Bruynzeel Keukens: Mastering Complexity

Pursuant to Basu and Siems’ research (2004), plenty of books, journals and articles have been
published in the recent past, to display growing importance of supply chain management. It is one of
the most significant aspects of any kind of business. How does a company get the Right Things, to the
Right Places, at the Right Time and for Profit? These are decisions which must be made. Throughout
history and due to new ideas and technologies, supply chains have been changed. Railway, electricity
and new ways of communication made them better, faster and cheaper. Nowadays, businesses are
effectively improving their supply chains through better information engineering using the Internet
and wireless telecommunications.
The supply chain includes all activities linked with the flow and transfer of goods and services from
the raw materials’ level through to the customers. (Basu and Siems, 2004) Synchronization between
warehousing and distribution channels through the retail channels and ending with the consumer
has become one of the main problems for Bruynzeel Keukens in 2005.
Should the company completely restructure its supply chain or should it merely modify some
processes along the chain? What exactly should be reorganized and how fundamentally should the
restructuring be made?