Big Brown: The Untold Story of UPS
Author: Niemann, Greg.
San Francisco, Calif. : Jossey-Bass, c2007.
Call Number: 388.3243 NIE

Think UPS and the image of a man in a brown uniform holding a parcel comes to mind immediately. Today, it is a global icon for package delivery. How did it grow from a Seattle messenger service of six boys to a company generating an annual profit of US$4 billion?

Retired UPSer Greg Niemann shares insights into the 100-year history of UPS and the life of its founder Jim Casey, a capitalist who was virtually unknown. The secret of the company's growth lie in the strong leadership, employee loyalty, a relentless reputation for quality while embracing technology to improve the logistics and supply-chain operations.

Read and be inspired!

Harvard Business Review on Supply Chain Management
Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Pub. Corp., c2006.
Call Number: 658.7 HAR

Many businesses have realised that they have to pay close attention to their supply chain operations in order to stay competitive for business profitability.

In this book, leading thinkers in this field highlight the changing relationships between suppliers, customers, and competitors in a globalised market. It then outlines key ideas and provide guidance on the importance of building deep relationships with suppliers, creating an efficient supply chain and aligning incentives to pull all parties in the same direction.

Every topic is clearly illustrated with real life examples of successful companies like Honda, Toyota, Seven-Eleven and Zara.

Supply Chain Management : Best Practices
Author: Blanchard, David
Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, c2007.
Call Number: 658.5 BLA

Want to know the best practices in supply chain management? What does it take to build a world-class supply chain?

This easy-to-read book has all the answers. It presents the some of the most successful supply chains in the global marketplace and discusses their best practices and strategies used in measuring their performance. It also offers guidance on the latest technology and how to manage a supply chain across industries in a global environment.

The author David Blanchard is an award-winning journalist and the founding editor of Logistics Today.

How Dell Does It
Author: Holzner, Steven.
New York : McGraw-Hill, c2006.
Call Number: 338.76213916 HOL

The phenomenal growth of Dell has made it the talk of the town. Over the years, companies have tried to emulate Dell's business model without success. This book gives managers' practical insights and understanding into Dell's business processes, practices and culture. Highlights include just-in-time inventory techniques, 'virtual integration' linking customers with suppliers into a partnership and anticipating and reacting to market changes almost instantly.

If your goal is to become best-in-class in supply chain management, this book, How Dell Does It is a must read.

Available at National Library Board libraries
Please check the availability of the materials at NLB website.

Database articles

The Chain Gang
Author: Beasty, Colin
Source: CRM Magazine. Oct 2007, Vol. 11 Issue 10, pg 32-36.
Summary: Discusses how customer relationship management can be combined with supply chain management to ensure satisfactory customer experience.

A satisfied customer is one who receives what they want, in the way they want it, at the time they want it and within the price they are willing to pay.

It also highlights a new business concept Demand-Driven Supply Networking (DDSN) practiced by Dell, Proctor & Gamble and Wal-Mart.

Retrieved from Proquest database. Available at the National Library Board Libraries.

Companies Realize 'Green Logistics' Can Save Money
Source: Managing Imports & Exports. Nov 2007, Vol. 2007 Issue 11, Nov 2007, pg 1-13.
Summary: Discusses the growing importance of 'green logistics', which is expected to be a top priority within the next three years. Green logistics covers two areas, namely actions taken by companies to make supply chains more energy efficient and environment-friendly and steps needed to bring company products into compliance with foreign government regulations.

Retrieved from Ebsco Business Source Complete database. Available at the National Library Board Libraries.

Foo Miin Huey is a reference librarian with the National Library Board