
Value chain management (VCM) is the integration of all resources starting with the vendor's vendor. It integrates information, materials, labor, facilities, logistics, etc. into a time-responsive, capacity-managed solution that maximizes financial resources and minimizes waste.
What are the benefits of value chain management?
Value chain management is a way for a company to optimize all the activities in its manufacturing process. Value chain management can have many benefits, including increasing profits, boosting efficiency and improving quality control.
What are the obstacles to value chain management?
What Obstacles to Value Chain Management?
- Organizational barriers
- Cultural attitudes
- People
- Required Capabilities.
What are the benefits of value chain?
What Are the Benefits of Value Chain Management?
- Competitive Advantage. In studying the activities in an organization's sphere, you must think in terms of the effect of each activity on its competitive advantage.
- Creating a Profit. Primary and secondary activities in a business relate to production, distribution and support. ...
- Cooperation. ...
- Return on Investment. ...
What's the difference between value chain vs. supply chain?
Key Takeaways
- The value chain is a process in which a company adds value to its raw materials to produce products eventually sold to consumers.
- The supply chain represents all the steps required to get the product to the customer.
- The value chain gives companies a competitive advantage in the industry, while the supply chain leads to overall customer satisfaction.

What is value chain management and why is it important?
Value chain increases the efficiency of the business so that customers can receive the product with the most value-added at the lowest possible cost. The end goal of value chain management (VCM) is to create a competitive advantage for the company by increasing the overall margin.
What is meant by value chain and how does it work in business?
A value chain is a step-by-step business model for transforming a product or service from idea to reality. Value chains help increase a business's efficiency so the business can deliver the most value for the least possible cost.
What is value chain management example?
Value Chain Analysis Example For example, McDonald's mission is to provide customers with low-priced food items. The analysis helps McDonald's identify areas for improvement and activities that add value to their products and services.
What is value chain process?
A value chain is a progression of activities that a firm operating in a specific industry performs in order to deliver a valuable product (i.e., good and/or service) to the end customer.
What are the 5 primary activities of a value chain?
The value chain framework is made up of five primary activities -- inbound operations, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, service -- and four secondary activities -- procurement and purchasing, human resource management, technological development and company infrastructure.
What are the five steps in the value chain process?
The five steps for value chain analysis include:Collect the raw data and information;Identify entities and process functions;Connect the entities and functions;Value the links in the chain; and.Create a diagram for documentation.
How do you create a value chain?
How to create a value chain diagramIdentify all the activities in your value chain. ... Separate your primary and secondary activities. ... Label each activity to show how it creates value. ... Add the cost of each activity. ... Use the diagram to look for waste. ... Act on the information you discovered.
What are value chain activities?
The term value chain refers to the various business activities and processes involved in creating a product or performing a service. A value chain can consist of multiple stages of a product or service's lifecycle, including research and development, sales, and everything in between.
What is value chain in simple words?
“The value chain describes the full range of activities which are required to bring a product or service from conception, through the different phases of production (involving a combination of physical transformation and the input of various producer services), delivery to final consumers, and final disposal after use.
How do you conduct a value chain analysis?
Five steps to developing a value chain analysisStep 1: Identify all value chain activities. ... Step 2: Calculate each value chain activity's cost. ... Step 3: Look at what your customers perceive as value. ... Step 4: Look at your competitors' value chains.
What are the 3 steps in value chain analysis in order?
Three main steps can be distinguished in value chain analysis: (1) Identify the main functions and types of firms in the value chain; (2) Analyze structural connections; and (3) Analyze dynamics.
What is another word for value chain?
CSR, critical-path method.
How do you create a value chain?
How to create a value chain diagramIdentify all the activities in your value chain. ... Separate your primary and secondary activities. ... Label each activity to show how it creates value. ... Add the cost of each activity. ... Use the diagram to look for waste. ... Act on the information you discovered.
What is value chain analysis and how can you use this as strategy for corporate advantage?
Value chain analysis is a strategy tool used to analyze internal firm activities. Its goal is to recognize, which activities are the most valuable (i.e. are the source of cost or differentiation advantage) to the firm and which ones could be improved to provide competitive advantage.
Technique Overview
Value chain management (VCM) requires "examining processes (physical, financial and informational) and uncertainties (opportunities for improvement and risks to achievement) from beginning to end of the chain (or network) in an integrated manner in order to optimise overall value" (CIPS: Procurement’s role in the generation and capture of value in supply chains: 24)..
Further Reading
CIPS: Procurement’s role in the generation and capture of value in supply chains.
How does a value chain help?
With a value chain, you can optimize efforts, eliminate waste, and improve profitability. The value chains help provide useful insights that can bring greater value to the end customer. For example, you may find that a product can be produced at a lower cost by a subsidiary.
What is value chain method?
The value chain method is a way to identify the best path to enhance value for the customer.
Why is value chain analysis important?
Value chain analysis is a focus on the internal activities of a business to gain an understanding of the costs of the business and how different activities can add value to its product. The analysis focuses on primary functions of a business such as:
What is inbound logistics?
Inbound logistics: Receiving, storage, and distribution of the inputs or raw materials. Here, your relationship with suppliers is key.
How is ownership determined?
Ownership is determined by the percentage of shares held by the parent company, and that ownership stake must be at least 51%. firm. In such a case, the company should outsource the production of the product to the subsidiary firm.
What are the primary activities of a company?
In addition to the five primary activities, there are also secondary activities that support the operations within certain primary activities. They include: 1 Firm infrastructure 2 Human resource management 3 Technological development 4 Procurement
What is HRM in accounting?
Human Resource Management Human Resource Management (HRM) is a collective term for all the formal systems created to help in managing employees and other stakeholders within a. and accounting.
What is value chain management?
Value chain management (VCM) is the integration of all resources starting with the vendor's vendor. It integrates information, materials, labor, facilities, logistics, etc. into a time-responsive, capacity-managed solution that maximizes financial resources and minimizes waste. In other words, efficient and effective value chain management optimizes value for the customers' customer. The following sections discuss the development of VCM, integrated supply chain planning and scheduling, full resource management, cycle time responsiveness, chain-wide resource optimization, and information integration.
Why is value chain management important?
In summary, value chain management increases the number of steps in the supply chain by focusing on core competencies. VCM attempts to optimize the integrated efficiency of these steps in the management of resources, including the response time and the cost resource. Going into the future, VCM will become increasingly important as pressures to globalize mount, competition shrinks industry profits, and new market entrants challenge existing competitors.
How does operational diversification affect supply chain?
The trend toward operational diversification focused organizations on developing a supply chain whereby an organization would establish a relationship with shippers, vendors, and customers so that all the linkages in the supply chain could be effectively integrated. These interrelationships became extremely complex to manage. Initially, the management of these relationships and linkages was primarily performance-based. Having too many linkages in the supply chain would often cause unresponsiveness to customer demands. Time-to-market became the buzzword of successful competitive positions; the organization that managed its supply chain most effectively tended to have the competitive advantage, at least in terms of customer responsiveness and order fulfillment.
Why are cycle time measures important?
Total cycle time measures are needed because they have , in many cases, become more important than cost when it comes to competitive advantage. Strategic positioning requires a supply chain to be able to supply a customized product at speeds quicker than anyone else, even if the product is not customized.
How to analyze value chain?
When analyzing a value chain, look for areas of optimization and coordination to identify key short- and medium-term solutions. Optimization addresses elements that make systems work better - at a lower cost or higher quality. A coffee roasting plant may derive market benefits from sourcing their product from organic farms, and then task Marketing and Sales with positioning or branding that differentiates the product from competitors. Through coordination, the tasks are then put in place to enact the change and communicate new or increased value to the customer.
What Are Value Chains, and Who Uses Them?
A value chain includes the activities that take place within a company in order to deliver a valuable product or service to their market. Each stage of the value chain adds more value. The value chain provides a tool to visualize a firm's productivity by identifying the thousands of discrete activities involved. "The value chain provides a rigorous way to understand the sources of buyer value that will command a premium price, and why one product or service substitutes for another," says Porter.
What is the challenge of the Porter model?
Another challenge in rigidly adhering to the Porter model is that practitioners may view each area of activity as independent and absolute in their functions. To address this, Porter advocates a cross-functional approach that "builds bridges" to the primary functions and the support functions in the chain. He also notes that some of the discrete activities named in the original model can be moved around to find areas of differentiation or cost control. For example, some industries benefit more if Marketing and Sales handle order processing, rather than Outbound Logistics.
How many elements are in Porter's value chain model?
Porter's value chain model presents nine elements (five primary activities and four support activities). It provides a useful tool to analyze the relationship of cost to build versus the price a consumer is willing to pay. Because the value chain examines what activities are most beneficial, it is also used to find opportunities, innovations, or practices that set the firm's offering apart from its competition.
What is Porter's value chain?
Porter’s Value Chain – A framework, created by Michael Porter, that helps identify specific activities that contribute value and create competitive advantage.
What is inbound logistics?
Inbound Logistics: These are the activities that receive, store, and handle materials. They include warehousing, inventory, scheduling, and vendor returns.
What are the activities of marketing and sales?
Marketing and Sales: Activities include branding, advertising, promotion, sales force management, pricing, and quoting. Service: Maintenance of the product, installation, repair, and training are all part of this function. There are also four “support activity” centers that support these five primary functions.
How does the value chain work?
In each activity in the value chain, the company can focus its value creation efforts. First, it can be by adding value. For example, it contributes to customer satisfaction, making them loyal or willing to pay a high price. Second, companies can also build efficient and effective processes or activities. It saves resources, lowers the costs involved. Both can contribute to creating economic value for the company.
What is value chain?
What’s it: A value chain is the various activities within a business, supporting each other and contributing to creating value for customers. This concept provides a framework for visualizing which areas a company can add value to and how to do so. If successful, it could lead to higher profits. As a result, companies can increase perceived value and reduce costs consumed.
How does Walmart gain competitive advantage?
Walmart can gain a competitive advantage and take a market leadership position in the retail business through an effective and efficient supply chain system. It allows companies to lower their cost structure and offer their customers daily low prices. So how the company does it, let’s focus on its logistics activities.
Why is value chain important?
The value chain gives a framework for developing value creation strategies in the company’s operations. Two reasons why analyzing it is important for companies.
Why do companies maximize the difference between the added value created and the costs involved?
Then, because the value is maximized and costs are minimized, they can gain maximum profit and competitive advantage.
How do activities in the value chain contribute to adding more value?
In conclusion, activities in the value chain contribute to adding more value. Companies can maximize profits by creating value in every activity. It allows them to gain a competitive advantage and maintain it over time.
What is the value chain concept of Michael Porter?
Michael Porter proposes a value chain concept to identify areas where a company can create value. According to him, every company synthesizes various interrelated activities, from designing, producing, marketing, delivering to supporting products.
What is value chain management?
Value chain management is the process of organizing all activities to properly analyze them. The goal is to establish communication between the leaders of each stage to ensure the product is placed in the customers' hands as seamlessly as possible.
What is a value chain?
A value chain is the full range of activities – including design, production, marketing and distribution – businesses conduct to bring a product or service from conception to delivery. For companies that produce goods, the value chain starts with the raw materials to make their products, and consists of everything added before the product is sold to consumers.
What is the difference between supply chain and value chain?
A supply chain and value chain are similar in nature, but the value chain takes a few more things into consideration, like product design, research and development, and advertising.
Why is value chain analysis important?
It is important, along with the mechanics of it all, to keep customers feeling confident and secure enough to remain loyal to your business. By analyzing and evaluating product quality and effectiveness of services, along with cost, your business can find and implement strategies to improve.
How does value chain analysis help companies?
It can create change within a business, the products and services it offers, and its connections with other businesses and their customers or clients. The United States Postal Service (USPS) explains that the purpose of value chain analysis is "to create value that exceeds the cost of providing the product or service and generates a profit margin."
How to conduct a value chain analysis?
To conduct a value chain analysis, a business should begin by identifying each part of its production process, noting steps that can be eliminated and other possible improvements. In doing so, businesses can determine where the best value lies with customers, and expand or improve said value, resulting in either cost savings or enhanced production. At the end of the process, customers can enjoy high-quality products at lower costs.
What should the final result of a value chain analysis be?
The final result of a value chain analysis should be a more competitive, efficient business.
How does supply chain management work?
Supply chain management works by understanding the customer's needs to adapt plans based on that information. Supply management links production to shipment and distribution of a product from its start as a raw material until the final product is delivered to the consumer. Supply chain management controls both internal and vendor inventories to synchronize with past and future sales and determine supply needs.
How does supply chain management help with production?
Supply chain management follows specific steps to reach production and sales goals: 1. Adapt the plan based on consumer needs or demands. This involves assessing factors like sales and inventory to improve growth potential and the use of resources. Managers may set goals to increase sales or reduce inventory to save money and resources.
What is the supply chain of a coffee shop?
The supply chain for a coffee shop is likely to be less complicated than a grocery chain, especially if they offer a significantly smaller number of products. A coffee shop supply chain includes managing the steps from harvest to cup. Coffee beans are harvested for production. Managers oversee the movement of beans to roasters.
What is a local supermarket chain?
A local supermarket chain carries numerous products from multiple manufacturers. Supermarkets control their inventories and distribution to provide fresh food, canned and boxed products as well as consumer pharmaceutical items. Each item comes from somewhere else and the supply chain manager oversees where the products come from, how many products are in the central warehouse and which products are on the store shelf.
Why do supply chain managers distribute coffee beans?
Whether in a centralized or local roaster, supply chain managers distribute coffee beans to maximize freshness and flavor and shorten the trip to store shelves.
Why is supply chain important?
Supply chain management is a vital part of controlling a company's product and understanding the consumer's needs. A supply chain contains key information for a company to determine how a product is selling so adaptations can be made to benefit the customer in cost savings and product value. Companies that attend to their supply chains can improve ...
What is the role of a supply chain manager?
Primary duties: The supply chain manager provides support for and reports on cost-saving initiatives. The supply chain manager oversees several locations and ensures the timely processing of goods for distribution.

Value Chain Analysis
- In the 1980s, Michael Porter introduced a technique known as value chain analysis, which has since become a useful tool for companies to help gain a competitive advantage. Value chain analysis is a focus on the internal activities of a business to gain an understanding of the costs of the business and how different activities can add value to its product. The analysis focuses on t…
How to Implement The Value Chain
- Porter’s generic strategies for the value chain can be used for any industry across the board. The three-step process is as follows:
Advantages of Value Chains
- Value chains help break down all the activities that go into producing a good or service and understanding areas of cost savings and differentiation. With a value chain, you can optimize efforts, eliminate waste, and improve profitability. The value chains help provide useful insights that can bring greater value to the end customer. For example, y...
More Resources
- Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to Value Chain. To keep learning and developing your knowledge of financial analysis, we highly recommend the additional CFI resources below: 1. Forward Integration 2. Logistics 3. Supply Chain 4. Types of Customers