What is included in a supply chain?

The correct choice encompasses the entirety of interactions and processes involved in transforming raw materials into finished products and delivering them to consumers. A comprehensive view of a supply chain includes all the organizations that contribute at various stages—from suppliers providing raw materials to manufacturers creating products, distributors moving products to retailers, and finally, the delivery to end-users or customers. This interconnected network ensures that products flow efficiently from the point of origin to the final consumer.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects that do not encompass the full range of activities or actors involved in a supply chain. For example, the final customers are indeed integral to the business process, but they represent the endpoint rather than the various stages of production and distribution. Marketing strategies, while essential for promoting products, do not define the logistical and operational factors of the supply chain. Similarly, financial controls are a crucial part of business management but relate more to the internal processes of a company rather than the external network of organizations that comprise the supply chain. Thus, the correct answer captures the broader scope of partnerships and operations essential to the functioning of a supply chain.