ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter the supply chain was described by using the concept of a pipeline-like mechanism that enabled the smooth flow of products and services down the delivery channel to the end-customer, while serving as a conduit for the return flow of vital marketing and transaction intelligence up the channel of supply, ending with the raw material and component suppliers found at the source of the supply network. The first flow was termed supply chain management (SCM) and was defined as the network of materials suppliers, producers, and intermediaries concerned with the acquisition, processing, and distribution of products and services to the customer. The second flow was termed the demand channel and was defined as the mechanism for the transmission of demand for the products, services, and the intensity of experience customers expect to find available in the array of available buying choices presented by the supply chain.
