All firms participate in a supply chain, from the raw
materials to the ultimate consumer. How much of this
supply chain needs to be managed depends on several
factors including the complexity of the product, the number
of available suppliers, and the availability of raw materials.
Dimensions to consider include the length of the
supply chain and the number of suppliers and customers at each level. It would be rare for a firm to participate in only
one supply chain. For most manufacturers, the supply
chain looks less like a pipeline or chain than an uprooted
tree, where the branches and roots are the extensive network
of customers and suppliers [33]. The question is how
many of these branches and roots need to be managed.