Management
Blanket order - A long term purchase commitment to a supplier for items that are to be delivers
against short term releases to ship
make or buy decision - a choice between producing a component or service in house or
purchasing it from an outside source
Outsourcing - Transferring a firms activities that have traditionally been internal to external
suppliers
Vertical Integration - Developing the ability to produce goods or services previously purchased or
actually buying a supplier or a distributor
kieretsu - A Japanese term that describes suppliers who become part of a company coalition
Virtual companies - Companies that rely on a variety of supplier relationships to provide services
on demand
Also known as hollow corporations or network companies
Bullwhip effect - The increasing fluctuation in orders that often occurs as orders move through the
supply chain
Pull data - Accurate sales data that initiate transactions to "pull" product through the supply
chain.
Single stage control of replenishment - Fixing responsibility for monitoring and managing
inventory for the retailer