The supply chain management concept:

is not new$-$represents the third phase of an evolution that began in the $1960$ s with physical distribution and evolved into integrated logistics management in the $1980$ s before being expanded to the supply chain in the $1990$ s

has been around for centuries and can be traced to Marco Polo and the spice and silk routes

resulted from the combination of physical distribution and materials management

identified several critical shortfalls in business practice and led to the concept of integrated logistics management

resulted from $Y2K$ and the tremendous emphasis placed on the exchange of information among trading partners