Global Manufacturing Company Supply Chain Analysis

Upstream and Downstream Network Structures and Transportation Management

Select a global manufacturing company in a sector of your choice and conduct appropriate research in order to answer the following questions:

1(a). Identify the company’s upstream and downstream network structures with appropriate illustrations and explanation.

(b). Considering the performance objectives and supply chain dimensions, describe how the company manages transportation in both inbound and outbound networks.

2(a). With appropriate reference to some evidence, investigate how the global manufacturer attempts to add value to their network operations and product, and simultaneously optimises costs through effective supply chain operations. In this connection, you may consider waste reduction techniques and glocalisation, etc.

(b). Analyse how the company’s marketing channel network can be improved through the use of appropriate technologies for communicating and sharing information with the rest of the network.

3(a). Consider innovation-led lean approaches in the global company’s inbound and outbound networks. In light of this investigate and consider if it is feasible to align “circular economy” and “Industry 4.0” to the company’s current supply chain dimensions in their inbound and outbound networks.

(b). Recommend a set of actions to be taken by the global manufacturer if they wish to embed “sustainability” in their supply chain network.

Your answers should be presented in an appropriately structured written report of up to 4,000 words (max.) that answers the three questions in detail, and a PowerPoint presentation of up to 15 mins. (max.), which presents your key findings regarding:

(a). the company’s supply chain structure, strategy and transportation management,

(b).the company’s strategy to trade-off between its value co-creation activities and costs, and use of appropriate technologies, and

(c). the company’s innovation-led lean approaches in their inbound and outbound networks, and your recommendations considering sustainability in their supply chain network.

The written report accounts for 80% of the marks and the presentation accounts for 20% of the marks.

1. Your research should include a combination of on-line resources, industry reports and academic journal articles. Take care to cite your reference sources appropriately (using the Harvard referencing style) and include a list of all reference at the end of the report. Reference to Wiki / Wikipedia are not accepted. Please refer to the extract (provided below) from the Student Handbook and Student Performance Accelerator for more general guidance and information about referencing, citations and penalties for exceeding the word limit.

2. Your written report should include explicit links between theory and practice, using appropriate examples where possible.

3. A detailed marking scheme, based on the Senate scale, is available on Blackboard.

4. Your PowerPoint presentation should include no more than 8 slides

·Presentation outline – 1 slide

·Supply chain structure, strategy and transportation management – 2 slides

·Value co-creation and use of technology – 2 slides

·Innovation-led lean approaches and recommendations on sustainability – 1 slide

·Personal reflections (what did you learn, the limitations of your research, what could you have done better) – 1 slide

5. This is an individual coursework and it must be exclusively your own work.

6. Please preserve anonymity of your written report by using your university number and not your name.