The Command & Control philosophy is similar to the control tower at the airport. The control tower guides airplanes through air space, assists the planes during landing and take-off, and manages the movements on the ground - taxiing of planes between air stroke and terminal gates. The purpose of this exercise is to (effectively & efficiently) control a complex flow of planes with cargo and passengers through a passenger & cargo network. Similar to this, a command & control team can be established to control incoming & outgoing flows of goods for a company or even further; to control an entire supply chain.

Two different types of Command & Control can be distinguished:

1. Operations Command & Control (OCC) – OCC provides a team managing the company’s incoming (sourcing) and outgoing (distribution) goods flow. A continuous monitoring of incoming and outgoing goods flows makes it possible to effectively intervene any time and make systematic improvements possible of the internal supply chain. Examples are the operations of a distribution centre, aircraft maintenance facility, and the sourcing, materials handling and distribution logistics of a factory.

2. Chain Command & Control (CCC) – CCC has a conductor that fulfils the role of coordinator with the main objective to optimise the goods flow for one or multiple supply chains. The added value of Chain Command & Control lies in creating visibility of the supply chain for companies and providing an effective mechanism for coordination, planning and intervention. Examples are supply chain management for goods flows to and from Asia, global supply chain management for a flower auction and regional distribution centres (RDC) operations.

For further inquiries on Command & Control, please contact our office nearest to you.