Supply chain management (SCM) is the practice of coordinating the design, procurement, and flow of goods, services, information and finances, from raw material flows to parts supplier to manufacturer to distributor to retailer to consumer. This process includes product design, order generation, order taking, information feedback and the efficient and timely delivery of goods and services, and typically involves many or more of the business functions in firms that are linked to specific supply chains. Efficient and effective supply chain management assists an organization in getting the right goods and services to the place needed at the right time, in the proper quantity and at acceptable cost. Managing this process involves developing and overseeing relationships with suppliers and customers, controlling inventory, and forecasting demand. For optimal performance and improved competitiveness, this requires constant feedback from, and coordination with, every link in the supply chain.

Recent advances in supply chain technological support, process design, and management strategies have created an increasingly complex set of administrative, technological, and organizational issues that must be resolved if they are to lead to competitive advantage. The Third Annual Supply Chain Management Symposium, to be held in Toronto September 28-30, 2005, will bring together practitioners from public and private sectors and academic researchers in a lively exchange of information and experiences that highlight today's best practices and innovations in technological products, organization and management, pointing the way to improved competitiveness.

• to improve the understanding of how best to transform supply chains and their associated activities, thus enhancing the competitiveness of business, government and not-for-profit institutions
• to enhance interactions among supply chain management practitioners and researchers, creating permanent networking opportunities
• to increase industry knowledge of recent eBusiness contributions to the supply chain management field and
• to showcase research strengths in supply chain management and transformation, and to encourage the corporate community to take advantage of these strength

For presenters, as Practitioners and Researchers, you are focused on improving competitiveness through process changes and advances in the efficiency and productivity of SCM. This Symposium provides the forum for highlighting your experiences and findings, and for nurturing some great networking. For delegates, If your organization is looking for ways to transform its organization and execution of SCM, this symposium may give you ideas to help you make those changes. Researchers and practitioners will meet others with similar interests, and through networking will build permanent relationships. For PMAC members, please contact your Provincial Institute regarding maintenance of certification.

The McMaster eBusiness Research Centre (MeRC) is the top university centre in Canada for research, education, and outreach on business issues in electronic commerce. Based in the DeGroote School of Business, it is a founding member of the Ontario Research Network in Electronic Commerce (ORNEC), a consortium of four Ontario universities that addresses a range of relevant eCommerce topics in the business, legal, and systems environment. MeRC is funded by business memberships, private donations, and matching government grants. Its three-fold mission is: 1) to carry out research relevant to eCommerce issues in business and to provide ready access to this research, 2) to educate students who can become key employees for Canadian businesses and institutions, and 3) to provide training and other services to managers and professionals in business, government, and non-profit institutions that will help them make the most effective use of eBusiness.
Event Management Contacts (MeRC):
Glenda MacDonald, MBA, MeRC Manager,
Tel: 905-525-9140 Ext. 27027, Email: gmacdon@mcmaster.ca
Dr. Norm Archer, Professor Emeritus, Special Advisor to MeRC
Tel. 905-525-9140 Ext.23954, Email: archer@mcmaster.ca

Serving 7000 members, the national association and provincial and territorial Institutes are the principal source of education for supply management - from the internationally recognized program leading to the Certified Professional Purchaser (C.P.P.) designation.

Among its academic contributions, PMAC sponsors a Purchasing Management Association of Canada Chair at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario and a similar Chair at École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, affiliated with Université de Montréal.
Event Management Contact (PMAC):
Doreen DuGray, Manager, National Conference and Special Events,
Tel: 416-542-9129, Email: ddugray@pmac.ca

Ontario Research Network in Electronic Commerce (ORNEC) The Universities of Ottawa, McMaster, Carleton, and Queen's, together with leading corporate partners, established the Ontario Research Network for Electronic Commerce (ORNEC) as the focal point and driving force for electronic commerce research in Ontario, Canada, and internationally. Building upon existing strengths and expertise in information technology, business and law, ORNEC strives to be at the forefront of e-Commerce innovation, inter-disciplinary research and training. Recent industry shakeouts and consolidations signal the pressing need to tackle efficiently all issues challenging e-Commerce and better direct research and development activities. ORNEC represents a timely response to that pressing need for R&D and Intellectual Property (IP) transfer to Canadian businesses in order to help them increase productivity and maintain a competitive advantage over global players.
Event Management Contact (ORNEC):
Dr. Robert J. H. Crawhall, Executive Director
Tel: 613-998-5237, Email: crawhall@ornec.ca