Which statement best defines a supply chain network?

• A. A network of warehouses with no suppliers
• B. A network of companies made up of many suppliers, selling to many immediate customers
• C. A single firm with no external suppliers
• D. A system connecting suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that a supply chain network is a web of many organizations linked through the flow of materials, information and finances. It isn’t limited to a single company or just warehouses; it involves numerous suppliers feeding multiple companies, which in turn sell to multiple immediate downstream customers.

The statement that describes a network of companies made up of many suppliers, selling to many immediate customers best fits this concept because it captures the breadth and interconnectedness of the network across multiple participants, not just a single firm or a narrow set of partners. It emphasizes both the variety of inputs from many suppliers and the multiple trading relationships downstream.

The other options fall short because they either ignore the broader network (focusing only on warehouses with no suppliers), depict just one firm with no external connections, or describe a narrower system (connecting suppliers, manufacturers and distributors) without highlighting the multiplicity of partners across the chain.