SUMMARY
The objective is to identify the determinants of the effectiveness of the supply chain (SC) operation and its management (SCM), from the viewpoint of its members or chain leaders. We conducted a descriptive research with the use of a questionnaire applied in the companies located in the city of São Marcos/RS (state of Rio Grande do Sul). The sample comprised a total of 42 respondent companies from a population of 67 industrial companies, resulting in 63% rate of return. We conducted a qualitative step with the supply manager of the only large company in the sample, and we concluded that there is a conservative culture in the industrial hub of the city of São Marcos/RS, and lack of confidence is their biggest barrier. When it comes to SCM, this is the main determinant and it must be worked on from the start so as not to hamper the development of the relationship with the partners as well as the implementation and success of the SC strategy. The research is restricted to the industrial supply chains of the city of São Marcos/RS for presenting a more organized SC structure. The originality of this study lies in the leading role of the manager, member or leader of the supply chain in sharing their perceptions on defining, beneficial and opposing aspects of the supply chain management and its operation. Originality also resides in the consonance between the literature and the research findings. The managers who were interviewed revealed that having more knowledge about the theme is a prerequisite to assess the effectiveness of the actions and performance of the supply chain.