Re-designing Supply Chains

Module: Supply Network Design and Global Logistics

Assignment Task: Individual Written Piece – Re-designing supply chains

Introduction

For decades, businesses hardly made any major adjustments to their initial supply chain networks as there were no dramatic changes in demand patterns and competition. The coronavirus pandemic however changed this mindset as businesses realised that their existing supply chains were not robust and resilient. There is a general acceptance that many businesses require a significant transformation of their supply chains.

Scenario

You, as a senior supply chain manager in a well-established business*, have been asked to review the existing supply chain network and produce a proposal to restructure it as the business stumbled on many fronts during the pandemic. As your proposal to be shared with the senior managers, you have been asked to include a set of specific topics in your report.

* You can choose a business in any business sector which deals with tangible products for example, retail, food and beverages, and manufacturing etc.

Task (3000 words)

Produce your proposal under the following heading.

Introduction – this should include pre-pandemic challenges in the chosen business sector and specific challenges caused by the pandemic.

Review – your suggested approach to reviewing the current supply chain.

Strategies – this section should outline specific supply chain strategies which could be considered to restructure the supply chain.

Case examples– Two case examples, ideally from the same business sector if not from any other sector, where the proposed strategies have been successfully implemented to re-design a supply chain. Given that these two examples are expected to support your choice of strategies, this section should be around 50% of the overall length of the report.

Conclusions – a brief section to highlight major findings.

Module Learning Outcomes and Grading Descriptors Guidance
Addressing Module Learning Outcomes 2 & 4

This assignment tests whether you have achieved the learning outcomes of the module:

LO2 – Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of supply chain network design to logistics and supply chain management, its relationship to other business functions and overall business performance

LO4 – Present and communicate ideas on supply chain network design, synthesising and evaluating unstructured and complex supply chain network design problems

Grading Description Guidance

Weighing

Introduction – recognition of relevant pre/post pandemic challenges (10%)

Review – a clearly outlined approach that can be used to review the existing supply chain (10%)

Strategies – a robust discussion on the relevant supply chain strategies (20%)

Case example – two rich examples which illustrate the successful implementation of the chosen strategies (50%)

Presentation & References – Quality of presentation and use of references to develop the proposal (10%)

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