standards.

National Council for Supply Chains Is a public organization in the form of a non-profit partnership open to all market participants (industrial enterprises, suppliers of products and services, including state transport and logistics companies, financial and credit organizations, insurance organizations, non-profit associations and centers, consulting firms, educational institutions ). The main goal of her activities is to promote the development of supply chain management standards in the practice of real business in the Russian Federation and the CIS countries. The mission of the Supply Chain Council is to develop, develop and disseminate a supply chain model as the basis for an all-Russian cross-industry standard for supply chain management, combining the best world and national practices. The supply chain model defines the general concept of supply chains, standard terminology, a system for measuring and evaluating logistics activities, summarizes best practices, is a procedural model for the implementation of logistics software, and performs an integrating function when building both intra- and inter-corporate supply chains.

Growing globalization, the development of foreign economic interactions make it possible to use world experience in practice. Many foreign companies, expanding the geography of supply chains, consider the territory of the Russian Federation as markets for finished products, as well as a base for locating production facilities for their manufacture for inclusion in their own supply chain, thus involving Russian partners in the process of global business integration.

Russia, following the rest of Eastern Europe, is gradually being drawn into the orbit of global logistics. In this she is helped by abundant capital investments from various sources. In recent years, the Russian logistics market has become more and more attractive for foreign investors: this can be judged by the large foreign investors who have come to Russia. These are, for example, British funds Fleming family & Partners and Raven. Among other things, it takes into account the fact that in Russia the average payback period for projects is 7–8 years or less.

Company Castorama part of the British group of companies Kingfi sher. It is the first in Europe and the third in the world chain of DIY DIY - Do It Yourself hypermarkets. Group Kingfi sher- there are more than 770 stores in Europe and Asia. The main retail brands of the company Kingfi sher – Castorama, Brico Depot, Screwfix and B&Q. Hypermarkets Castorama gained their popularity in Europe thanks to a wide range of high quality products, low prices and a service system based on the principle of professional advice. The first European stores under the brand Castorama opened in 1969. Today Castorama- these are 98 hypermarkets in France, 27 in Italy, 37 in Poland, seven in Russia. Castorama in Russia it began its work in 2005. At the moment, hypermarkets are open and are successfully operating in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Omsk and Krasnodar. The company plans to further open about five to seven hypermarkets each year in the largest Russian cities. Mission Castorama- help buyers make their homes more perfect and more comfortable, transform the time-consuming and costly process of renovation and furnishing into an interesting hobby accessible to everyone. Target Castorama- to become number one in the Russian DIY market.

In 2005 the company Castorama RUS organized an office in Moscow with a staff of only 10 people. Employees of the company were engaged in the opening of the first hypermarket in Samara, actively conduct negotiation sessions with suppliers and carry out all the necessary organizational actions regarding a costart-up project in Russia.

The main task of the leader and the only employee Supply Chain Department- SCM strategy development and project implementation. Since the company Castorama is part of a group of companies Kingfi sher, then she has the opportunity to apply her best practices and experience, capacities and technologies, procedures, etc. As the foundation of SCM in Castorama it was decided to use the experience of the company B&Q in England. S&Q is 320 stores, 40,000 products and 650 suppliers; the company uses eight regional centers for cargo consolidation and five distribution centers. Benefits of SCM in IN steel: centralization of management, active use of outsourcing, distribution system of goods, category management and information support.

2006-2007 company Castorama opened a total of five hypermarkets. Based on the existing concept of outsourcing business processes Castorama signed a contract with a logistics operator for the provision of safekeeping services. In addition to direct delivery of goods to stores, suppliers in Russia have begun to deliver goods on a "cross-docking" basis through a distribution center Castorama. Inventory management and placing orders with suppliers are entrusted to Buying Department. However, the development of the company led to the fact that the structure of planning and formation of orders to suppliers (both imported and Russian) was changed. In each of the hypermarkets, an Ordering Department was organized, whose tasks include: tracking and controlling the flow in hypermarket warehouses, planning and forecasting sales, placing orders with suppliers taking into account transit time.

Since 2008, we can already talk about the implemented supply chain management (SCM) system in the company.

Modern science offers many different definitions of supply chain management. A consensus on its content has not been developed, moreover, the range of opinions is very wide and depends on the logistics school (direction) and the position of a particular researcher.

The general thing is that the emphasis in the interpretation of the concept is shifting more and more towards the expanded understanding of SCM, given in the collection of "Standards for logistics and supply chain management": supply chain management is the organization, planning, control and execution of the flow of goods, from design and procurement through production and distribution to the final consumer in accordance with market requirements for cost efficiency.

M. Christopher gives the following definition of supply chain management: it is "relationship management with upstream and downstream suppliers and customers, aimed at achieving higher customer value at lower costs of the entire supply chain as a whole."

J. Stock and D. Lambert define supply chain management "as the integration of key business processes, starting from the end user and encompassing all suppliers of goods, services and information that add value to consumers and other stakeholders."

The list of definitions can be continued, η including in the context of comparing the concepts of logistics and supply chain management. The current situation of ambiguity is caused by a number of reasons.

1. Historically short development time. Both logistics and supply chain management are fairly young and actively discussed areas of knowledge, given that the term "supply chain management" itself was introduced in the 1980s. Naturally, their conceptual apparatus is constantly being refined and changed, filled with new content.
2. The presence of various national schools and trends in logistics and supply chain management. Currently, we can talk about the existence American school(D. Bowersoke, J. Kloss, D. Waters, J. Stock, D. Lambert and others), serious research in various European countries, including Great Britain (M. Christopher, J. Mentzer, K. Oliver, M. Weber and others). Research is of particular interest Australian scientists, having a significant impact on the development of the Asian logistics school. In particular, the works of John Gathorna, a recognized world-class specialist in the field of logistics and SCM from Australia, have been translated into Japanese and Chinese and are now widely recognized in Asia. Scientific schools of logistics and supply chain management have been established and continue to develop in Russia (see paragraph 1.1).
3. The interdisciplinary nature of logistics and supply chain management and the combination of economic and engineering disciplines in them. Over the past several decades, supply chain management has been one of the most dynamically developing concepts at the intersection of commerce, marketing, logistics, operational and strategic management.
4. The presence of a large number of terms from various fields of knowledge. This is also due to the fact that the leading experts in this field of knowledge are initially professionals in other fields, including engineering and technical specialties.
5. Lack of some terms of logistics in different languages, as well as their inaccurate understanding in different countries. The use of different terminology can be explained by the authors' belonging to one or another logistic school, as well as by the desire to focus on certain aspects of the logistic process. For example, the term "physical distribution" was used in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. as a synonym for the modern concept of logistics, and now it denotes one of the functional areas of logistics and is synonymous with the term "distribution".

Appealing to existing studies and summarizing their results, the scientific school of the Department of Commerce and Logistics of St. Petersburg State University of Economics is guided by the following definition.

Supply chain management Is a process of planning, organization, accounting, control, analysis, regulation, aimed at achieving the strategic goals of the participants in the supply chain. The combination of general management functions and special management functions in logistics (cost management, service quality management, etc.) forms a complex controlling function, ensuring the achievement of logistics coordination in supply chains.

Supply chains are a collection of successively interacting suppliers and consumers: each consumer becomes a supplier for the next consumers - this continues until the finished product reaches the final consumer. The supply chain has in its structure the focal company, suppliers, consumers, as well as channel intermediaries involved in the interaction. Focus company – it is a key link in the supply chain that determines the configuration of the chain and the characteristics of the interaction of participants.

Depending on the number of links, there are three levels of complexity in supply chains:

1) direct supply chain;
2) extended supply chain;
3) maximum supply chain.

consists of a focal (central) company (usually a manufacturing or trading company), a supplier and a buyer / consumer participating in the external and (or) internal flow of products, services, finance, information. At the same time, as a rule, the focal company determines the structure of the supply chain and management of relationships with business partners (Figure 8.1).

Rice. 8.1.

Extended supply chain includes additional suppliers and consumers of the second level (Fig. 8.2).

Stoke J., Lambert D. Strategic logistics management: trans. from English 4th ed. M .: INFRA-M, 2005.S. 51.