Jim Ayers has extensive process improvement experience across multiple industries. His education includes a graduate level industrial engineering degree from Stanford. These include government agencies, utilities, consumer and industrial manufacturing, aerospace & defense, healthcare, financial institutions, and professional services. His published work on lean, operations strategy, and organization design includes best-selling books and numerous articles.

• PrefaceAuthorsSection I THE RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN1 Defining the Retail Supply Chain2 Success in a Retail Business3 Types of Retail Supply Chain Businesses4 A Changing World: Moving toward Comparative Advantage5 Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and the Retail IndustrySection II FORCES SHAPING THE RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN ENVIRONMENT6 Drivers of Retail Supply Chain Change7 Paths to the Customer8 Supply Chain Risk9 Retail Supply Chain Metrics10 Meeting the Needs of Supply Chain Decision MakersSection III RET AIL STRATEGY AND SUPPLY CHAIN S11 Product Types—Value to the Customer12 Businesses Inside the Business13 Activity Systems and Process Definition14 Retail Supply Chain Management—Skills RequiredSection IV RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT15 Organizing to Improve Retail Supply Chain Performance16 Collaboration with Supply Chain Partners17 Demand-Driven Supply Chain18 Product Tracking along Retail Supply ChainsSection V ACHIEVING FINANCIAL SUCCESS IN THE RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN19 Understanding Supply Chain Costs20 Barriers to Addressing the Root Causes for Cost21 Multicompany Collaboration to Reduce Costs—Who, What, and How22 Retail Return Loops23 Case Application: SeaBear/Made in WashingtonGlossaryBibliographyIndex