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Supply chain activities can be grouped into strategic, tactical, and operational levels of activities.

Strategic

* Strategic network optimization, including the number, location, and size of warehouses, distribution centers and facilities.
* Strategic partnership with suppliers, distributors, and customers, creating communication channels for critical information and operational improvements such as cross docking, direct shipping, and third-party logistics.
* Product design coordination, so that new and existing products can be optimally integrated into the supply chain, load management
* Information Technology infrastructure, to support supply chain operations.
* Where-to-make and what-to-make-or-buy decisions
* Aligning overall organizational strategy with supply strategy.

Tactical

* Sourcing contracts and other purchasing decisions.
* Production decisions, including contracting, scheduling, and planning process definition.
* Inventory decisions, including quantity, location, and quality of inventory.
* Transportation strategy, including frequency, routes, and contracting.
* Benchmarking of all operations against competitors and implementation of best practices throughout the enterprise.
* Milestone payments
* Focus on customer demand.

Operational

* Daily production and distribution planning, including all nodes in the supply chain.
* Production scheduling for each manufacturing facility in the supply chain (minute by minute).
* Demand planning and forecasting, coordinating the demand forecast of all customers and sharing the forecast with all suppliers.
* Sourcing planning, including current inventory and forecast demand, in collaboration with all suppliers.
* Inbound operations, including transportation from suppliers and receiving inventory.
* Production operations, including the consumption of materials and flow of finished goods.
* Outbound operations, including all fulfillment activities and transportation to customers.
* Order promising, accounting for all constraints in the supply chain, including all suppliers, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and other customers…