Chief executives own final accountability. Shareholders want strong profit growth and minimum volatility. Regulators and the press expect social and environmental responsibility. Customers demand someone deliver on promises made to them. Supply chain management has become the key to meeting all of these commitments.

Most companies, especially in manufacturing and retail, but increasingly in the energy, entertainment, and healthcare sectors, have seen supply chain management gain strategic importance in recent years. For those wondering what good supply chain management is and how leading companies exploit it, AMR Research has published, yearly since 2004, a report titled, “The Supply Chain Top 25”.