Exploring thinking from antiquity in managing logistics, supply and resources: Chinese Sun Tzu, Indian Kautilya and supply chain management

Foo Check-Teck

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2010, vol. 3, issue 2, 121-137

Abstract: In this article, the author first reviews briefly and selectively the literature on supply chain management. He then explores the roots of strategic thinking on supply strategy. From China, he focuses on Sun Tzu's the Art of War (bing-fa in pinyin) and from India, the work of Arthashastra by Kautilya (also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta). What is found is that whilst there is a very extensive literature on supply chain management, both the works by Sun Tzu and Kautilya are rarely mentioned as part of it. Yet as this article will document, these very ancient works Art of War and Arthashastra besides being deeply enmeshed in Chinese and Indian cultures, respectively, contain insights relevant for supply strategy.

Keywords: Arthashastra; Art of War; Kautilya; supply chain management; SCM; logistics; resource management; Sun Tzu; strategic thinking; Chanakya; Vishnugupta; China; India; culture; ancient works; ancient literature. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijicbm:v:3:y:2010:i:2:p:121-137

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