terature trumpets supply chain management applications as revolutionary vehicles that can save businesses millions of dollars and optimize business and customer relations. "A recent Pittiglio Rabin Todd & McGrath study of 225 large manufactures reveals that good supply chains have up to 60% less inventory days than their counter parts. The study also shows, that for a $600 million company, solid supply chains facilitate savings of up to $42 million per year." There is only one little problem, there is not "a package" on the market. There is not "a" well-known vendor of supply chain management software. The Reynolds company, for example, bought a $500,000 package from Logility, a forerunner in supply chain management software. Logility wanted to offer its product as a turnkey package, but Reynolds wanted the vendor to tailor the software. Reynolds purchased the software in February and received it in June. The tailoring added another 10% to the cost. "The software wasn't easy to learn, its not user friendly, and it took several weeks to get familiar with it." Along with little inconvenience is the fact there are no standards for such software. Many people and groups realize the lack of organization in the supply chain management field. This is, as best, an oxymoron. There is an old saying, necessity is the mother of invention. When searching for information on the Internet, it does not take long to realize how many new business have recently come into existence because of the new, vogue trend known as supply chain management. Advanced Manufacturing Research reports that supply chain software and service are likely to increase to $1.6 billion in the year 2000 from $350 million in 1996." Periodical after periodical is full of well-known industry names that are announcing investments in new supply chain software packages. The question remains, why now? Why not 10 years ago or even sooner? The answer is technology. Up unt...
