Centervale Apparel Supply Chain Management
Tony L. Richardson
Argosy University
Managerial Applications of Technology – B6111
Professor Dr. Amy Koresdoski

Abstract
The clothing apparel industry has undergone drastic changes. The industry demands that businesses operate in a lean manner in order to survive. There has never been a more critical time than now for businesses to manage supply chains and exercise best practices that are based on the best business intelligence available. The proposed solution to supply chain management (SCM) is a tool that is geared toward driving profitability, and meeting the expectations of stakeholders. This presentation will incorporate various business segments, including operations, customer service, and quality as a single unit with a unified vision. This presentation will demonstrate the need of SCM, examining the return on investment (ROI), as well as the risk versus benefits of implementation. In times of limited budgets for capital investments, it is important for managers to utilize funds in a manner that will not only provide the greatest ROI, but will ensure futuristic growth. The plan proposed offers profitability today, and business growth for years to come.

The battle is being lost. According to a report issued by the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress, the clothing apparel industry is running a trade deficit. The United States imports approximately $82 billion in clothing, while exporting only about $6 billion (Maloney, 2015). Companies that utilize the legacy order fulfillment technologies simply cannot compete with foreign markets where there is cheap labor. Centervale has no control over the low wages paid by foreign competitors; nor does the company have control over the status of import regulations for competitive products entering the United States. With so many variables