This book describes the fundamentals of Supply Chain Management in clear and concise terms. It explains why in the near future real competition is going to be between supply chains and what the consequences will be. Managers and decision-makers will be able to build on their business’s competitive advantage with the essentials provided in this work. The focus here is upon what you really need to know in order to optimally manage your processes in procurement, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics. In addition to a wealth of illustrations and examples, valuable suggestions for further expansive reading are included. Essential insights are provided into how to analyse and evaluate the supply chain, based upon key aspects from research and practice, which helps readers to initiate their own optimisation processes.

Dr. Rolf G. Poluha started his career as a consultant with SAP in Germany. Thereafter, he managed international projects in Europe, USA and Asia for BearingPoint, (formerly KPMG Consulting). Since re-joining SAP in 2003, he has been responsible for managing large, global accounts in North America and Europe.

His customers have comprised of leading, multi-national companies from the High Tech-, Electronics, Telecommunications, Discrete Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense and Consumer Goods Industries.

In addition to his practical experience, he has studied Supply Chain Management in the context of an in-service dissertation project. Furthermore, he published multiple successful books on the subject areas of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Process Optimisation.