ABSTRACT
This chapter examines supply chain management. It discusses the development of supply chain strategy over time from mass production and mass customization, towards more sustainable approaches such as the circular economy. The chapter explains lean, agile and hybrid supply chain strategies to business practice. It also discusses the issues around supply chain traceability and transparency. The chapter explores the impact on supply chains in terms of risk and disintermediation. It analyses the developments from conventional to closed-loop supply chains and the broader economic implications of sustainability and the circular economy for supply chain strategy. The chapter deals with a discussion around closed-loop supply chains and the real-life case of a carpet manufacturer who has embarked on a ‘cradle-to-cradle’ programme involving both customers and supplier. The limitations of traditional supply chain management concepts are exacerbated when adopting a sustainability perspective, underscoring the need for a network or stakeholder perspective.
