- The global supply chain is more than direct ownership of production and distribution. It is also a network of relationships with both internal and external partners. It requires establishing relationships with organisations operating under completely different political, economic, and physical environments.
Based on the above statement, you are asked to choose a multinational enterprise, which has become over the years the cornerstone of the supply chain (e.g., Nike, IKEA, Samsung, Ford, Apple, P&G, Wal-Mart) and critically discuss: (i) how it manages to establish close coordination across the globe (including any offshoring decisions and location-specific advantages) , (ii) how internalises markets through transfer pricing mechanisms and discounted cash flows, (iii) what are the supply chain risks and associated mitigation strategy (iv) how advanced technology means (e.g., big data analytics or Internet of Things) help to maintain the competitive advantage.
