Research report structure
Research report structure
It is suggested you use the following structure for your report:
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background (conceptual information, definitions, characteristics and examples)
Information on the importance of the chosen topic
How this topic interacts and facilitates the supply chain
Discussion on the latest trends in the chosen topic
Discussions on implications and future directions
Conclusion and Recommendations
References
Appendices: This section is optional. Only include relevant appendices (e.g. documents brochures, charts, tables, diagrams etc.
Supply Chain Management
Table of Contents
TOC o "1-3" h z u Executive Summary-Synopsis PAGEREF _Toc148977166 h 11 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc148977167 h 22 Research: Key Functions and Practices of Global Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc148977168 h 32.1 Global Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc148977169 h 32.2 Integration between Companies and Suppliers PAGEREF _Toc148977170 h 42.3 Effective Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc148977171 h 42.4 Outsourcing Supply Chain Activities PAGEREF _Toc148977172 h 42.5 Human Resources Managements effect on Global SCM PAGEREF _Toc148977173 h 53 Results PAGEREF _Toc148977174 h 63.1 Step-by-step selection process for the selection of Global Supply Chain Managers PAGEREF _Toc148977175 h 63.2 The Selection Process in Global Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc148977176 h 63.3 Barriers to Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc148977177 h 74 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc148977178 h 75 Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc148977179 h 8References PAGEREF _Toc148977180 h 9
Executive Summary-SynopsisPurpose The purpose of this report is to describe and explain the key functions and practices associated with Supply Chain Management and The Effect of Globalization on Supply Chain. This report will also explain the current challenges faced by organisations running operations globally, and analyse why effective Supply Chain Management operation is difficult globally.
Scope While the report will discuss and describe the key functions and practices associated with Supply Chain Management and The Effect of Globalization on Supply Chain. This report will also explain the current challenges faced by organisations running operations globally, and analyse why effective Supply Chain Management operation is difficult globally.
Methodology This report reviews the published journals and literature on the effective Supply Chain Management. Literature reviewed has been published approximately within the last decades, in order to indicate current challenges faced in the organisations in relation to Supply Chain Management.
Findings - Vertical (management-labour) and horizontal (employee-employee) relations, which fall in the domain of industrial relations (IR) and human resource management (HRM), are as important today as they were a century ago when the advent of large industry engendered job insecurity and riots of American workers. The report finds that there is increased value if these challenges are overcome and addressed for productivity and competitive edge in improving Supply Chain Management, both nationally and globally.
Recommendations - From the challenges identified in our literature review and the discussion of these issues we are able to make a clear assessment of Supply Chain Management locally and globally, and the strategies required improving process. A growing number of companies have realized that effective SCM is only one side of the coin. The other side is to make SCM environmentally friendly. This has catapulted SCM to a new height that promises to give manufacturers a competitive edge over their rivals.
1 IntroductionResearch in supply chain management (SCM) is approached from different disciplines: logistics, purchasing, transportation, operations management, marketing and R&D. Issues related to the physical movement of goods (tangible products) and the related information flow and business processes seem to dominate the empirical foundation of new knowledge within the discipline. (Ellram et al., 2004)
The purpose of this report is to describe and explain the key functions and practices associated with Supply Chain Management and The Effect of Globalization on Supply Chain. This report will also explain the current challenges faced by organisations running operations globally, and analyse why effective Supply Chain Management operation is difficult globally.
The tide of globalization has prompted manufacturing firms to come to terms with environmental legislation and regulations, resulting in the manufacturing industry realizing the importance of adopting environmentally friendly supply chain management (SCM) practices.
A growing number of companies have realized that effective SCM is only one side of the coin. The other side is to make SCM environmentally friendly. This has catapulted SCM to a new height that promises to give manufacturers a competitive edge over their rivals. (Govindan & Cheng 2011)
2 Research: Key Functions and Practices of Global Supply Chain Management Supply Chain ManagementSupply chain management, by definition, encompasses all activities associated with moving goods, from the raw materials stage through to the end user. It includes sourcing and procurement, production scheduling, order processing, inventory management, transportation, warehousing, and customer service. Importantly, it encompasses the information systems used to monitor these activities. The tools of supply chain management are:
JIT manufacturing
quick response
efficient consumer response
electronic commerce, which includes EDIvendor-managed inventory
the Internet
Due to the limited words in this report, this report will not describe each of the above bulletins. The above points are self-explanatory. (Palevich, 1999)
In the information age the reality of business connectivity continues to drive a new order of relationships called supply chain management. Managers are increasingly improving traditional marketing, manufacturing, purchasing and logistics practices. Supply Chain Management consists of firms collaborating to leverage positioning and to improve operating efficiency. (Bowersox et al., 2010)
2.1 Global Supply Chain ManagementGlobalisation offers many opportunities and challenges for logistics and supply chain operations and strategies. The opportunities include increasing markets and a wider range of manufacturing alternatives with varying absolute and comparative human and material resource advantages. (Bowersox et al., 2010)
Global and modern supply chains face various challenges caused by uncertainty. On one hand, customers are more demanding than ever on service and product qualities. On the other hand, in light of highly volatile demands, many supply chain decisions involve a high degree of risk and channel members will suffer if the supply chain is not sufficiently robust. (Wallace & Choi, 2011)
2.2 Integration between Companies and SuppliersCompanies involve their suppliers in jointly pursuing environmental initiatives and agendas. This is done by screening suppliers for environmental performance, working collaboratively with them on green design initiatives, and providing training and information to build suppliers environmental management capacity. (Govindan & Cheng 2011)
2.3 Effective Supply Chain ManagementEffective Supply Chain Management recognizes the crucial role to be played by the purchasing function and its involvement in activities that include reduction, recycling, reuse, and substitution of materials. Working with suppliers on environmental issues not only generates significant environmental benefits, but also provides opportunities for cost containment, improved risk management, and enhanced quality and brand image.
2.4 Outsourcing Supply Chain ActivitiesMore and more companies have begun to out-source non-core activities to the cheapest locations and focus only on their core operations resulting in increasing globalization of supply chains. Globalization also leads to the customer order fulfilment process being no longer controlled by a single, integrated organization, but by a number of decentralized and independent firms collaborating together.
The profitability of any chain is very much dependent on the successful alignment of its decisions/strategies to the specific customer requirements it is set up to serve. In a world concerned more and more with the optimal use of the scarce resources, supply chains need to re-align themselves to adjust to this trend. In addition, firms have thrived so far by providing the optimal service level at the lowest price, paying little attention to how supply chain decisions and actions affect other aspects of human life, such as the environment and sustainability of natural resources. (Piplani et al., 2008)
2.5 Human Resources Managements effect on Global SCMThe ability of organizations to effectively compete in the global marketplace is contingent on identifying and selecting an adequate number of qualified global managers. Nowhere is the shortage of managerial talent more evident than in the management of global supply chains. The complex and vexing set of problems facing global supply chain managers makes the task of selecting an adequate supply of managers much more daunting. (Harvey and Richey, 2001)
Given the historic perspective of manning supply chain positions (i.e., managers with a operation and functional orientation), human resource managers are modifying and updating the profile of the global supply chain manager's position to encompass political, cultural/social, network, and an awareness of the significant differences to be found in global markets.
In an effort to develop a criteria for the selection of global supply chain managers, a competency-based theoretical perspective is used and eight intelligences are examined that can be used in the selection of global supply chain managers. (Harvey and Richey, 2001)
3 Results
3.1 Step-by-step selection process for the selection of Global Supply Chain ManagersAny figure/table needs to be defined/indicated before it is inserted in the text. Details can be provided before or after the figure/table.
Fig. 1. Step-by-step selection process for the selection of global supply chain managers. [Harvey et al., 1999]3.2 The Selection Process in Global Supply Chain ManagementThe goals of the selection process have to be well articulated to insure an adequate number of global supply chain managers are selected to meet the requirements of the global opportunities and that the selection process can be accomplished in a timely manner. The absence of succession plans in most multinational organizations frequently creates a sense of selection panic when filling replacement or new global supply chain manager positions (Oddou and Mendenhall, 1991).
The lack of adequate planning for the replacement of overseas managers creates time sensitivity that can reduce the rigor and thoroughness of the selection process. The remaining aspect of this stage in the selection process is to determine who will be involved in the actual selection decision.
The composition of the selection team becomes important due to the context into which these global supply chain managers will be expected to perform their duties. Selection team members would ideally have global experience themselves to help insure adequate attention to the critical attributes needed by new global supply chain candidates to be successful in their overseas assignments (Black and Gregersen, 1999)
3.3 Barriers to Supply Chain ManagementTo enhance a firms global capabilities, logistics management must consider five major differences between domestic and international operations. These include: performance cycle structure, Transportation, operational considerations, information system integration, and alliances. These considerations must then be incorporated into the firms global operating strategy. Due to the limited capacity of the report, this report will not elaborate on each topic and they are self-explanatory. (Bowersox et al., 2010)
4 ConclusionThis report gives us a clear understanding of the key functions and practices associated with Supply Chain Management and The Effect of Globalization on Supply Chain. This report also explains the current challenges faced by organisations running operations globally, and analyse why effective Supply Chain Management operation is difficult globally. The literature review has enabled us to determine there are apparent complexities and challenges to Global SCM, and that the challenges faced contribute to one another. We have also determined that by addressing such challenges there is improved return on investment.
5 RecommendationsFrom the challenges identified in our literature review and the discussion of these issues we are able to make a clear assessment of Supply Chain Management locally and globally, and the strategies required improving process. A growing number of companies have realized that effective SCM is only one side of the coin. The other side is to make SCM environmentally friendly. This has catapulted SCM to a new height that promises to give manufacturers a competitive edge over their rivals.
The review and the discussion of these issues we are able to make a clear assessment of GSPM and the strategies required to improve process. We recommend improving and tackling the challenges in an organisation they should adopt the following:
Effective and Efficient sourcing and procurement, production scheduling, order processing, inventory management, transportation, warehousing, and customer service. Importantly, it encompasses the information systems used to monitor these activities. (Page 4)
Companies must involve their suppliers in jointly pursuing environmental initiatives and agendas. This is done by screening suppliers for environmental performance, working collaboratively with them on green design initiatives, and providing training and information to build suppliers environmental management capacity. (Page 5)
Effectively and efficiently out-sourcing non-core activities to the cheapest locations and focus only on their core operations resulting in increasing globalization of supply chains. (Page 6)
Effective selection process have to be well articulated to insure an adequate number of global supply chain managers are selected to meet the requirements of the global opportunities and that the selection process can be accomplished in a timely manner. (Page 7)
By employing these recommendation an organisation can advance and reduce challenges faced both internally and externally to remain profitable and competitive from the Supply Chain Perspective.
ReferencesBowersox, Donald J., Closs, David J., Cooper, M. Bixby; Supply Chain Logistic Management, 2010
Black and Gregersen, 1999, J.S. Black, J.S. Gregersen, The right way to manage expats, Harv. Bus. Res., 77 (1999), pp. 5263
Ellram, L.M., Tate, W.L. and Billington, C. (2004), "Understanding service supply chain management", The Journal of Supply Chain Management, Vol. 40 No. 4, pp. 17-32.
Govindan, Kannan and Cheng, T.C. Edwin Resources, Conservation & Recycling, ISSN 0921-3449, 2011, Volume 55, Issue 6, pp. 557 558
Harvey, Michael G and Richey, R.Glenn, Journal of International Management, ISSN 1075-4253, 2001, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp. 105 128
Harvey et al., 1999, M.G. Harvey, C. Speier, M.M. Novicevic, The role of inpatriates in a globalization strategy and challenges associated with the expatriation process, Hum. Retour. Plann., 22 (1999), pp. 3850
Piplani, Rajesh; Pujawan, Nyoman; Ray, Saibal, International Journal of Production Economics, ISSN 0925-5273, 2008, Volume 111, Issue 2, pp. 193 - 194
Oddou and Mendenhall, 1991, G. Oddou, M. Mendenhall, and Succession planning for the 21st century: how well are we grooming our future business leaders, Bus. Horiz. 34 (1991), pp. 210
Palevich, R F, Hospital materiel management quarterly, ISSN 0192-2262, 02/1999, Volume 20, Issue 3, p. 54
