The Lack of Communication and the Need of IT for Supply-Chain Management Strategies in SMEs

The term "Supply Chain Management" (SCM) denotes the creation, integration, planning and control of all elements of universal added-value chains, from the procurement of raw materials to the final delivery to the customer. IT offers huge potentials for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to activate effective SCM mechanisms. Even though experts estimate the potential saving that can be achieved through the implementation of effective SCM strategies at 3-5 per cent of turnover, SMEs are experiencing a great deal of difficulty in coping with these strategies. Reasons for this, especially among small enterprises (50 employees and under), are to be found in the specific enterprise culture. The results presented in this paper are the outcome of an EU funded project named "Supply Chain Partnership", a pilot project aimed at analysing the communication, social and technological obstacles to the implementation of effective SCM strategies in SMEs. The focus of this paper is on the Italian experience, and concerns an industrial district located in Sicily.