| As an organizational structure and management innovation in retailing sector, Retail chains exert a profound influence upon the global retailing industry. After decades of sustained and fast development, some leading retail chains in advanced countries, such as Wal-Mart and J.C Penney, have become the revolutionary forces in integrating distribution channel. Their dominant positions in their supply chains have also been greatly reinforced. In China, retail chains have been in fast lane since 1995. They have a particularly great performance in improving the logistic and distribution efficiency.One of the factors leading to these companies' present success is the theory of Supply Chain Management(SCM), which is originated from the practice of manufacturers' logistic management. SCM theory focuses on the systematic integration of the information, material and fund flowing across the entire supply chain consisting of raw material supplier, manufacturer, whole seller, retailer and the ending customer. The SCM theory covers the improvement possibilities of the whole supply chain, it has a broader strategic vision than the traditional management theories, which are confined in the scope of a single enterprise. In today's tough competition environment, it is not enough to built competitive advantages upon a single enterprise. So the SCM theory can be taken as a guiding theory for enterprises from all sectors including retail chains to implement management transition.Retail chains play the role of "information pass" between consumers andmanufacturers. A superior distribution channel and a logistic network with heavy investment in technology are their characteristics. In order to effectively implement supply chain management strategy, firstly retail chains should position themselves according to their unique competitive advantages. Secondly, retail stores under traditional management models should restructure their business process to create a suitable environment for the systematically implementing of the SCM.This thesis is organized with the above logic and consists of three parts focusing on the basic theory of SCM, the strategy and planning of SCM and the operation of SCM respectively. The goal of Part One (i.e. Chapter 1) is to provide a theory background of the SCM in retailing chain stores sector. Part Two(i.e. Chapter 2 and Chapter 3) discusses how a retail chain should make their strategy and reengineer their business process in the pretext of supply chain management environment. Part Four (i.e. Chapter 4) is mainly concerned with the study on the practice of supply chain management in retailing industry.Chapter 1 firstly define the characteristics of nowadays competitive environment and its great challenge to those enterprises with traditional management model based upon single enterprise. It is in such a background that so many enterprises including retail chains to choose SCM as their management theory guiding them out of troubles. In comparison with manufacturers, retail chains have a totally different function position in supply chain. The retail chains and other companies can both benefit from the actively participation of the retail chains into the SCM, though the premise is that the retail chains should design their SCM solutions in line with their unique position in the supply chain.In Chapter 2, we define supply chain strategy and explain how creating a strategic fit between a retail chain competitive strategy and its supply chain strategy affects their performance. In order to achieve the strategic fit , a retail chain should have a good understanding of its supply chain and its target customers and effectivelydeploy the four major drivers of its supply chain--inventory, transportation,facilities and information--which determine the performance of any supply chain.Under the guidance of SCM strategy, a retail chain basing upon traditional management model should restructure their former business process and build a agile organization by changing their organization... |
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