Supply Chain Management

Assignment 1: Discussion—Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver

A successful supply chain strategy includes good design and implementation. However, supply chain strategy is not considered truly successful until there is a measurable contribution to the bottom line. To be successful, managers must plan, forecast, and execute the operational plan as well as face and overcome the organizational, partner-based, and personnel-based factors that can diminish value. Effective supply chain management continues to grow in importance as a competitive differentiator for most companies. However, most companies fail to realize a competitive advantage or value for the customer.

Using the module readings, Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, research supply chain management. As you examine the readings in this module, consider how change affects all stakeholders in the supply chain and apply those reflections to the following questions:

• What do you consider are some of the problems that affect supply chain management success?
• Using at least two current examples, discuss effective supply chain strategies that were used by a company to positively impact organizational effectiveness and yield desirable results.

Write your initial response in approximately 300–500 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Saturday, August 9, 2014, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, August 13, 2014, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Do the following when responding to your peers:

• Read all your peers’ postings.
• Comment on the following points:
• What is happening with the human factors that inhibit supply chain optimization?
• What are the incentive schemes that would alleviate these barriers to success?
• How does competition for capacity impact value capture?