David Jacoby, President of Boston Strategies International, has written the definitive book on supply chain management: The Economist Guide to Supply Chain Management. Globalization, technology and an increasingly competitive business environment have been the driving forces behind huge changes in what is known as supply chain management, the art of sourcing components and delivering finished goods to the customer as cost-effectively, efficiently and quickly as possible, thereby generating more sales and greater value to the customer.

Dell transformed the way people bought and were able to customize computers. Wal-Mart and Tesco use their huge buying power and logistical skills to ensure the supply and stock management of their stores is finely honed. Manufacturers like Toyota and logistics companies like UPS make sure that components are where they are needed precisely when they are needed, and technology companies like Nokia and HP use supply chain management to customize their products and stimulate continuous new product innovation.

Such finessing of the way the supply chain works can boost the corporate bottom line and make the difference between being a market leader or an also ran. This guide – which comprises 13 chapters and several useful appendices, and contains more than 50 charts and tables – provides a clear framework for supply chain management and gives hundreds of real-life examples and performance benchmarks. This book has been published by The Economist in association with Profile Books and Bloomberg Press.