Supply chain planning and analytics : the right product in the right place at the right time

Supply chain planning is concerned with making decisions about how many goods to procure, make, and deliver before knowing exactly what the demand for products is going to be. These planning decisions are difficult because they must be made with uncertain and dynamic information about future demand, available production capacity, and sources of supply. This book focuses on the three interlinked processes that compose effective supply chain planning: demand planning, sales and operations planning, and inventory and supply planning. If executed well, these planning processes will help a company to achieve its targeted balance between efficiency and responsiveness. If executed poorly, they can be the root cause of any number of supply chain problems. This book describes these processes, how they are interconnected, and the practical challenges of implementing them. It also explains the important ways in which analytical tools and methods can be utilized to make better supply chain planning decisions