NARASIMHAN RAVICHANDRAN
Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
The evolution of Supply chain function in the context of India
We document the evolution of two organizations in the complimentary area of Supply chain in the context of India. The first organization is in the commercial space selling consumables on a branded platform with multiple Stock keeping units. The presence in the multiple geographical markets over a period of time adds to the complex nature of the distribution function. The company has developed a extensive distribution network to meet the consumer expectation. Inventory management and order fill rate become the next set of priority areas. The co- ordination with sourcing of Raw material became critical for business advantage. Designing the marketing and sales schemes to support the supply chain function and gain market share was the next priority. Appropriate metrics were defined to evaluate and align the efficiency of the SCM operations. Using advances in ICT the organization has evolved a robust SC structure and systems. Today, the supply chain management principles of this organization is comparable to the best in world in FMCG segment.
The second origination is service provider in the area of logistics and supply chain. The growth of the organization is tracked with the changes in the environment in the Indian context. The innovative solutions adopted by the organization makes it vibrant and competitive. The entrepreneurial spirit of the organization keeping the changes in the opportunity land scape is captured. The customer centric measures add to the competitive positioning.
Both the stories are positioned in the overall context of research trends in SCM and the macro- economic environment in India. The central role played by ICT is highlighted.
We document the evolution of two organizations in the complimentary area of Supply chain in the context of India. The first organization is in the commercial space selling consumables on a branded platform with multiple Stock keeping units. The presence in the multiple geographical markets over a period of time adds to the complex nature of the distribution function. The company has developed a extensive distribution network to meet the consumer expectation. Inventory management and order fill rate become the next set of priority areas. The co- ordination with sourcing of Raw material became critical for business advantage. Designing the marketing and sales schemes to support the supply chain function and gain market share was the next priority. Appropriate metrics were defined to evaluate and align the efficiency of the SCM operations. Using advances in ICT the organization has evolved a robust SC structure and systems. Today, the supply chain management principles of this organization is comparable to the best in world in FMCG segment.
The second origination is service provider in the area of logistics and supply chain. The growth of the organization is tracked with the changes in the environment in the Indian context. The innovative solutions adopted by the organization makes it vibrant and competitive. The entrepreneurial spirit of the organization keeping the changes in the opportunity land scape is captured. The customer centric measures add to the competitive positioning.
Both the stories are positioned in the overall context of research trends in SCM and the macro- economic environment in India. The central role played by ICT is highlighted.