Extending the Supply Chain: How Cutting-Edge Companies Bridge the Critical Last Mile Into Customers' Homes

by G. Tomas M. Hult, Markham T. Frohlich, Kenneth Karel Boyer

"Why have so many "e-commerce" companies failed in the last few years? In many cases, it's the failure to figure out how to extend the supply chain directly to customers that keeps a company from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814408362
• ISBN13: 9780814408360
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: AMACOM/American Management Association
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 17 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Concise and thorough

Extending the Supply Chain is an excellent resource for the individual interested in establishing or perfecting a business that involves home delivery. The authors clearly identify the challenges relate to each type of customer. The research is thorough and comprehensive. The book is well laid out and easy to read. It is a great reference book!

The new age for supply chains

This book provides great insight from "industry leaders" on how to promise and deliver product sold through the Internet. Many of the early adopters of Internet based sales systems failed to consider the difficulties of integrating a new system into their existing strategy. Extending the Supply Chain provides great examples of both failures and successes in industry, as well as, outline a framework that will help companies better position themselves to use the Internet as a competitve advantage. This book is a must read for all individuals that wish to take the last mile and use the Intenet to build a strong, viable sales channel.

Hurdling The Last Mile

Excellent!  For any company delivering goods directly to consumers' homes, this book is a must read!  Of particular interest to me were the following quotes: ..."The second major change that must be facilitated to make last mile supply chains truly soar is greater efficiency and standardization of home delivery."  ..."The primary challenge is delivering to a customer who is not home."  ..."Most, if not all, of the major third-party delivery companies are testing methods for unattended deliveries involving some type of controlled access smartbox."   ..."It is our belief that some type of larger, access-controlled box that is available to a wide variety of home delivery companies is an important hurdle for growing last mile deliveries."