摘要：The objective of supply chain management (SCM) is to remove time and cost from supply chains, improving profitability and/or competitiveness. It is possible through conceptual advances, utilization of computer hardware and software, and other advances in electronic technology. Business literature is used to define the concept. Most applications and benefits have resulted from alliances between large retailers and large packaged goods vendors. Specific applications of SCM in the produce industry, with emphasis on factors such as perishability and production variability, are discussed. Firm-size implications are important. While small and mid-sized growers may find the cost to be high, the innovation of logistics provided by outside suppliers is an alternative. A third-party provider was interviewed; its approach and services are documented; and industry implications are discussed.
