supply chain

The entire network of organisations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in producing and delivering a product — from raw materials to the end consumer.

• supply-chain(adj)

• supply chain management
• supply chain disruption
• global supply chain
• supply chain logistics
• supply chain resilience
• supply chain risk

1. 1.A smartphone's supply chain spans dozens of countries: rare earth minerals mined in Congo, chips fabricated in Taiwan, assembled in China, designed in California, and sold worldwide. (global complexity)
2. 2.The COVID-19 pandemic exposed supply chain fragility: a single blocked port or a chip shortage in one factory could halt automobile production on the other side of the world. (vulnerability)

• value chain (the sequence of activities adding value)
• logistics network (the system of transportation and distribution)

"supply" from Latin "supplere" (to fill up) + "chain" from Latin "catena" (chain, bond) — a chain of filling needs