UDC

65.011.2(075.8)

Authors

Pustokhina Irina Valeryevna
Postgraduate Student, State University of Management (Moscow, Russia)
e-mail: densyaopin@yandex.ru

Abstract

In today’s globalized world, both academics and businessmen are showing great interest in supply chain management. This has mostly to do with more stringent customer requirements, which make companies adapt their supply chains to the needs of different clients. Initially, companies sought to gain competitive advantage by providing goods and services more attractive to consumers than the competing products. However, as differentiation through product characteristics got more difficult, companies started to use a variety of differentiation approaches. The article examines the concept of supply chain differentiation and analyses differentiation approaches in logistics and supply chain management, such as service-level differentiation, multi-channel distribution, postponement, mass customization and purchasing portfolio. Unfortunately, at present, supply chains are usually formed spontaneously. With this in mind, we find it necessary to preventively design logistics processes in supply chains. However, the formation of supply chain differentiation should be preceded by a number of transformations, including strengthening the internal capacity of the company, changes in its management strategy, and information support. Still, the biggest changes will be the psychological ones due to the employees’ transition from silo mentality to cross-functional interaction. In conclusion, the author notes that supply chain differentiation is a model providing efficient service to customers in a highly competitive environment on today’s turbulent market.

Keywords

supply chain differentiation, service-level differentiation, multi-channel distribution, manufacturing postponement, logistics postponement, mass customization, purchasing portfolio

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