Essentially this is a book that seeks to highlight strategies for using e-business technologies within the supply chain, backed up by a host of case studies.

Capable of being illuminative to the newcomer, and illustrative to the more experienced, the author gives tools and inspiration as to how technologies can be connected to lead to higher productivity (and delivery security) within the supply chain network. Of course, this is only a plan-level tool, the hard work of connecting and changing any processes falls to the reader and their company! Elements of theory are introduced to help contextualise advice and recommendations, noting how badly things can turn out when the components are not synchronised and operating well, perhaps through negligent or poor management and implementation. The book manages to find a voice that can service several types of reader as well.

The book draws on the experiences and opinions of many contributors, which provides a multifaceted, broad range of information for the benefit of the reader. The result is this comprehensive, yet quite concise, book that can act as an excellent introduction or overview to a changing, essential and individualistic subject. It covers a lot of areas - so maybe it is fair to describe it as a specialist but generalist book - yet this can be to your advantage. Somebody involved with higher education, for example, may learn possibly from integrated health care activities due to an interdisciplinary investigation. Reading every chapter and case study is recommended.

On the one hand, it may feel that the book lacks an identity, trying to be everything for everyone and not entirely meeting the target, yet on the other side, it does a reasonably good job at providing broad coverage that can provoke some thought. It is a fresh, up-to-date and relevant resource that deserves closer consideration in any case.

E-Business and Supply Chain Integration, written by Ozlem Baka and published by Kogan Page. ISBN 9780749478452. YYYY