The objective of every supply chain is to maximize the overall value generated. The value a supply chain generates is the difference between what the final product is worth to the customer and the effect the supply chain expends is filling the customer is request. For most commercial supply chains, value will be strongly correlate with supply chain profitability, the difference between the revenue from the customer and the overall cost across the supply chain. For example, a customer purchasing a computer from Dell pay $2000, which represent the supply chain receives. Dell and other stages of the supply chain incur cost to convey in formation produce components, store them, transport them , transfer funds, and so on. The difference between the $ 2000 that the customer paid and the sum of all costs incurred by the supply chain to produce and distribute the computer represent the supply chain profitability. Supply chain profitability, the more successful the supply chain stages. The higher the supply chain. Supply chain success should be measured in term in term of supply chain profitability and not un term of the profits at an individual stage. (In subsequent chapters we see that a focus on profitability at individual stages may lead to a reduction in overall supply chain profits.)