Question

1. Define Omni - Channel Distribution and state how it is impacting the job of Supply Chain Managers today.

2. Describe how Supply Chain Management (SCM) contributes to the achievement of Company Objectives. Be sure to include financial metrics that SCM impacts.

3. Map out a typical career path in Supply Chain Management for a new college graduate, starting from an entry level position, then progressing to be a Chief Operations Officer (COO) over a number of years. This should be a career path that allows you to gain both depth and breadth of experience. Also include any additional Education or Certifications that you will need to obtain.

4. Define "Near Shoring", and research whether this trend is having a significant impact on outsourcing to low cost countries.

5. Explain the role of technology in Supply Chain Management, and give a detailed explanation of the top three technologies that are transforming Supply Chain Management today.

Answer 1

1: Omni channel distribution uses multiple channels for distribution of their products. They use brick and mortar kind of physical stores, online e commerce model, mobile shopping ,direct selling through selected outlets or direct to customers via sales agents.The Omni channel distribution models creates new job opportunity for their delivery staffs (runners). Through emerging models like e-commerce where volumes of sales ordered by customers are more where with distribution centers they required more staffs on managing goods, delivering on time , sysyem experts for generating reports etc.

2:SCM helps in reducing cost involved in procurement of raw materials, storage and distribution of goods.Supply chain management also helps in taking important decision on make or buy which determines companies major strategy on their business processing. Some of the other areas where SCM provides important metrics are reducing overall inventory cost, enhancement of service level to their customers by proper network of distribution and closing right strategies on delivery accuracies, reducing overhead cost, right contractors(freight forwarding agents, preferred carriers and right mode for distribution), reducing transportation cost involved.

3: After graduation in operations management the person can start his career as a supply chain executive in areas of warehousing or distribution, or as a Junior planner for procurement of goods, junior distribution planner etc. From there through experience and cross functional knowledge the person can move to next ladder with in organisation like analyst in distribution planning or senior procurement executive. Some of the certification courses like modules if SAP in SCM, APICS certification in supply chain procurement and CPIM can provide more opportunities for growth such as moving to mid level manager role and senior executives in supplychain analysis. The cross industrial experiences can help in moving to the supplychain strategy roles like network designing, supplychain cost analysing etc. Senior supplychain managers can become chief operating officers in future.P project management cerificates can help in gaining knowledge on supplychain consulting and supplychain initiative projects.

4:Nearshoring is a trend in supplychain to source the raw materials or finished good from nearby locations.There by reducing the cost involved in movement and storage of goods to a great extent

By using this strategies companies started settingup manufacturing centers nearby their maximum demand points. This reduces the trend in outsourcing the production to low cost countries especially for fast moving goods and apparels. The trade-off between meeting service levels and cost of production plays important role in taking decision for Nearshoring strategies. Nearshoring reduces cost of transportations, reducing material storage cost and also enhances service level through minimising waiting time.