Agency Dictionary

supply chain

nounPronunciation: /səˈplaɪ tʃeɪn/

What does “supply chain” mean?

The complete sequence of processes, entities, and facilities involved in producing and distributing a commodity.

Etymology

A compound of supply and chain. Supply comes from Old French soupleier, "to fill up, to make up for", from Latin supplere, "to fill, to complete", and chain comes from Old French chaine, from Latin catena, "a series of links". The expression names the linked sequence of steps from raw material to finished product in the hands of the buyer.

Synonyms

logistics chain

Word family

supply
chain
supplier

Rhymes with

brain
train
rain
plain

Usage examples

Every type of company can offset carbon and generate “Removal of (CO²)” by improving their supply chain with sustainable mechanisms (decarbonization) except technology companies.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

Consumernoun: An individual or group that acquires, purchases, or consumes physical or commercial goods and services for personal use. In marketing, consumers are studied for purchasing patterns and brand preferences.
stakeholdernoun: A person or group with an interest in a project or an organization and affected by its results, such as clients, managers, investors or users.
asynchronousadjective: Not occurring at the same time or coordinated simultaneously, describing workflows or interactions handled independently across time.
Bailoutnoun: An emergency provision of financial assistance to a failing company, bank, or economy to prevent insolvency.
Baselinenoun: A clearly defined reference point or standard benchmark against which measurements and quality levels are compared. In industry analysis, it defines the current standard of work.
Bottlenecknoun: A point of congestion or obstruction that impedes progress or restricts flow in a production or organizational system.
brokeragenoun: The business, activity, or fee of a licensed broker who facilitates commercial transactions between buyers and sellers.
Byproductnoun: A secondary, often unexpected result or incidental creation derived from an ongoing process or effort.
cinnamonnoun: An aromatic spice obtained from the stripped inner bark of several tree species of the genus Cinnamomum.
commoditynoun: A basic primary good, agricultural staple, or raw material that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
consultantnoun: A professional who provides expert advice, diagnostic analysis, and strategic guidance in a specific discipline or industry.
Corporativismnoun: The defence of the interests of a business class or professional group above the general interest, and the culture built around it. The word also names a political and economic system organized through corporations of employers, workers and professions.

Also from these editions: terms

Equationnoun: A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
Mazenoun: A complex network of interconnected paths, passages, or obstacles designed to puzzle and challenge navigation.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
vocationnoun: A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.
Synchronicitynoun: The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
Decompositionnoun: The natural biological or chemical process of decay, breakdown, or disintegration into constituent elements.
recipientnoun: The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
iconnoun: A simplified image that represents a thing by resembling it. In semiotics, a sign that signifies through likeness; in digital interfaces, a small picture that stands for an object or a function.
Stigmanoun: A mark of social disgrace, shame, or prejudice associated with a particular circumstance, trait, or behavior.
symbolismnoun: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, and the set of meanings that a form, an image or an object carries beyond its literal sense.
Desaturationnoun: The progressive loss or removal of chromatic intensity, rendering a color closer to a neutral gray.
Regenerativeadjective: Relating to or capable of renewing, restoring, or reforming biological vitality and structural equilibrium.