Ballou (2004) says that supplychain

Ballou (2004) says that supply
chain ‘‘refers to all those activities associated with the trans-
formation and flow of goods and services,including their attendant in form ationflows,from the sources of raw materials to
end users.’’ Shapiro (2001) says that a supply chain comprises
geographically dispersed facilities where raw material and inter-
mediate or finished products are acquired,transformed,stored
or sold,and the transportation links that connect the facilities
along whichproductsflow.