Introduction
Emerging and established companies such as Nike constantly seek a competitive edge to enhance their productive and profit margins as well as to distinguish their firm from the competition in the marketplace. From enhanced marketing and promotional initiatives to outsourcing of production, firms execute a variety of strategies and tactics to bolster their bottom-line. All of these approaches may well translated into better performance for the business. However, one of the more efficacious ways of distinguish is to enhance and refine their supply-chain logistical infrastructure. From partnering with superior vendors and suppliers to streamlining internal processes, addressing supply-chain issues have transformative potential
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These decisions should state clear, concise, and measurable goals that the company can reach and or exceed. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as many managers do not see the benefit of implementing a strategic plan into their supply-chain operational portions of planning. Some of the supply-chain processes are product development, inventory, costumer relations, vendors, and production, shipping and receiving that company must include in their strategic plan.
This paper shall discuss the opportunities that exist to improve supply-chain activities for Nike; how to better align logistics and the company’s strategic plan, to integrate the supply-chain; as well as how to continue to meet the labor rights issues the company continues to address within its supply chain. In order to improve the movement of goods; identify challenges in integration of suppliers and manufacturers in the logistics management; Nike must be willing to adjust their practices to current circumstances affecting supply-chain. Many processes exist on the market today that companies can adopt to increase their values, which affects the supply-chain management on organizational level; and financial implications by reviewing some of the best practices available on the market and improving their own supply-chain management.
Profile of Nike and its Supply Chain Nike currently is positioned as the largest athletic shoe and apparel firm in
Businesses especially those that operate in the same industry always try to emerge the best in the market by adopting different strategies so as to become more competitive. In the retail industry where goods move in volumes, proper management of the inventory can make a big difference by making a company to be more competitive as compared to the others. In most retail business, manipulation of the supply chain functions is one of the strategies that are used to give a retailer a competitive edge over its competitors. This research paper will compare how TJ Maxx and Ross manipulate their supply chain functions to gain a competitive edge over each other. Based on the available facts, the paper will make a determination on which of the companies
Supply management can be studied as both an instant field of practice and forming academic domain (Storey, Emberson, Godsell, & Harrison, 2006). It was eventually about influencing behavior in particular directions and in particular ways. The fundamental logics, drivers, enablers and barriers asset and exact close attention in supply management. Manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, and wholesalers are the members in supply chain. Supply chain management (SCM) is normally applying in integrated wholesaling and retail businesses (Wisner & Tan, 2000). SCM is comprehensiveness with logistics and physical distribution functions with reducing lead time of delivery. It is a comprehensive philosophy intent on management’s purpose to sustain or establish competitiveness in a quickly growing environment, through more able distribution, and purchasing activities (Cooper & Ellram, 1993; Giunipero &
Success for many organizations depends on the firm’s ability to balance product and process changes while exceeding customer expectations for improved cost delivery and quality. In lieu of these issues firms have started to implement principles of supply chain management. Supply chain management mainly involves managing the flow of incoming materials, manufacturing operations, and downstream distribution has to be in alignment that is responsive to change in customer demands eliminating a surplus of inventory.
The sportswear industry is dominated by Nike and Adidas, which together hold around eighty three percent of the industry’s market share in revenue (Biddnessetc). Since both have such a high demand of customers they have created multiple distribution centers in the United States and in other countries. To stay ahead of the other industries both companies concentrate on promoting and creating new and innovative products.
Supply chains manage the movement of products from the acquisition of raw materials through production and finally distribution to the end user. A properly designed supply chain can create many opportunities to drive down cost and increase revenue opportunities. In order to create a supply chain that is sustainable and flexible it is necessary to identify and align company goals and initiatives with the manufacturing and distribution of products.
Today’s world great organizations are emerging in inventing powerful resources for a competitive advantage. It is called supply chain management and it includes all integrated activates which introduce to market place and maintain customer satisfaction. This supply chain management drives from multi- disciplinary departments such as procuring, transportation, manufacturing products, customer services, distribution of product into integrated program. Successful management will be in coordination and integrated in all these activate in an unbroken chain process. It supports and interconnected to all the partners within the organization, where these partners are merchants, third party companies, transporters, third party companies and product providers.
Logistics is one of the main functions within a company, and the supply chain is a complex and sometime fragile global endeavor dependent on a network of independent, yet interconnected, moving parts. It requires professional management. Supply chain professionals order the product, build it, move it, ship it, distribute it, and drive the coordination processes with marketing, sales, engineering, manufacturing, finance, and information technology. In short, they make any business effort seem effortless.
The forces of Nike’s customer-supplier relationship is based on joint efforts of improved quality, mutually beneficial partnerships, reduced costs, and increased market share for both parties. According to Nike building customer-supplier relationship is one of the most important goals because it is the analysis of the value chain which is defined as the collection of all activities involved in designing, marketing, manufacturing, delivering and supporting Nike’s products. Having strong relationship with both parties helps Nike to predict and notice any problem at might rise in the supply chain; as a result Nike will be able to develop better solutions to avoid it (Wankel, 2009). The first tier supplier of Nike is located mainly in Taiwan and South Korea, which work closely with R&D personnel in Oreon making the most expensive footwear. Strategies have shown that Nike implements include the vertical integration strategy. In general, the vertical integration strategy allows a firm to gain control over distributors, suppliers and competitors (Nike report, 2015). Nike has implemented forward integration by having its own retail locations throughout the United States, foreign countries & online stores. Every partner has a hugely significant
Nike uses vertical integration strategy which is a form of a relationship oriented approach in coming up with effective and efficient ways of managing its supply chain. This is achieved through forming alliances and relationships rather than using pricing strategy with an aim of purchasing stuff as cheap as possible (Frisch, 2008). The company has managed to maintain its relationship with contract manufacturers for its foot-ware by having different types of suppliers. The strategy is used in pricing its commodities where they have participants at different channel levels so that they could control costs and influence practices of pricing. For example, there are tier 1 suppliers and tier 2 suppliers where the former are firms with a stronger relationship with Nike who act as more of a strategic
Since its creation, Nike has proven itself as a popular brand and it has created niches by selling products such as footwear, apparels and various types of sports equipment. This paper will attempt to trace the product development of Nike shoes from its origins in conception and design to the manufacturing and production process located in contract factories in developing countries to advertising and marketing of Nike as a cultural commodity and finally, the retailing of the footwear around the world.
The first tier supplier of Nike is Located mainly in Taiwan and South Korea, which work closely with R&D personnel in Oreon making the most expensive footwear. Corporate level strategies that Nike implements include the vertical integration strategy. In general, the vertical integration strategy allows a firm to gain control over distributors, suppliers and competitors (Nike report, 2015). Nike has implemented forward integration by having its own retail locations throughout the United States, foreign countries & online stores.Every partner has a hugely significant role to play in the relationship because any partner/member pulling out would normally mean that the supply chain wouldn’t be completed. Nike takes all its partners seriously and tries most of the time to make sure that all the firms are in a close working relationship. While backwards integration is a strategy that seeks control or ownership over a firm’s suppliers,but this is not implemented by Nike currently. Horizontal integration refers to a strategy of seeking ownership of or increased control over a firm’s competitors. Nike’s portfolio of wholly owned subsidiaries (Cole Haan, Jordan Brand, Nike Golf...) is evidence that Nike engages in horizontal integration strategies since they are the ones that make the company remain competitive in the market. Nike’s level of inventory is 4,337
Every year, about 900 million pieces of Nike footwear, apparel and equipment arrive at the right destination on time. The complex process involves more than 50 distribution centers, a network of thousands of accounts, and more than 100,000 retail stores around the world.
After sluggish focus and growth in the 1980ies, Nike experienced strong growth in the 1990ies and cemented the position as global recognizable brand. The increased international focus created strains on the supply chain, which was consider inadequate to cater efficiently to the organization and the rapid changes consumer demands . As a consequence of the afore mentioned supply chain problem Nike faced inefficient inventory management, problems in flow of goods and poor demand
Nike is a multinational corporation that specializes in developing designs, manufacturing and distribution of accessories, footwear and sport apparels. With its headquarters in Oregon, the company has invested in the business to become among the leading suppliers of shoes for athletes. Additionally, diversification in the production of sports apparel has made it to be one of the leading supplier sport equipment in the world. Accordingly, the company recorded an estimated US $ 24 billion in 2012 and it had more than 40, 000 employees in the same year. Currently, the business employs over 70, 000 in its scope of business and the number continues to increase with significant growth over the years. Since its inception in 1964, the company has made significant strides in the production of Nike brand, which is among the leading products in its portfolio (Droms and Jay, 3). Ideally, the company is lucrative in that it has competitive advantage in distinct markets, distributes its products through various chains in various regions and ventures into different businesses. Additionally, the company has prospects in