According to this perspective, supply chain management incorporates logistics focus into the strategic decisions of the business (Hale, 1999; Houlihan, 1988).
The once narrow focus of logistics becomes a comprehensive topic that spans the entire value chain from suppliers to customers.
It enables channel members to compete as a uni-field logistics entity instead of simply pushing inventory back along the value chain.
In such a setup, La Londe and Masters (1994) suggest that most of the benefits of forward and backward vertical integration can be obtained by coordinating the logistics operations of independent firms in the value chain.
In this respect, supply chain management is synonymous with integrated logistics systems, and the literature base is extensive.