MOBILE SCM
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3As & 4Ms It is a dream for supply chain and logistics peopleflow of information and availability of materials and funds can be provided everywhere regardless of time and location. The focus is on increasing efficiency of supply chain and improvement of responsiveness to customers. And the dream is now becoming a reality through mobile communication wireless technology. What it basically offers is accessing and delivering information by Anyone, Anywhere and Anytime, (3As), notes Prof Akhil Chandra of Institute of Logistics and Aviation management Cellular sets (Mobile phones), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Palmtops and now with the release of the iPad by Apple a hardware revolution with tablet computers has begun and all these gadgets open a new horizon for supply chain management (SCM) systems for businesses providing the ultra portability to all the participants of Supply Chain viz raw material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers with their manpower and customers widely spread in the factories, stores, warehouses, distribution centers, transportation and marketplace. So, what is mobile SCM? Simply put, mobile supply chain management is to manage the system of suppliers, producers, distributors, retailers and customers where material, financial and information flows connect participants in the direction at anywhere, anytime based on ubiquitous network made possible through wireless mobile communication LOGISTICS TIMES March 2011
devices which have been stated above viz cell phones, PDAs, i PADs etc. . Mobile supply chain applications allow users to request information and conduct whatever they want, whenever they want and how they want. The mobile capabilities of these gadgets provide a convenient, time-saving, and highly accurate means of capturing data on movements of goods and other events. These capabilities simplify checking and monitoring tasks and provide up-to-date information on process status, enabling enterprises to react swiftly to unforeseen events creating a sophisticated adaptive supply network.
Technological Breakthrough The prominent technologies are wireless communication technologies like WiFi, internet access through mobile like 2G,3G and 4G , wireless LANs, RFID , GPS (Global positioning system) and mobile gadgets as stated above . Apart
from the above it is the cloud computing which has given a ubiquitous access and integration to ERP software, databases and Supply chain software modules like SCM, CRM,WMS, TMS, EDI to name a few. There are numerous applications like vehicle tracking, dispatch, route analysis, warehouse operations, facility management, depot management, routing, scheduling and many other SCM related solutions. The vehicle tracking apps with GPS technology integration allows businesses to track and manage vehicles through their mobile device from anywhere and at any time. The dispatch, warehouse operations, depot management applications let mobile employees in the manufacturing businesses to get on-demand access to corporate data while on the road through GPS with wireless technology for better and simple management. . Integration with voice recognition enables hands-