The impact of new technologies on supply chain management in the armed forces

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the impact of new technologies on supply chain management in the Armed Forces. The supply chain is not limited to the operations related to the physical movement of goods, but also includes the management of relations with suppliers and customers. However, the supply chain management, through the integration and coordination of both information and goods flow, is a main factor of the well-developed customer service. The changes in military logistics imposed the necessity of implementation of the modern information technologies in the Polish Armed Forces. The Polish Army has adopted the Integrated Multi-level Information System of the Ministry of Defense (ZWSI RON). The article describes various technologies used in supply chain management including information, communication and automatic identification technologies. The author emphasizes that modern technologies are essential to enhance supply chain competitiveness and performance by improving the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the logistic system. Moreover, implementing of various innovative technologies shortens the time required for the fulfillment of tasks as well as reduces their labor consumption.