supply chains
Sourcing and delivery
A supply chain is the complete sequence of processes involved in producing and delivering a product, from raw materials through manufacturing to the consumer's hands.
The term emphasizes interconnection: each link depends on others, so disruption at any point—a factory closure, shipping delay, or shortage of components—ripples through the entire system.
Global supply chains have made electronics cheaper but more vulnerable to international disruptions.
Supply chain has become common in news coverage of shortages and logistics problems.
Taxes on imports
- quotasMandated numerical limits
- dutiesRequired tasks or charges
- barriersThings blocking access
- sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
embargo · protectionism · free trade · bilateral · multilateral · trade war · mercantilism · trade agreement
Worldwide economic and cultural integration
- importObtain from overseas
- exportForeign-bound sale
- multinationalOperating across multiple countries
- outsourcingThird-party task delegation
offshoring · nearshoring · reshoring · sourcing · procurement · customs · cross-border · shipping routes
Storing goods commercially
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- freightGoods being transported
- cargoTransported goods
- shipmentGoods being transported
transportation · delivery · trucking · fulfillment · dispatch · routing · tracking · pallets
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- just-in-timeExactly when required
- leanLacking fat; incline
- throughputProcessing rate over time
- streamliningMaking more aerodynamic or efficient
automation · scalability · productivity · utilization · waste reduction · bottleneck · turnaround · agility
Points of connection
- linkagesPoints where things connect
- interconnectivityState of mutual linking
- tiersHorizontal arranged levels
- manufacturersEntities producing goods massively
distributors · retailers · intermediaries · upstream · downstream · vertical integration · hub · spoke
Deficient supply of necessities
- delayEnforced waiting period
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- contingencyUncertain possible event
risk management · diversification · redundancy · vulnerability · stockout · force majeure · pandemic · backlog
tariffs
Taxes on imports
sanctions · embargo · protectionism · free trade · bilateral · multilateral · trade war · mercantilism · trade agreement · import restrictions
globalization
Worldwide economic and cultural integration
- importObtain from overseas
- exportForeign-bound sale
- multinationalOperating across multiple countries
outsourcing · offshoring · nearshoring · reshoring · sourcing · procurement · customs · cross-border · shipping routes · trade agreements
warehousing
Storing goods commercially
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- freightGoods being transported
- cargoTransported goods
shipment · transportation · delivery · trucking · fulfillment · dispatch · routing · tracking · pallets · forklift
optimization
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- just-in-timeExactly when required
- leanLacking fat; incline
- throughputProcessing rate over time
streamlining · automation · scalability · productivity · utilization · waste reduction · bottleneck · turnaround · agility · synchronization
nodes
Points of connection
- linkagesPoints where things connect
- interconnectivityState of mutual linking
- tiersHorizontal arranged levels
manufacturers · distributors · retailers · intermediaries · upstream · downstream · vertical integration · hub · spoke · traceability
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
- delayEnforced waiting period
- bottleneckConstriction limiting throughput
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
contingency · risk management · diversification · redundancy · vulnerability · stockout · force majeure · pandemic · backlog · shortage
- economic historystock market crash, Industrial Revolution, trade routes, Great Depression, gold standard
- business location factorsnatural resources, cheap labor, tax breaks, skilled workforce, infrastructure
- North American RelationsNAFTA, USMCA, border, ambassador, embassy
- tea tradetea chest, East India Company, tea clipper, clipper ships, tea plantation
- economyGDP, money, inflation, inflation rate, GNP
- fashion industryfashion, fashion design, fashion designers, fashion shows, fashion week
supply chainsself-sufficiency
Independence from outside aid
autarky · vertical integration · subsistence economy · direct sales · cottage industry
chain, supply, chains, supplies, supplied, supplier, chained, supplying, oversupply