The Supply Chain

"Supply Chain"-My favorite word. Love this word for its different meanings associated with different things/people at different times. Let me just take you on a ride of this magnificent word and its implications
Supply Chain in its original form involves a coordinated system of organizations, people, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service in physical or virtual manner from supplier to the customer.
Supply Chain for a Manufacturer would include things like Raw Materials-->Inventory Stocking--> Production Line--> Packaging--> Shipping --> Customer Delivery --> Post Sale Maintenance. This will be associated with data coming from the Sales, Finance,Inventory, Design. A well defined synergy amongst these factors will help an on-time delivery at the customers end to create value.
Supply Chain for an IT Services povider will probaby include Functional Analysis--> Technical Analyis--> Design--> Development--> Testing--> Maintenance. The activities involved are virtual as there is no tangible product conceived. Moreover the supply is service-oriented as its on-demand.
Supply Chain for a Human Resource Department would include--> Analysis of the Requirements-->Resource Planning and Strategy--> Pooling--> Selection--> Training and Development--> Appraisals. With a slight modification this aligns with the strategy of the organisation you are working for.
In this manner, everything is "supply chained" in this world. Look closely, aren't we a part of a massive supply chain? The one that goes on eternally and includes such factors as:
Birth--> Childhood--> Teenage-->Work Years--> Retirement--> Old Age--> Death.
Now you must be wondering who is the supplier and who is t customer? Given the fact that both of them are an integral part of the chain. But isnt the answer that what we are searching for time immemorial? Who is our supplier i.e where do we come from and who is our customer i.e where do we go when we are finished. Do we create the value or solve the purpose for what we were concieved in the first place?
Better think on the same.