The CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly just published their first issue for 2010. One of the articles deals with the rising interest in reducing working capital using the example of Kraft Foods.
As well as other companies Kraft already had prior cash flow initiatives, where they analyzed their WC positions: payables, receivables, inventory, and capital expenditures.
Today I want to have a look at “Design and operation of distribution centres within agile Supply Chains” by Peter Baker (2008; Cranfield University).
The main part of the article describes the results of a survey conducted with nine business units to assess challenges and measures for supply chain agility.
Agility
is defined as “management concept centered around responsiveness to dynamic and turbulent markets and customer demand”. But it also involves exploiting these changing markets to take advantage from it.
Submitted by Daniel Dumke on Sun, 2010-03-14 14:22
The ANZAM Operation Management Symposium will be held in Sydney June, 6-8th 2010.Topic this year is “Managing in Challenging Times“. The focus is going to be on issues when managing supply chains under uncertainty.
Abstract submissions are due on April, 30th.
Early bird registration (until May, 17th) is 400 AUD, after that date 450. Student registration is 100 AUD less.
Jiang et al. (2009) wrote about job dissatisfaction of workers at suppliers in developing countries.
Goal & Methodology
The goal of the study was to analyze risk in a global supply chain, especially originating from labor dissatisfaction and turnover. The results were obtained using a survey of workers in the Chinese Pearl River Delta region. The methodology is presented precisely and comprehensively.
The article “Aligning Supply Chain Strategies with Product Uncertainties” by Hau L. Lee is a good starting point for SCRM, since it combines a simple, business ready framework for two major supply chain risks.Furthermore it includes many examples to reinforce the theoretical framework.
