Case Study : Supply Chain Management

Recognized as one of the leading computer manufacturers, Dell uses an astonishing supply chain through pull-to-order procurement and just-in-time inventory management. Their strategy is highly efficient and drives costs to a minimum while allowing for minimal lead times and production times of under 4 hours for each order as their suppliers maintain levels of inventory based on forecasts within Dell warehouses near Dell assembly

The supply chain management is considered as a management concept from past two decades as the customers are concerned about timely and safe delivery. The competitiveness has been increasing among the companies to deliver the products as quickly as possible to the customers all around the world. This has made the supply chain management as a vital tool for the management. This is also measured as a competitive parameter for the companies.

Reorders are placed at the time of review (T), and the safety stock that must be reordered is:

Supply chains must be managed to coordinate the inputs with the outputs in a firm to achieve the appropriate competitive priorities of the firm’s enterprise processes. The Internet offers firms an alternative to traditional methods for managing supply chains. A supply chain strategy is essential

In order for IKEA to achieve design and sustainability objectives, they follow and balance four dimensions of design. The four different dimensions followed are form, function, quality, sustainability, and low price (Rafiq Elmansy, 2014). IKEA has already made changes by using cotton and water from sources that can be renewed. IKEA did this while posting strong sales figures. In 2014, its sales increased 5.9 percent from 2013 to $32.1 billion (Pantsios, 2015).

India 's gems and jewellery industry had a market size of Rs 251,000 crore (US$ 40.58 billion) in 2013, and is expected to reach Rs 500,000-530,000 crore (US$ 81.61-86.51 billion) by 2018, according to the FICCI-AT Kearney study 'All that glitters is Gold: India Jewellery Review 2013 '.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) aims at integrating all corporate activities to improve relationships at all levels (internal operations, supplier networks, and distribution channel) to meet the competitive edge and satisfy the customer. In order to build an effective and complete business process that supports SCM, information among all business partners need to be shared. Information sharing through the Internet reduces the gap for business-to-business (B2B) commerce by enabling seamless integration with enterprise processes among partner corporations.

Effective supply chain management can provide an important competitive advantage for a business marketer, resulting in improved communication and involvement among members of the chain, increased motivation, and decreased costs. Tracking the movement of and demand for components used to manufacture a product across a variety of potential and actual suppliers, provides insight and the ability to respond instantly to shortages, surpluses, and changes in market conditions. It seeks to optimize production, decrease manufacturing time, minimize inventory, streamline order fulfillment, and reduce cost.

Target works on trying to find environmentally friendly ways get the product to the customers. They work on reducing their carbon footprint by working with experts on ways to improve their packaging and transportation. (Target Corporate 2016.) They also try to get their manufactures to use sustainable apparel and footwear products. They encourage their customers to follow manufactures suggestion by washing apparel in cold water to help reduce the usage of water and energy consumption. (Target Corporate 2016.) Targets products come from all over the world.

Tehindo consists of various key players in their supply chain configuration, which helps with the smooth and efficient flow of products and information throughout the company. Some of these key players in key positions include the various factories across Indonesia, the distribution facilities such as the wholesalers and retails and raw material suppliers of tea leaves in which are at 3 plantations across Indonesia.

This is a case that illustrates several facets at once: Globalization & Rapid Expansion, Supply Chain Management, ERP Implementation, and IT Infrastructure. This case takes place in 1997.

While researching on line I came across an article that described the affect that the Internet is having on supply chains today. “E-enabled supply chain management is fast emerging as a core strategy that organizations worldwide are adopting for sustainable business advantage”. (4)

The globalization has led to much reliance on the automation and the latest technology in the organizations. No organization can survive today without a pool of latest technology and resources. The oil and gas industry is a key player in the global market. All other companies are somewhere dependent on the oil and gas industry (Lakkad, 2009). Therefore, it is very critical

Supply chain management (SCM) is a core part of organizational effectiveness in order to achieve goals characterizes efficiency. Globalization and international agreement led Toyota to develop it is SCM process to increase outsourcing supply raw materials from foreign market that are low cost and high quality.

Over the years, the competition landscape for most companies has shifted from the highest-quality, lowest priced product or best performing product to the ability to respond to market needs quickly and get the right product at the right time to the right customer. This has in turn forced organizations to compete with their supply chain. Understanding supply chain management and putting this knowledge into practice has become a mandate to improve supply chain relationships in the entire world.