Final answer:
Supply chain integration brings several benefits including reduced costs, better customer service, increased responsiveness to changes, and efficient resource use, through improved processes and coordination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The benefits of supply chain integration typically include a variety of improvements within a company's operations. Firstly, reduced costs are a direct result of streamlining processes, eliminating waste, and improving coordination among the different parts of the chain. This can lead to economies of scale and more negotiating power with suppliers. Secondly, better customer service can be achieved due to the enhanced flow of information, leading to improved tracking of shipments, faster delivery times, and better quality management.
Thirdly, increased ability to respond to changes in the market or customer demand is a key advantage. This agility allows companies to adjust production, redirect shipments, or change suppliers quickly, benefiting from the flexibility built into an integrated supply chain. Lastly, an efficient use of resources is a result of better inventory management, improved scheduling, and coordination among supply chain partners, which contributes to the optimization of the entire supply chain operations.
While increased tax base and less competition are not typically direct results of supply chain integration, points a, b, c, and d are well-supported by research and real-world examples. For instance, consumers benefit from the increased productivity, which results in a larger variety of goods available at lower prices. Businesses often join in associations to leverage these benefits, and international trade demonstrates the advantageous nature of competitive markets and economies of scale on a larger scale, all of which enrich the concept of supply chain integration.