ABSTRACT
This chapter describes supply chain analytics by presenting a whole gamut of analysis widely used across the various functions and sub-functions of the supply chain.
Overview
A supply chain is the series of processes within a fi rm that produces a service or product and that is related to the network, material, fi nancial, and information fl ows across suppliers and customers. Supply chain analytics is an opportunity for excellence to reduce costs in processes such as purchasing, processing, manufacturing and physical distribution, inventory holding, and delivery of goods. The origin of supply chain analytics can be dated back to time study and motion study frameworks. Time study determines the time spent on each element of a job. Motion study originated from Franklin Gilbreth (1907-1930) whose motion study was related to the science of physics and momentum (Nelson 1992). Motion study implies dividing a given work into individual elements and identifying at each stage the tasks or jobs that are redundant and that can be replaced with a different task or eliminated.
