A Computerised Vendor Rating System

The first element of a firm’s “value added” chain is logistics. “Logistics management” is concerned with the supply, storage and movement of materials, personnel, equipment and finished goods within the organisation and between the organisation and its environment. Broadly, functions such as purchasing, materials management, distribution and maintenance fall within the logistics management area. An important element of “strategic logistic management” is “purchasing”. This paper is primarily concerned with “purchasing”, with a particular focus on “vendor rating”.