While on-time delivery of intact packages has always been important throughout the supply chain, it has become even more mission-critical in recent years as omnichannel commerce, with its same-day home or retail delivery of customized products ordered from smartphones, becomes more common. Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers have had to improve their logistics processes to meet the demand for quicker, more convenient delivery of a wider variety of goods. They also have had to better integrate their processes and systems to improve supply chain visibility.

Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) includes a broad area that covers both manufacturing and service industries, involving the functions of sourcing, materials management, operations planning, distribution, logistics, retail, demand forecasting, order fulfillment, and more.

The supply chain manager tries to minimize shortages and keep costs down. The job is not only about logistics and purchasing inventory.

Transportation and warehousing are the two major functions of logistics. Transportation management focuses on planning, optimizing and executing the use of vehicles to move goods between warehouses, retail locations and customers.