Michael Porter
Michael Porter is an American economist and Harvard Business School professor whose 1985 book Competitive Advantage introduced the value chain, including inbound and outbound logistics as primary activities.
What they did and why it matters
Porter's value chain gave executives a reason to treat logistics as a source of competitive advantage rather than a back-office cost. His model lists inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service as primary activities, supported by procurement, technology, people, and infrastructure. Placing warehousing, inventory control, and delivery inside the chain of value creation helped justify investment in distribution and later in supply chain management. A brand that wins on delivery speed or easy returns is competing in the outbound logistics and service links Porter described.
Related people
Sources
- Michael Porter (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org
- Porter's Value Chain (Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge) ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk