No product reaches a customer by itself. A supply chain is the network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from raw material to end customer.

It includes suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, distributors, and retailers. Flows of goods, information, and funds run in multiple directions. Design choices about sourcing, production location, and distribution structure determine cost, speed, and resilience.

Disruptions anywhere in the chain can affect service at the customer end. Visibility and collaboration across company boundaries improve responsiveness. Managing the supply chain as a system rather than a set of isolated transactions is the core challenge of modern operations.

• Network from raw material to end customer
• Includes organizations, activities, and flows
• Shapes cost, service, and risk
• Requires cross-company coordination