The five fundamental components of supply chain management are explained further below:

(i) Plan: The planning stage is the first stage of the supply chain process. In order to address how the products and services will fulfil the expectations and necessities of consumers, we must design a plan or strategy. At this point, the planning should primarily focus on developing a strategy that maximises profit. Companies must develop plans to manage all of the resources necessary for creating goods and offering services. The primary focus of supply chain management is on planning and generating a set of measurements.

(ii) Develop (Source): Following the planning, the next phase is to develop or source. At this time, we are primarily concerned with developing strong relationships with potential suppliers of raw materials which are used in production. This includes not only just choosing reliable suppliers, but also determining alternative shipping, delivery, and payment options for the goods. Companies must choose suppliers to get the raw materials for uninterrupted production. So, at this level, supply chain managers must develop a set of pricing, delivery, and payment protocols with suppliers, as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for regulating and enhancing relationships. Finally, supply chain managers may integrate all of these procedures to manage their inventory of products and services. This includes receiving and inspecting shipments, as well as transporting them.

(iii) Make: The production or fabrication of items requested by the client is the third phase in the supply chain management process. The items are created, manufactured, tested, packaged, and synchronised for delivery at this step. The supply chain manager's job here is to arrange all of the tasks necessary for production, testing, packing, and delivery preparation. This is the most metricintensive step of the supply chain, where enterprises may assess quality standards, production output, and labour productivity.

(iv) Deliver: The fourth and last stage is the delivery stage. The provider delivers the merchandise to the client at the designated place. This is essentially the logistics stage, when consumer orders are approved and product delivery is scheduled. The delivery step is typically referred to as logistics, in which organisations collaborate to take client orders, construct a network of warehouses, choose carriers to transport items to customers, and set up an invoicing system to receive payments.

(v) Return: The return is the last stage in supply chain management. The consumer returns defective or damaged items to the supplier manufacturer at this step. Companies must deal with client inquiries and concerns, among other things. This level of the supply chain is frequently a source of contention for many businesses. Supply chain planners must devise a responsive and adaptable network for receiving damaged, faulty, and additional items from customers and expediting the return procedure for customers who have concerns with products.