In general, each process can be presented as a series of actions and/or events that in combination produce a result or a product that can be either tangible or intangible (i.e., good or service). As such, every process can be schematically illustrated in linear form as a flowchart showing the step-by-step progression, in which a response to a step must be elicited before another step is taken. A nonlinear process, which is characterized by expansion in multiple directions rather than in a single direction, in contrast, is based on the concept that there are multiple starting points from where one can begin to approach a problem.
The manufacture of goods, as suggested by Porter’s (1985) value chain, is typically ...
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