Surge Capacity

A measure of the ability to respond to a short-term increase in demand or a demand spike.

Surrogate [item] Driver

A substitute for the ideal driver, but closely correlated to the ideal driver, where [item] is Resource, Activity, or Cost Object. A surrogate driver is used to significantly reduce the cost of measurement while not significantly reducing accuracy. For example, the number of production runs is not descriptive of the material disbursing activity, but it may be used as an activity driver if material disbursements correlate well with the number of production runs.

Sustainability

Corporate sustainability refers to the efforts a company makes related to conducting business in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. It includes elements such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility (CSR), stakeholder concerns, and corporate accountability.

Sustaining Activity

An activity that benefits an organizational unit as a whole, but not any specific cost object.

SVHC

A substance of very high concern.

SWAS

Store-Within-A-Store: A concept that is popular with some large retailers, where a department such as the tire shop is run by an independent third party who leases space from the retailer.

Swimlane

A row on a business process diagram type called a 'Swimlane Chart' provides a way of indicating which department or individual is responsible for a given process or activity. The responsible area or party is named on the left side of the diagram, with processes organized from left to right, and lines of linkage between each lane to show handoffs between areas.

Switch Engine

A railroad engine is used to move rail cars short distances within a terminal and plant.

Switching company

A railroad that moves rail cars short distances; switching companies connect two mainline railroads to facilitate the through movement of shipments.

SWOT

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis

A strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.

Synchronization

The concept is that all supply chain functions are integrated and interact in real-time. When changes are made to one area, the effect is automatically reflected throughout the supply chain.

Synchronous Process

A series of activities that are linked to each other, one to the next, and in which each preceding activity must be completed before the next one is started.

Syntax

The grammar or rules that define the structure of the EDI standard.

System

A set of interacting elements, variables, parts, or objects that are functionally related to each other and form a coherent group.

Systems Concept

A decision-making strategy that emphasizes overall system efficiency rather than the efficiency of the individual parts of the system.