Government Impact On Sustainable And Responsible Supply Chain Management

Download Government Impact On Sustainable And Responsible Supply Chain Management full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Government Impact On Sustainable And Responsible Supply Chain Management ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

Government Impact on Sustainable and Responsible Supply Chain Management

Author : Taghipour, Atour
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 : 1668490633
Total Pages : 379 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (684 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Government Impact on Sustainable and Responsible Supply Chain Management by : Taghipour, Atour

Download or read book Government Impact on Sustainable and Responsible Supply Chain Management written by Taghipour, Atour and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2023-07-19 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A supply chain comprises different actors existing in different countries, including suppliers, producers, and customers. Clothes are supplied from Asia to all other regions; most coffee beans are supplied from South America; and cocoa is produced in Africa. Protecting the rights of people who produce goods in different countries is essential. In fact, according to this evolutionary law, companies need to identify, analyze, and prioritize the risks in their supply chains, and new policies must be established based on these results. New measures are taken to prevent or minimize violations of human rights and damage to the environment. Companies also need to set up grievance channels for people in the supply chains for regular reporting on supply chain practices. The German Supply Chain Act gives consumers the security that companies are managed based on fair production, and many similar legislations are likely to follow in other nations. Businesses around the world must prepare for these types of policies to impact their own supply chain management strategy before they are enforced if they wish to avoid revenue-impacting delays. Government Impact on Sustainable and Responsible Supply Chain Management is edited by Atour Taghipour, with about a decade of experience as a director in Automobile and High-Tech Industries, provides new and innovative ways to integrate social and environmental analysis into global value chains and adapt the law that regulates corporate responsibility for the observance of sustainability and human rights in the supply chain. This book is ideal for professionals and researchers working in governmental and private organizations in supply chain management, operations management, logistics, and operations research. Moreover, the book provides insights and support for executives in managing expertise, knowledge, information, and organizational development in different work communities and environments.

Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy

Author : Natalia Yakovleva
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3030150666
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (31 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy by : Natalia Yakovleva

Download or read book Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainable Supply Chains in the Post-global Economy written by Natalia Yakovleva and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-21 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a collection of studies on current best practices for delivering sustainable development policies within supply chains. It critiques the limitations of existing business theory and practice on sustainable supply chain management, and discusses opportunities for new conceptual models for businesses to engage with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It examines how businesses can work towards implementing Sustainable Development Goals in the contexts of entrepreneurial initiative, industry collaboration and regional development. SDGs renew the sustainable development agenda for global communities and ask businesses and organisations to reset their sustainable development policies. A strategy to embed sustainable development principles into business operations along the supply chain operations, which has been a conceptual and, in many instances, practitioner, business and industry achievement of the past decades, is not enough to shift the economic and social conditions of poor populations around the world. How would the global supply chains of the future look like? What social relations does it envisage? How will businesses and organisations engage with societies, environments and complex institutional contexts in emerging markets and developing countries, which are faced with issues of population growth, needed leaps in infrastructure provision, educational and health improvements, cultural and institutional shifts? The books challenges current approaches to sustainable supply chain practices guided by discussion on SDGs. It reviews implementation issues of existing sustainable development approaches, assesses the advancement of sustainable development strategies and examines the opportunities for global value chains to increase their positive social and environmental inputs in regions, communities and organisations. The book collects both conceptual and empirical studies set in a variety of business and organisational contexts, such as manufacturing, retail, procurement, cities and industrial parks. It contests the accepted axioms of sustainable practices in the global supply chains and proposes new models for organisations and production networks to engage with societies and address market and production effects on communities and institutions.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Author : Anicia Jaegler
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1786307421
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (863 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Sustainable Supply Chain Management by : Anicia Jaegler

Download or read book Sustainable Supply Chain Management written by Anicia Jaegler and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2023-10-10 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Supply chains are now more essential than ever to the functioning of our society; however their environmental and societal impacts are often subject to well-founded criticism. Transforming a supply chain to make it more sustainable and responsible often requires a considerable amount of time and resources. The aim of this book is to present a number of simple best practices that can reduce these negative impacts and make supply chains more virtuous. Sustainable Supply Chain Management is a handbook for supply chain transformation. It explores the different facets of the supply chain, from product design or procurement to logistics operations management and performance. It offers a guide to actions for sustainable supply chain transformation, providing elements of the legal framework for possible actions and tools for measuring the performance that can be achieved.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Author : Balkan Cetinkaya
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642120237
Total Pages : 283 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (421 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Sustainable Supply Chain Management by : Balkan Cetinkaya

Download or read book Sustainable Supply Chain Management written by Balkan Cetinkaya and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-01-27 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on the need to develop sustainable supply chains - economically, environmentally and socially. This book is not about a wish list of impractical choices, but the reality of decisions faced by all those involved in supply chain management today. Our definition of sustainable supply chains is not restricted to so-called "green" supply chains, but recognises that in order to be truly sustainable, supply chains must operate within a realistic financial structure, as well as contribute value to our society. Supply chains are not sustainable unless they are realistically funded and valued. Thus, a real definition of sustainable supply chain management must take account of all relevant economic, social and environmental issues. This book contains examples from a wide range of real-life case studies, and synthesizes the learnings from these many different situations to provide the fundamental building blocks at the centre of successful logistics and supply chain management.

Handbook on the Sustainable Supply Chain

Author : Joseph Sarkis
Publisher : Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN 13 : 178643427X
Total Pages : 616 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (864 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Handbook on the Sustainable Supply Chain by : Joseph Sarkis

Download or read book Handbook on the Sustainable Supply Chain written by Joseph Sarkis and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2019 with total page 616 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Supply chain management has long been a feature of industry and commerce but, with increasing demands from consumers, producers are spending more time and money investing in ways to make supply chains more sustainable. This exemplary Handbook provides readers with a comprehensive overview of current research on sustainable supply chain management.

Handbook of Research on Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Development

Author : Akkucuk, Ulas
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 : 152255758X
Total Pages : 439 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (225 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Handbook of Research on Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Development by : Akkucuk, Ulas

Download or read book Handbook of Research on Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Development written by Akkucuk, Ulas and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2018-05-11 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The issue of sustainability has become a vital discussion in many industries within the public and private sectors. In the business realm, incorporating such practices allows organizations to redesign their operations more effectively. The Handbook of Research on Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Development is a critical scholarly resource that examines academic and corporate interest in sustainability in all facets of business management. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as green supply chains, environmental standards, and production planning, this book is geared toward professionals, researchers, and managers seeking current and relevant research on optimizing supply chains to ensure fair labor practices, lower emissions, and a cleaner environment.

Supply Chain Sustainability

Author : Sachin Kumar Mangla
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
ISBN 13 : 3110628597
Total Pages : 210 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (16 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Supply Chain Sustainability by : Sachin Kumar Mangla

Download or read book Supply Chain Sustainability written by Sachin Kumar Mangla and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2020-11-23 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Supply chains are significant in improving business efficiency. Sustainable supply chains help industries enhance their ecological, monetary, and social performance. Innovative research frameworks as well as the modelling of sustainability issues are significant to different stakeholder’s perspectives. This book guides researchers and practitioners through developing effective sustainable supply chains to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Revised Edition)

Author : David B. Grant
Publisher : Kogan Page Publishers
ISBN 13 : 0749473878
Total Pages : 255 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (494 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Revised Edition) by : David B. Grant

Download or read book Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Revised Edition) written by David B. Grant and published by Kogan Page Publishers. This book was released on 2015-03-03 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management is the essential guide to the principles and practices of sustainable logistics operations and the responsible management of the entire supply chain. Based on extensive research by experts in the field, this comprehensive book covers the whole scope of sustainable logistics. The book provides carefully reviewed research-led applications and case studies that have been especially developed for this revised edition with particular attention for use in a teaching context. The mini case studies are highly topical, relating the theoretical concepts to practice and what is actually happening 'on the ground'. Examining the subject in an integrated manner, this book examines all the key areas in sustainable logistics and supply chain management, including: sustainable product design and packaging; sustainable purchasing and procurement; cleaner production; environmental impact of freight transport; sustainable warehousing and storage; sustainable supply management; reverse logistics and recycling; supply chain management strategy, and much more. The book provides an excellent insight into the topic that will help managers, students, and scholars grasp the fundamentals of green supply and logistics management. This revised edition of Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management includes valuable supporting online materials, including PPT presentations, chapter summaries, learning objectives, tips for teaching and in class activities.

Sustainable Supply Chains

Author : Tonya Boone
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9781441961068
Total Pages : 246 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (61 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Sustainable Supply Chains by : Tonya Boone

Download or read book Sustainable Supply Chains written by Tonya Boone and published by Springer. This book was released on 2012-06-12 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A sustainable enterprise is one that contributes to sustainable development by simultaneously delivering economic, social and environmental benefits or what has been termed "the triple bottom line." While pursuing profit, socially responsible companies should be sensitive to the environment and uphold the rights of all the firm's stakeholders. This edited volume explores leading-edge ideas — both by academics and forward-thinking companies — to (re)design and market products, source, manufacture, and eventually distribute and recover or dispose of them in an environmentally, ecologically, and socially responsible way. This edited volume is made up of fifteen chapters loosely grouped into clusters. After an introduction, chapter 2 shows the greenhouse emissions at various levels, from countries all the way to individual products. Chapters 3-7 each focus on an industrial sector and address issues specific to that industry, with chapter 7 presenting a case study on LEED certification of Miller Hall, home of the Mason School of Business where two of the authors (Tonya and Ram) work. Chapters 8-10 address product take back in the supply chain. Chapter 8 introduces e-waste and surveys what firms are doing to combat it. Chapter 9 provides an overview of existing take-back legislation and academic papers that have studied various research questions associated with them. Chapter 10 is a tutorial that addresses the problem of product disposition on a closed-loop supply chain: what should a firm do with a product return? Chapters 11-15 address measurement, monitoring, decision-making, and reporting regarding environmental issues in a firm. Chapter 11 provides an academic survey of eco-labeling and the consumer’s willingness to pay for them. Chapter 12 discusses how firms can measure the total carbon footprint in their supply chains and some of the strategies they can use to mitigate carbon emissions. Using the price of call options, chapter 13 illustrates how managers can quantify the savings attributed to sustainability-related investment. Chapter 14 develops a non-linear optimization model that addresses the complex trade-offs involved in making joint operational and environmental decisions. Finally, chapter 15 develops a Data Envelopment Analysis-based method for supplier evaluation incorporating environmental and business factors.

Integrating Intelligence and Sustainability in Supply Chains

Author : Bentalha, Badr
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 365 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (693 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Integrating Intelligence and Sustainability in Supply Chains by : Bentalha, Badr

Download or read book Integrating Intelligence and Sustainability in Supply Chains written by Bentalha, Badr and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2023-10-04 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Integrating Intelligence and Sustainability in Supply Chains is a comprehensive research guide that delves into the realm of sustainable and smart supply chains. With a focus on bridging the gap between intelligence and sustainability, this book provides a valuable resource for graduate students in business, management, industrial engineering, and industrial ecology. It serves as a unifying platform for researchers across various domains, including operations management, industrial ecology, industrial strategy, risk management, and life cycle assessment, who are passionate about sustainable and smart supply chains. This book offers a wealth of groundbreaking insights from renowned scholars and field experts. It serves as a theoretical and conceptual foundation for environmental researchers seeking a business, policy, or industry perspective. By addressing the key issues at the intersection of operations management and environmental and social responsibility, the book presents a novel approach to mitigating negative impacts and aligning logistics with sustainability and digitalization requirements. Structured in a modular format, this book allows readers to explore specific current topics relevant to their interests. It covers a wide range of subjects, such as measuring environmental impacts, transforming supply chains to meet sustainability challenges, business models for sustainable logistics, and integrative business strategies. Furthermore, the book addresses emerging technologies like big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT), exploring their applications in supply chain management.

Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains

Author : Atalay Atasu
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319300946
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (193 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains by : Atalay Atasu

Download or read book Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains written by Atalay Atasu and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-06-15 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights what it takes to be successful in identifying and executing environmental responsibility from an operational perspective. It provides cutting-edge research from globally recognized field experts. It is a useful resource for practitioners to explore why and how firms engage in environmentally responsible operations, but also a valuable resource for academics as an introductory reference that provides direct exposure to key environmental operational problems faced by many firms today. This book can also be used as an introductory reading for students with varying educational backgrounds - from business school students interested in environmental issues to environmental scientists interested in obtaining a business perspective - as it provides a broad scope of key issues at the interface of operations management and environmental and social responsibility. Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains is structured in a modular fashion, with each chapter introducing and analyzing a specific timely topic, allowing readers to identify the chapters that relate to their interests. More specifically, the book distinguishes between two key drivers of environmentally responsibility: Profit and Regulatory compliance. The book is divided into five sections. The first three sections of the book explore profit driven environmental responsibility, and provide examples as to where the motives for environmentally responsible business practices come from, where business opportunities are, and what operational perspectives are key to profitability. The last two sections of the book focus on regulation as a driver of environmental responsibility and identify motives, opportunities, or operational perspectives as to effective regulatory compliance. Ultimately the book introduces the reader to the fundamentals of sustainable operations and highlights the latest research on the topic.

Global Perspectives on Green Business Administration and Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Author : Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 : 1799821757
Total Pages : 362 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (998 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Global Perspectives on Green Business Administration and Sustainable Supply Chain Management by : Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman

Download or read book Global Perspectives on Green Business Administration and Sustainable Supply Chain Management written by Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2019-12-15 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Heavy industrialization in the past few decades has caused several global environmental issues including poor air quality, climate change, and outdoor air pollution-related diseases. As such, consumer pressure coupled with strict governmental policies have influenced firms to adopt and implement green practices in their supply chain and business operations in order to improve socio-environmental sustainability. Global Perspectives on Green Business Administration and Sustainable Supply Chain Management is an essential reference book that discusses innovative green practices including recycling, remanufacturing, reduction in waste and adoption of renewable energy in manufacturing. It also examines environmentally friendly policies that have been adopted by many European and Western countries. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as energy analysis, environmental protections, and logistics development, this book is ideally designed for managers, operations managers, executives, manufacturers, environmentalists, researchers, industry practitioners, academicians, and students.

Secure and Intelligent IoT-Enabled Smart Cities

Author : Singh, Sushil Kumar
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 453 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (693 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Secure and Intelligent IoT-Enabled Smart Cities by : Singh, Sushil Kumar

Download or read book Secure and Intelligent IoT-Enabled Smart Cities written by Singh, Sushil Kumar and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2024-04-01 with total page 453 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smart cities are experiencing a rapid evolution. The integration of technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and blockchain has ushered in transformative applications, enhancing the quality of urban life. However, this evolution comes with its own challenges, most notably in security and privacy. Secure and Intelligent IoT-Enabled Smart Cities addresses these concerns, exploring theoretical frameworks and empirical research findings. The book embarks on the foundational elements of the Internet of Things, delving into the convergence of IoT and smart city applications, elucidating the layered architecture of IoT, and highlighting the security issues inherent in IoT-enabled Smart Cities. This book pinpoints the challenges smart city infrastructures face and offers innovative and pragmatic solutions to fortify their security. This book targets professionals and researchers immersed in the dynamic field of secure and intelligent environments within IoT-enabled smart city applications. It is a valuable resource for executives grappling with the strategic implications of emerging technologies in smart healthcare, smart parking, smart manufacturing, smart transportation, and beyond.

Innovation and Resource Management Strategies for Startups Development

Author : Baporikar, Neeta
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (693 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Innovation and Resource Management Strategies for Startups Development by : Baporikar, Neeta

Download or read book Innovation and Resource Management Strategies for Startups Development written by Baporikar, Neeta and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2024-02-26 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In business, success hinges not only on individual performance but on the vitality of the broader ecosystem in which a company operates. However, crafting a thriving ecosystem alone is not enough to ensure success. Equally vital is the ability to manage relationships within this ecosystem effectively, harnessing its potential to enhance overall performance. Moreover, startups face the daunting challenge of scalability, a pivotal factor in long-term sustainability. Yet, achieving scalability often proves elusive due to complexities in resource management and ecosystem development. Innovation and Resource Management Strategies for Startups Development is a comprehensive solution to the pressing issues of resource management, ecosystem development, and startup scalability. This unique reference book delves deep into these critical aspects, offering a wealth of ideas, case studies, and best practices alongside thorough theoretical analysis. We recognize the undeniable influence of resource management and ecosystems on startup scalability, and our objective is to enhance understanding in this domain. By examining the powerful concepts that have shaped development policy and dissecting the role of resource management and ecosystem development in current discourse, our book provides the necessary insights to identify inefficiencies and facilitate startup scalability. It goes beyond mere theory, fostering collaborative strategies among resources, ecosystems, and startups on a global scale, ultimately contributing to social and economic development.

Best Practices in Green Supply Chain Management

Author : Sadia Samar Ali
Publisher : Emerald Group Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1787562174
Total Pages : 176 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (875 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Best Practices in Green Supply Chain Management by : Sadia Samar Ali

Download or read book Best Practices in Green Supply Chain Management written by Sadia Samar Ali and published by Emerald Group Publishing. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Best Practices in Green Supply Chain Management uses present case studies from the Indian and Mexican manufacturing industries to offer new insights on the challenges of integrating environmental awareness into supply chain management operations in developing countries.

Operations Management and Sustainability

Author : Luitzen de Boer
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319932128
Total Pages : 353 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Operations Management and Sustainability by : Luitzen de Boer

Download or read book Operations Management and Sustainability written by Luitzen de Boer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited book presents cutting edge international research in operations management sustainability and topical research themes. As the sustainability agenda gains greater prominence and momentum throughout society, business actors and stakeholders are increasingly concerned with the impact of current business operations. There is a growing need for OM research and practice which reflects these concerns. Based on demands from industry and society at large, universities and schools now develop academic programs which are meant to serve this need – yet there is no clear and manifest research program concerning OM and sustainability. This book is of use to both researchers orientating themselves in this new and exciting field and educators seeking inspiration to develop new courses.

Green Supply Chain Management

Author : Charisios Achillas
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317241797
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (172 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Green Supply Chain Management by : Charisios Achillas

Download or read book Green Supply Chain Management written by Charisios Achillas and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-10-31 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today, one of the top priorities of an organization’s modern corporate strategy is to portray itself as socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. As a focal point of sustainability initiatives, green supply chain management has emerged as a key strategy that can provide competitive advantages with significant parallel gains for company profitability. In designing a green supply chain, the intent is the adoption of comprehensive and cross-business sustainability principles, from the product conception stage to the end-of-life stage. In this context, green initiatives relate to tangible and intangible corporate benefits. Sustainability reports from numerous companies reveal that greening their supply chains has helped reduce operating cost, thus boosting effectiveness and efficiency while increasing sustainability of the business. Green Supply Chain Management provides a strategic overview of sustainable supply chain management, shedding light on the theoretical background and key principles of the topic. Specifically, this book covers various thematic areas including benefits and impact of green supply chain management; enablers and barriers on supply chain operations; inbound and outbound logistics considerations; and production, packaging and reverse logistics under the notion of "greening". The ultimate aim of this textbook is to highlight the challenges in the implementation of green supply chain management in modern companies and to provide a roadmap for decision-making in real-life cases. Combining chapter summaries and discussion questions, this book provides an accessible and student-friendly introduction to green supply change management and will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners in the fields of sustainable business and supply chain management.