- “Supply Chains are only of any interest to customers when they go wrong. Therefore, Supply Chain Resilience is considered as a very important factor in modern Supply Chains”
The above statement is shown to be true in numerous occasions in the past. Examples include the “Horsemeat Scandal” in processed meat products, “100’s of garment workers crushed to death” in an arguably avoidable factory collapse in Bangladesh, or other “Supply Chain Scandals” in Asia that have affected McDonald’s, Burger King and Starbucks. These scandals (specifically in branded products) have caused significant reputational and financial damage (as well as loss of human life) to different types of industries.
By taking as an example a Supply Chain that you are familiar with, identify and discuss in detail ONE ONLY important obstacle (such as Demand Forecasting, Inventory Management, Bullwhip Effect, Traceability etc.) that must be overcome to manage that Supply Chain successfully (100% of the assignment grade).
Typical examples of Supply Chains may include: production of fresh milk, automobile manufacturing, outpatient appointments or accident and emergency departments in public hospitals, banking services, supermarkets, the garment industry, pharmaceutical products, food supply chains etc.
Some of the data for this assignment may be ‘live’; for instance the horsemeat scandal was reported extensively in the newspapers, on the media and other company accounts. You should use these sources for information on what may go wrong within your chosen Supply Chain. Material for most Supply Chains is easily available and is included in books and articles. Theory of supply chain strategies, relationships and response to breakdown is to be found in textbooks and peer review journal articles.
