And you need sophisticated information systems to electronically cinch every link of the supply chain. That's not so easy, considering they all might use different manufacturing platforms, information-control systems, and other standards. It's not easy, but essential. The business world has become every bit as virtual as it is physical. Kevin Kelly, editor of Wired magazine, points out that the ironic truth of the computer revolution is that it's basically over.
Computers make things faster, but that's about all.
He recently wrote a book arguing that the real revolution isn't about computing. It's about connecting. Every link in the chain needs an intimate, electronic connection with the next link, with protocols the whole chain understands. And they ran a picture that was truly worth a thousand words. It's what most companies' logistics management looks like today.