Case Scenario:
Technology advancements have fueled the global economy and impacted the ways in which businesses design their supply chains. One cup of Starbucks coffee is comprised of materials from various countries and represents numerous supplier relationships. In the age of the global village, designing supply chains is similar to conducting a massive orchestra' achieving harmony requires strategy, planning, and impeccable execution. Think about an organization's supply chain with which you are familiar or have worked with in the past in order to discuss the following:
Question 1. Describe the organization's supply chain. List the key components and include the key stakeholders, vendors, technologies, and if applicable, modes of transportation that are involved.
Question 2 How might you redesign the company's supply chain for maximum effectiveness and harmony? Outline the key inputs and outputs of your supply chain and distinguish the suppliers that merit partnership status. Justify their status with specific reasons.
Question 3. Will your design involve only domestic logistics or will you need to consider global operations in your strategy? If applicable, how will the need for global operations affect your strategy and partner base?
Question 4. How would you gain buy-in for your design? Which company executives, divisions, departments, and/or co-workers would you approach to help implement your design?
Question 5. If you had to present your redesign to a group of key stakeholders, how would you organize your presentation and what techniques for presenting would you employ? What strategies would you implement to receive and address critical feedback?