Category: Supply Chain Management

A discussion about lack of supply chain coordination and the bullwhip effect

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In SCM, a supply chain manager coordinates the logistics of all the aspects of the supply chain which consists of five parts: the plan or strategy, the source of raw materials and services, manufacturing, i.e., productivity and efficiency, delivery and logistics, the return system for defective and unwanted goods etc. The phenomenon that fluctuation in orders increases as one moves up the supply chain from retailers to wholesalers to manufacturers to suppliers is referred to the bullwhip effect. Managers can help achieve coordination in supply chain by aligning goals and incentives across different functions and stages of the supply chain. When supply chain moves from retailers to wholesalers to manufacturers to suppliers, the bullwhip effect occurs. It results in different stages optimizing local objectives instead of total supply chain profits. The bullwhip effect results in costs in the supply chain and decrease in levels of customer service.

Cold chain: A cutting-edge supply chain management and logistics perspective

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Existing amenities not enough to store, deliver large volume of vaccines within a short time, say experts The governments are considering banking on the existing cold chain for storing, transporting and distributing coronavirus vaccines while some professionals say the main challenge will be to manage such a large volume with the existing capacity. On November 5,2020 the Bangladesh government signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Serum Institute of India and Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd to get three crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Serum, keeping in mind the existing cold chain. In 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines being developed may need ultra-cold storage and transportation temperatures as cold as −70 °C (−94 °F), requiring what has been referred to as a “colder chain” infrastructure. Disruption of a cold chain due to war may produce consequences similar to the smallpox outbreaks in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War, during which the distributed vaccines were inert due to lack of temperature control in transport. There are no uniform global practices to follow, customs, legal, and compliance issues, effects on the environment, supplier-related risks, issues with cold chain delivery — packaging, hardware issues, vehicle breakdown, etc. Besides the usual elements of risk that plague normal supply chains, cold chain logistics has its own exclusive set of problems such as product sensitivity, the increasing cost of freight, and growing regulatory hurdles.
Keywords: Cold Chain, Supply chain management, Vaccines, food.

How Does Semiconductor Technology Impact the Supply Chain?

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The industry`s annual semiconductor sales revenue has since grown to over $481 billion, as of 2018. In 2021, the sales of semiconductors reached a record $555.9 billion, up 26.2 percent with sales in China reaching $192.5 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. To make the semiconductor supply chain sustainable, companies need to focus on environmental processes, social practices, and the economy. In order to generate a sustainable future, supply chains should work to improve the manufacturing process and quality, reduce the environmental impact, and protect labor rights. Take time to learn about semiconductor supply chains so you are informed of their impact on the technological industry. As strains between China and the US worsen over Taiwan, and countries across the world reassess connections with Russia following its war  In Ukraine, efforts to de-risk chip technologies are causing a realignment of supply chains according to geopolitical relations.

H & M Supply Chain management: A case study

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Hennes & Mauritz AB  is a Swedish multinational clothing-retail company known for its fast-fashion clothing for men, women, teenagers, and children. As of November 2019, H&M operates in 74 countries with over 5,000 stores under the various company brands, with 126,000 full-time equivalent positions. It is the second-largest global clothing retailer, behind Spain-based Inditex (parent company of Zara). Founded by Erling Persson and run by his son Stefan Persson and Helena Helmersson, the company makes its online shopping available in 33 countries.

Cycle View of a Supply Chain: A brief discussion about supply chain processes

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The processes in a Supply Chain are usually divided into a series of cycles, each performed in the interface between two interrelated successive stages of a Supply Chain. Sub-processes in each Supply Chain Process Cycle I.e., each cycle comprises six sub-processes, supplier stage markets a product, buyer stage places order, supplier stage receives order, supplier stage supplies order, buyer stage receives supply, buyer returns reverse flows to a supplier or the third party.

Tesla’s supply chain and logistics: A case study

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The company was incorporated as Tesla Motors, Inc. on July 1, 2003, by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Eberhard verbalized he wanted to build a car manufacturer that is additionally a technology company, with its core technologies as the battery, the computer software, and the proprietary motor. Tesla Motors has become kenned for engendering well-designed and innovative electric conveyances. To assemble its cars, Tesla sources components from a range of Tesla suppliers. Some suppliers provide mundane car components; others provide electric conveyance components.

Supply chain: how to define the term and the process in general

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The design decisions determine the supply chain configuration and set constraints within which other supply chain drivers can be used either to decrease supply chain cost or to increase responsiveness. Mapping your supply chain denotes accumulating information about your suppliers, their own suppliers, and the people who work in your supply chain to engender an ecumenical map of your supply network.  Supply-chain-management software (SCMS) is the software tools or modules used in executing supply chain transactions, managing supplier relationships and controlling associated business processes.