Discussion
• There has been a sea change regarding the challenges and therefore the required elements of a company's material control system. This has caused the firm to evolve from having a purchasing agent, typically reporting to the chief financial officer (CFO), to a more professional purchasing manager trained in high level negotiating skills, to a materials director, conversant in how all the elements of a supply chain fit together, to a global sourcing manager, and now a global supply chain director.
o Has globalization been a factor in this evolution, or are other factors at play? Why or why not?
o What added elements are now required of a material control system as a result?
• What would be the impact on large retailers in a country if a dock strike occurred for inbound shipping containers; what could they do to mitigate this risk? How does this differ from the impact of a dock strike if globalization had not been so popular?