The impact of rapidly changing technology on the supply chain

According to the institute for supply management (ISM), technology is progressing more rapidly than ever and these changes are shaping the future of supply management. Not only are these technological advancements bringing about changes in society, they are changing the manner in which business is conducted through the supply chain. All sectors, including manufacturing, high-tech, automotive, and government, are evaluating their existing business practices to ensure they are fully leveraging current technology. As an example, the supply chain is shifting from suppliers within a certain geographic boundary to suppliers throughout the world, which is made possible by advancing technologies. A more recent shift by many public agencies is the use of locally preferred suppliers, which has resulted in a blend of both approaches. This paper, through an extensive survey of the literature, will examine how technological changes are changing how organizations do business within the supply chain. This survey evaluates the current technology uses in the supply chain for both public and private environments. The challenge for governments at every level is how to integrate new technology in the supply chain so that it can be used to their strategic advantage. Areas of concentration include supplier selection, product research, and electronic commerce. This paper will examine the potential of these areas within federal, state and local government, as well as their potential application to private sector markets. This paper provides recommendations for practitioners that are drawn from the literature.