Global Supply Chain Management for Competitive Advantage | Assignment 2

The course aims to develop the conceptual understanding and application of Global Supply Chain Management as a tool for competitive advantage in the 21st century. It provides an in depth look at Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management. The focus is to equip students with knowledge on Global Logistics systems, global supply chains and retail logistics up to a level of application and analysis.

This assignment covers the following units/modules/topics:

• Fundamentals of global supply chain management
• Logistics and supply chain management

The learning outcomes for this assignment: 

• Distinguish between Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Analyze and evaluate international procurement and outsourcing methods
• Define global supply chain management
• Explain how global supply chain management derives competitive advantage
• Measure and manage logistics performance across supply chains

Question

Globel Competitiveness

Business today is in a global environment. This environment forces companies, regardless of location or primary market base, to consider the rest of the world in their competitive strategy analysis. Firms cannot isolate themselves from or ignore external factors such as economic trends, competitive situations, or technology innovation in other countries, if some of their competitors are competing or are located in those countries. Companies are going truly global with Supply Chain Management (SCM).

A company can develop a product in the United States, manufacture in India and sell in Europe. Companies have changed the ways in which they manage their operations and logistics activities. Changes in trade, the spread and modernization of transport infrastructures and the intensification of competition have elevated the importance of flow management to new levels.

Assignment 02

This assignment covers the following units/modules/topics:

• Retail Logistics
• Globalization and international trade
• Risk and contingency planning

The learning outcomes for this assignment:

• Explain the significance of incoterms
• Discuss the difference in public and private procurement systems
• Discuss how corporate social responsibility influences procurement decisions
• Identify the reasons for failure in outsourcing companies
• Evaluate the effects of globalisation and international trade
• Evaluate and apply logistics performance strategies in retail logistics
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of centralisation in retail logistics
• Importance of emerging themes in managing supply chain risk
• Importance of emerging themes in managing supply chain risk
• Identify challenges in the interpretation of risk in supply chain vulnerabilities
• Identify trends in international trade in recent decades

Follow the link attached below, read the case study on Walmart and Critique the case study with a primary focus on the following:

a) Summarize of the case study focusing on the 3 critical segments (Procurement and Distribution, Logistics and Inventory Management) in [15 Marks]

b) Explain how Walmart applied the Tripple A approach in strategic supply chain  [15 Marks]

c) ‘RFID and CPFR helped in defining Walmart's competitive advantage’. Comment on this assertion with support from the case study. [10 Marks]                                      

d) Discuss the importance of cross docking in logistics management in line EDLP mantra of Walmart. [10 Marks]