Are you looking for the best supply chain management books to kickstart your understanding of operations and supply chain? Well, you’re in luck! I recently came across a question on Quora asking for book recommendations for beginners like you, and I figured I could help by putting together a list of 10 great options instead of just one.
Supply Chain Management is an extensive field, encompassing several sub-fields and branches, making it daunting to determine which area to specialize in. However, these recommended books will inspire and educate you, aiding your supply chain education and career development journey.
You can also refer to my previous recommendations for materials management, operations management, and logistics management to expand your knowledge in these areas. So, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, these top 10 picks will help you navigate through this complex field. Simply click on the headings to purchase them through Amazon.
List of 10 Best Supply Chain Management Books
- The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership: Achieving and Sustaining Excellence Through Leadership Development
- Operations and Supply Chain Management Essentials You Always Wanted to Know (Self-Learning Management Series)
- Operations Management – 7th Edition
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Financial Times Series)
- Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management
- Business Process Management: Profiting from Process
- Management by Process: A Practical Road-map to Sustainable Business Process Management
- Operations and Supply Chain Management
- Purchasing and Supply Chain Management
- The Lean Supply Chain: Managing the Challenge at Tesco
[Read More: 10 Must-Read Supply Chain Analytics Books for 2023]
Author: Jeffrey Liker, Gary L. Convis
Why we recommend: The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership by Jeffrey Liker and Gary Convis is a must-read for anyone interested in supply chain management and leadership development. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the Toyota Production System and how it can be applied to improve supply chain management practices. The authors offer practical advice and real-world examples of how Toyota has achieved and sustained excellence through its leadership development programs. Whether you’re a seasoned supply chain professional or just starting out, this book is sure to provide valuable insights and inspiration for improving your own leadership skills and supply chain management practices.
Author: Ashley McDonough
Why we recommend: If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to Operations and Supply Chain Management, we highly recommend the book “Operations and Supply Chain Management Essentials You Always Wanted to Know (Self-Learning Management Series).” This supply chain management book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the key functions within this field and how they interact with each other and the broader business. The author provides valuable insights into the responsibilities and decisions that managers in each functional area think about. They also explore how disruptions in the supply chain can impact the business world and our lives. By the time you finish reading this book, you’ll have a solid foundation in operations and supply chain management and be equipped to tackle real-world challenges with confidence.
Author: John Mangan, Chandra Lalwani et. Al
Why we recommend: The authors of this top-rated supply chain book have truly outdone themselves by presenting the fundamentals of Supply Chain Management in a way that is accessible to beginners. They go above and beyond in explaining technical terms before using them, making it easy to follow along. As noted in the preface, the authors stay focused on the topic, which is precisely what a beginner requires. Their approach is straightforward and to the point, providing exactly what a novice wants and needs to understand Supply Chain Management.
Author: Roger Burlton
Why we recommend: A key requirement in any successful business is its ability implement to change when required to stay in the game so to speak and there are many books out there that address Business Process Management – but this book stands out from the crowd. Not only does it address process management in a practical way by taking you through the stages of business transformation in a step-by-step manner but provides examples and tips that you can identify with in your own company. I would go so far as to say that this book is not only ideal for the beginner but for experienced practitioners as the go-to reference manual.
Author: John Jeston, Johan Nelis
Why we recommend: This book openly faces the current reality of businesses being predominantly functional based organizations and the natural reluctance to implement a change in the way they function and operate by adopting the Process Management approach. What I like about this book is that it does not blindly sing the praise of Business Process Management as ‘the silver bullet’ but instead introduces a variety of real-world case studies and explains around it the importance of process within the organization and then follows it through by providing a process-driven framework.
Author: F. Robert Jacobs, Richard B Chase, Nicholas J Aquilano
Why we recommend: If you want to learn more about the art, the challenges and the processes of the Operations and Supply Chain Management sphere then this book is packed full of insights. If you are a student, teacher, business person or you are breathing and have a pulse…I mean, doesn’t everything involve business? This book is definitely the read for you. This supply chain management book was easy to follow and easy to read.
As one buyer commented “Short and to the point chapters, end of chapter problems/quizzes/definitions that are helpful. It has also solved problems in the chapter and at the end which is nice”.
Author: Robert M. Monczka, Robert B. Handfield, Larry C. Giunipero, James L. Patterson
Why we recommend: This book is written by some heavyweights of Supply Chain education worlds, hence, it comes with a very hefty price tag! As the authors state in the introduction of this Purchasing and Supply Chain Management book, it covers critical developments in the field, including emerging healthcare and service industries, procure-to-pay redesign, supply risk, innovation, sustainability, collaboration, and much more. The book also examines the key changes in supply management and how the global economy and ongoing business uncertainty impact continuous cost and value management across the supply chain. With numerous real-world cases and captivating examples, the book provides contextual insights and knowledge into the strategies, processes, and practices of supply management.
This supply chain book is an invaluable resource that equips future managers with a comprehensive understanding of how purchasing and supply chain management impact the competitive success and profitability of today’s organizations.
Author: Prof Nigel Slack et. Al
Why we recommend: This book provided a fantastic introduction to all I needed to know about Operations Management whilst studying for my Masters at Chalmers University of Technology – it is clearly written and understandable and provides an excellent foundation in developing and building on the knowledge gained from this book.
This book is ideal for business students as well as practitioners and non-practitioners of Operations Management as it is packed full of case study examples. I must confess I read it more than twice and hence it has a lot of coffee stains. What I loved about this book was its revelations on how different aspects of operations management are interlinked both in manufacturing and service organizations. It was the best reference book I had for all Operations Management topics and I think it is still the best now!
Author: Prof Martin Christopher
Why we recommend: When I started working in the supply chain field, I knew the basics and a lot of theory associated with the concepts of Supply Chain Management (SCM) but I just didn’t feel as well equipped as I felt I should practically having joined a large corporation.
This Supply Chain book provides a modern up-to-date insight into the latest ideas about Supply Chain Management from a real-world perspective. It provided invaluable insight that I was able to apply as and when I needed to.
Author: Prof Martin Christopher
Why we recommend: The Lean Supply Chain: Managing the Challenge at Tesco is a must-read for anyone interested in learning from the experience of one of the most successful retailers in the world. The book examines how Tesco has utilized lean thinking, loyalty, and simplicity to achieve its dominant position in the market, and offers valuable insights into how these strategies can be applied in other organizations. The authors provide real-life examples of how Tesco developed and maintains one of the most effective supply chains in the world, drawing upon their deep knowledge of how the company has succeeded from both an academic and practitioner perspective. The book also includes an assessment of how Tesco is dealing with current challenges and market changes, including its successful rollout of online shopping and convenience stores. Whether you’re a seasoned supply chain professional or just starting out, this book is sure to provide valuable insights and inspiration for improving your own supply chain management practices.
Find your new coffee table read.
Having been both a teacher and a student in a previous life, I found these books on supply chain management to be particularly inspiring. They offer valuable insights into how combining your passion with your innate abilities and talents can transform a supply chain career from mundane to masterful. I hope you enjoy reading these books and please let me know if you have come across any other useful books on supply chain management that you think should be included in this list!
If you want some further book recs which are packed full of valuable content, then check out some of our own e-books which are written by experts for the experts.
About the Author – Dr Muddassir Ahmed
Dr MuddassirAhmed is the Founder & CEO of SCMDOJO. He is a global speaker, vlogger and supply chain industry expert with 17 years of experience in the Manufacturing Industry in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia in various Supply Chain leadership roles. Dr. Muddassir has received a PhD in Management Science from Lancaster University Management School. Muddassir is a Six Sigma black belt and founded the leading supply chain platform SCMDOJO to enable supply chain professionals and teams to thrive by providing best-in-class knowledge content, tools and access to experts.
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