Supply Chain Management Essentials

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Questions and Answers

What was a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chains?

Shortages of parts dependent on manufacturing in China (correct)

Complete isolation of supply chains within national borders

Increased availability of domestic manufacturing jobs

Expansion of supply chains to several new countries

What does outsourcing primarily involve?

Eliminating all suppliers from the supply chain

Utilizing only local resources for production

Paying suppliers to perform certain business processes (correct)

Establishing factories only in domestic locations

What resulted from the movement of manufacturing from North America to countries like China and Mexico?

Shift of manufacturing away from all global markets

Reduction of operational jobs in international facilities

Increased employment in traditional roles domestically

Creation of new operational jobs in supply chain management (correct)

What led Maytag to enhance its global supply chain expertise?

Opening a new factory in Mexico and importing appliances Signup and view all the answers

Why are companies considering returning manufacturing to domestic markets?

Concerns over supply chain disruptions for essential goods Signup and view all the answers

What significant impact does the Kinaxis RapidResponse system have on supply chains?

It can cut lead times by 50%. Signup and view all the answers

How did the Port of Vancouver manage to improve its container 'dwell time'?

By developing a more competitive supply chain strategy. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the nature of global supply chains?

They often involve professionals from different countries collaborating. Signup and view all the answers

What type of disruptions can severely affect supply chains?

Natural disasters and part shortages. Signup and view all the answers

What was one major consequence of supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Shortages of food and cleaning products. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the company providing cardboard boxes play in a supply chain?

It serves as a crucial link between manufacturers and retailers. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key functionalities of the Kinaxis RapidResponse system?

It assists users in analyzing supplier data. Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does the COVID-19 pandemic present in the supply chain for a manufacturer of hand sanitizer?

Closure of cardboard box suppliers. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Kinaxis RapidResponse System

Kinaxis developed RapidResponse, a cloud-based software system helping companies manage supply chains.
The software allows users to examine supplier data, identify bottlenecks, and quickly answer questions about supply chain capacity.
RapidResponse can reduce lead times by 50% and rush orders by 83%.

Supply Chain Management in Services

Supply chain management is important for services, such as the Port of Vancouver.
The Port of Vancouver reduced container dwell time by improving their supply chain strategy, reducing time from 3.7 days to 2.5 days.
This improvement led to better relationships with transportation companies.

Global Supply Chains

Global supply chains are increasingly common.
Examples include architects from Malaysia sketching office towers in London, architects from the Philippines providing detailed renderings, and engineers from China assessing building structure.

Supply Chain Disruptions

Supply chains can be disrupted by natural disasters, shortages of parts, and pandemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in many supply chains, particularly for essential goods like hand sanitizer.
A disruption in one part of a supply chain can affect the entire chain.

Outsourcing and Global Supply Chains

Outsourcing is the strategy of paying suppliers and distributors to perform certain business processes or provide materials or services.
Outsourcing expands supply chains.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, outsourcing magnified supply chain problems when factories in China (initially affected by the virus) were forced to close.
Reduced domestic employment resulted from moving manufacturing and service operations overseas (to countries like China, Mexico, and India). This caused a shift in the type of jobs available.

Returning Manufacturing

Companies and governments considered returning certain essential manufacturing (like pharmaceuticals and PPE) to domestic markets after significant global supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maytag, for example, adopted new supply chain evaluation strategies to identify suitable outsourcing partners.

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Description

Explore the key concepts of supply chain management including tools like Kinaxis RapidResponse, services strategy, global supply chains, and disruptions. This quiz highlights important strategies to optimize supply chain operations and enhances understanding of the involved technologies and practices.