Synthesis Post

Hello, and welcome to our blog! If you are trying to learn about the field of supply chain, you are in the right place. On this blog, you will find a variety of posts that deal with supply chain. Here is an introduction about some of the material you will find while reading the various blog posts.

In companies that develop a service or product, there is a supply chain that is used to turn outsourced materials into their final product. There are many steps to developing a product out of raw materials, and in order to produce consistent merchandise effectively, someone needs to manage and regulate each step. A supply chain manager takes the role of making sure that the individual parts, as well as the overall supply chain, is working efficiently and cost effectively. Individuals of this position use various types of software to control inventory, orders, logistics, forecasting and planning, and had to be able to efficiently handle a flawed or deficient product.

Supply chain managers are largely influential contributors to the success of developed and spawning companies, especially today as we demand product shipments faster and faster. Any online company must deliver at the minimum fast, and reliable delivery of products just to remain competitive in the market. To put themselves ahead, companies such as Amazon have invested everything into their supply chains efficiency to enable options such as two-day delivery, and even one hour delivery in some places. Supply chain managers are the key to success in all future companies.

Supply chain is a prominent factor of a successful business and has many career opportunities for people in many different fields. Here at Michigan State University, supply chain is the number one program in the nation. The highly ranked status of the program makes it an even more competitive environment when trying to get involved in the program.

In order to get into the number one program, the are degree requirements to get into The Eli Broad College of Business. The first set of requirements can be found here.

Once business admitted status has been accomplished, one must take 3 credits each of ACC 201 and 202 of principles of financial accounting, 3 credits in business communications: oral and written skills, 3 credits in business analytics and information systems, 3 credits in financial management, and 3 credits in each of the following listed: managing human resources and organizational behavior, quantitative business research methods, managerial marketing, introduction to supply chain management, and business policy and strategic management.

Then once admitted to a major, there are courses required to graduate with that major. For supply chain a student needs 3 credits in each in procurement and supply chain management, manufacturing planning and control, and logistics and transportation management. One of the following courses of either supply chain application and policy (2 credits) or supply chain industry applications (3 credits).

Here is a document with the listed courses needed to get into supply chain.

Once you graduate with a degree in supply chain, there is a handful of things to know. One is that running a supply chain for a company can be very competitive. In order to be successful, you have to have a winning attitude and come to work ready to get things done. A great thing about working for a supply chain is that you will not be bored. Our world is constantly changing and so are consumers, which makes days as a supply chain worker very unexpected. Another important aspect is that it is all about building relationships with your coworkers and your customers. While working, communication is what is going to keep the supply chain running smoothly. When getting new customers, you have to gain their trust and be able to stay committed to making sure that they are happy. To see more important aspects of working in a supply chain go straight to one of our posts here. While you read through our blog, try to keep in mind that there can be confusion and misinterpretations about supply chain.

Ten years ago, not many people even knew what supply chain management was. Today supply chain is all the buzz in well paying, high demand fields. Even though supply chain is usually regarded in a good light, there are still occasionally some misrepresentations about this field. Often times when a company misses a shipment date, or even fails to ship a product all together, the supply chain team is blamed. When in reality, these hold ups are often the result of flawed manufacturing plans that were either impossible or unrealistic for a company to execute. You can read more about this here. Another misrepresentation in supply chain is that everyone assumes a supply chain manager only deals with shipping a product. While supply chain managers do focus much of their time on the shipment of a product. They also spend a considerable amount of time purchasing necessary materials, and overseeing design timelines.

If you have any questions about a particular post or about supply chain in general, feel free to leave a comment or contact one of us. Thank you, and enjoy our blog!

The Importance of a Strong Resume

Supply chain management is a high demand field right now. This means that businesses have a shortage of employees to fill positions in supply chain fields. While this may make it sound like it is relatively easy to get a job in supply chain, I can assure you that this field is very competitive.

There are three important things to have when you are applying for a job in any field. First, you should have a degree in whatever field that you are trying work in. Getting hired by a serious company is impossible if you aren't qualified. Next, having some charm and good interview skills are important. Leaving an impression on the interviewer is a great way to set yourself apart from competing candidates. Lastly, and what we are going to focus on today, having a strong resume is essential when attempting to get hired in a field that is as competitive as supply chain.

Let me put it this way, after you leave an interview the only thing that the hiring committee has left of you is your resume. When you leave a resume behind, you are leaving a snapshot into the kind of person you are. A strong resume is everything.

When speaking about supply chain specifically, it is important that you have a clean and concise resume. Bullet points that efficiently show interviewers what you have to offer their company. Nobody enjoys reading long and drawn out paragraphs, so a concise and efficient resume is the way to go. Additionally, having buzzwords for the supply chain field is essential. Employers are looking for potential employees to have backgrounds in things like 'logistics', 'analytics', 'planning', and 'management'. These buzzwords will help to catch the attention of the hiring committee and set you apart just that much more.

Now go out there and make some money.

-Devon Anderson

Controversy in Supply Chain (7)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/rana-plaza-collapse-murder-charges-garment-factory

In April of 2013 a major factory in Bangladesh called Rana Plaza collapsed. The building collapsing killed 1,134 and injured many more.

This accident stirred up a lot of research into this facility and the companies connected to it. Big corporations such as Walmart, Primark, and H & M have been linked to using this factory and factories nearby as part of their supply chain. The accident caught the attention of the media and accusations were made regarding the type of labor used.

With such criticism it has forced many of these companies to change their supply chain. Pope Francis declared the condition of the factories to be “slave labor.” This drastically has hurt the reputation of these corporations.

Accessing the situation many people say that the factory helped these companies supply chains to make them more efficient. Other’s believe that we need to be further accessing every stage of companies supply chains to be sure to avoid such bad global exposure and risk.

-Kenzie Miller

Polecat. “3 Real-World Supply Chain Disasters (and How to Avoid Them).” Polecat, 23 May 2017, www.polecat.com/blog/supply-chain-disasters/.

Apple's Secret

I recently heard that Apple is nearly a trillion dollar company. This did not surprise me that much, but I was still very impressed and wanted to figure out some of the reasons on how they got to where they are today. Because this is a blog about supply chain, I wanted to see if the way Apple runs their supply chain can be a reason why they are so successful. Turns out, their supply chain is one of the driving forces of the success of their company. I found an interesting article that describes why, which can be found here.

They begin the article by describing the process they had to go through to get the tiny green button to turn on your MacBook when your front camera is on. They quickly found out that it is not possible for them to shine a light through metal. Apple figured out that it could be made possible to have a laser cut a whole in the metal in order for the light to shine through, but this would be very expensive. They needed to buy bulk of these lasers to get the project started. Their operations team was able to buy the lasers in bulk form a company in the United States.

That is just one example of how Apple has been able to buy the best materials for their products and make their products one of a kind. They have managed to make connections with all kinds of supply chains and are able to get themselves discounts on parts, air freights, and manufacturing capacity. Most companies were using ships to send their products over seas and to receive raw materials, but Jobs wanted to do it differently. He spent his own money to get his products in planes and to other countries. This resulted in quicker travels for his product, which customers enjoyed.

Another advantage that Apple's supply chain has is their stores. Apple stores always seem to busy and get a lot of attention. This allows supply chain workers to see what products are selling and what are not. By tracking this every hour of everyday, they are able to see what has the highest demand. Once they calculate what has the highest demand they are able to make more of that particular product, and make less of the product that is not selling. This lets them predict what they will be making so no times is waisted.

Apple would most likely still be successful without such a great supply chain, but they might not be where they are today. The way they run their supply chain has let them get their product to everyone around the world. Odds are, if you look at a fairly successful company, you will find that their supply chain is also highly ranked.

http://tech.pnosker.com/2013/11/08/product-architecture-convergence-apples-next-big-move/

-Jarrod Lincoln

How to Get Into Supply Chain

In order to get into the number one program, the are degree requirements to get into The Eli Broad College of Business. First, one must achieve 4 credits in writing, 3 credits in a 200 level biological science and a physical science, 2 credits for a physical or a biological lab, 4 credits each in an arts and humanities 201-210 and 211-241, 4 credits each in a 200 level social sciences and a 300 level, 3 credits in MTH 103 or MTH 124, 3 credits in introduction to probability and statistics, 3 credits in computing concepts and competencies, 3 credits in both intro to macroeconomics and microeconomics, and an international requirement of 3 credits.

Once business admitted status has been accomplished, one must take 3 credits each of ACC 201 and 202 of principles of financial accounting, 3 credits in business communications: oral and written skills, 3 credits in business analytics and information systems, 3 credits in financial management, and 3 credits in each of the following listed: managing human resources and organizational behavior, quantitative business research methods, managerial marketing, introduction to supply chain management, and business policy and strategic management.

Then once admitted to a major, there are courses required to graduate with that major. For supply chain a student needs 3 credits in each in procurement and supply chain management, manufacturing planning and control, and logistics and transportation management. One of the following courses of either supply chain application and policy (2 credits) or supply chain industry applications (3 credits).

Here is a document with the listed courses needed to get into supply chain.

-Lauren Jankowski

First Impressions Matter

Whether or not they admit it, people are judging you from the very first second they meet you. Often the most important judgment they make about you Is the first one. For business professionals, there is normally only one chance to make a good impression, and with little time to do so. Here are some of the key ingredients to a successful first impression with a Business recruiter.

1. A strong handshake and confident introduction: People who act like they belong, are often treated as though they do. Having a firm handshake often helps to gain respect, and also purvey confidence. Eye contact shows that you have genuine interest in the person, and a great smile helps to put the person at ease and engage in the conversation.

2. Presentation: The way you dress and conduct yourself in a professional manner helps to catch peoples eye. Polished etiquette, and a well put together outfit are simple things that can often catch recruiters attention.

3. Being on time and prepared: It is very important to arrive prompt to the time you are meeting someone. If you are meeting someone impromptu, it is important to have a well practiced sales pitch to sell yourself. Also having business cards with your information also helps to show that you are passionate about what you do and eager to work

4. Being yourself: it sounds cheesy but one of the most important aspects of making a good impression is letting your true character show. In order to find the best match for you with a company it is important to let them get to know your personality.

5. The follow up: There are lots of people that develop a positive first impression, but it is the ones that follow up after the encounter that often get the job. Developing a short follow up email, or connecting with the person on LinkedIn can be detrimental to getting ahead.

-Kenzie Miller

Top 5 Supply Chain Blogs

The following is going to be a list of the top five supply chain blogs on the web right now. These blogs are all great resources for someone looking to find insight into the bubbling industry.

5. Supply Chain Network
This blog, which launched in 2007, is absolutely jam packed with anything and everything thats related to supply chain. This blog is a great place to start if you're looking to get an in depth look about supply chain optimization.

4. Supply Chain Matters
This blog is a great resource if you're looking for an analytical look at supply chain trends. Supply Chain Matters is a great blog for anyone that is relatively new to the supply chain space.

3. The 21st Century Supply Chain Blog
The 21st Century Supply Chain Blog is a great resource for anyone researching the cutting edge of supply chain tactics. This blog does a great job of analyzing how technology has changed the industry.

2. Supply Chain Digital
It is really hard to give a short synopsis into Supply Chain Digital. This blog is absolutely amazing, it is updated constantly with the latest and greatest going on in the supply chain industry. Supply Chain Digital is a great resource for all levels of supply chain knowledge.

1. Supply Chain in The Membrane
Arguably the most fun blog of all time, Supply Chain in the Membrane, is the best supply chain blog on the web today. The blog features a variety of authors, and great content. I would highly recommend this blog to friends, family, and complete strangers.

-Devon Anderson

Growing A Business Through Supply Chain

When people start a business they do not really know if it is going to take off or not. There are thousands of the same business out there, so competition is is constantly rising. I was curious on what makes a business stand out and be successful enough to keep running. One thing I found out was that a companies supply chain allows it to grow and become more successful. I found a certain company, Olam Spice and Ingredients, that started off relatively small, but developed a better supply chain and found themselves growing and competing. The article I read can be found here.

Olam became a global company, supplying food companies in more than 70 countries. How did this become possible? They found the most efficient way to run their supply chain! After doing some research, Olam found that people now-a-days are looking for the most natural, healthy food there is to find. Knowing this, their supply chain bought raw materials that were organic and natural for their products. They did not use anything that is artificially flavored. Because of this, their supply chain can ensure that their product is making its way from farm to table.

They have also been able to break up their supply chain in different countries. This means that each country they work in, has different strategies that work for that specific supply chain. For example, they have a factory in Vietnam, which is one of the largest pepper growers in the world. In this specific factory they put their time and effort on the raw pepper they are gaining. Having that specific focus gives them a great advantage over other spice companies. In China, Olam focuses on dehydrated garlic. They have built customer trust because of their focus on finding the best ingredients.

http://olamgroup.com/investor-relations/olam-insights/issue-2-2017-olam-svi-replicating-success-across-regions/positioning-for-future-growth-through-integrated-supply-chains/

Having a successful supply chain all relies on finding the best strategies that will help your overall company. For Olam, they expanded their company over seas and were able to find the best possible products to work with. Their supply chain workers predicted what the people would most likely want, and then they went out and made that happen. It is actually very interesting how much a supply chain can affect the overall business. 

-Jarrod Lincoln

Supply Chain Disaster

Supply Chains are known to be what keeps the company running efficient. Unfortunately, Subway's supply chain underestimated the demand for the limited reuben, which left the restaurants to turn away customers. The article discusses how Subway's supply chain didn't order enough rye bread from a supplier, ultimately leaving the food chains to run out of rye bread during the promotion of the reuben sandwich. This event occurred only 3 weeks into the 8 week promotion. Not only did the restaurants lack rye bread, but the corned beef started to dwindle. The shortage of the bread and meet created a decrease in revenue for Subway during that time.

http://www.subway.com/en-us

It's important for supply chains to estimate demand for a good; an overestimation can lead to chains getting stuck with, "millions of dollars-worth of excess ingredients" (Phillips). On the other hand, an underestimation can lead to a shortage in the good, like Subway's fiasco. A shortage leaves supply chains scattered as they attempt to find more suppliers to solve the crisis. Companies are shifting their supply chains to excel in demand estimation during special offers. This includes using software that use consumer data to better summarize future demands.

-Lauren Jankowski

Works Cited

Phillips, Erica E. “Hold the Rye: Promos Leave Restaurant Supply Chains Stretched.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 10 Nov. 2017, www.wsj.com/articles/hold-the-rye-promos-leave-restaurant-supply-chains-stretched-1510311601.

The Most Important Time of the Year for Supply Chain Managers

As the holidays are approaching, so is one of the most demanding times of the year for supply chain managers. For retailers, during the holiday season, the importance of getting their shipments and orders quickly is crucial to the success of their business during this time of year.

Global supply chain leader Roddy Martin, attests that the holiday season is one of the largest challenges supply chain managers in retail face. For satisfied holiday customers the minimum needed for success is on-time deliveries, not to mention extreme weather and the abnormally large amount of supplies moving through the same framework (Hudson).

His recommendation for cooperation’s is to begin starting planning for the following season on the tail end of the previous. In February is when he believes that companies should begin developing their plan for the upcoming season, and talking to merchandisers to find out what products they will be releasing, and decide what are going to be hot sellers.

Many companies have to internally re-construct their supply chain models and systems, to keep up with the holiday season and all that it demands. As Green Mountain Coffee Roasters grows as a cooperation, its supply chain system has evolved specifically to keep up with holiday sales. The company doubles their sales during the months of November, December, and January. The companies prior system was ordering product when it was needed, but for the upcoming holiday season they have incorporated a production planning software that will eliminate much of the stress that the urgent and last minute orders put on the supply chain managers to keep up with costumer demands while maintaining profits.

-Kenzie Miller

Work Cited

Hudson, Scott. “Supply Chain Management During the Holidays - SCM | Supply Chain Resource
Cooperative (SCRC).” Supply Chain Management During the Holidays - SCM | Supply Chain Resource Cooperative (SCRC) | North Carolina State University, (SCRC) Supply Chain Resource Cooperative | Poole College of Management | NC State University, 6 Dec. 2004, scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/supply-chain-management-during-the-holidays.

Supply Chains and the Holiday Season

Every year it seems like the holiday season starts earlier and earlier. Consumers start looking for the best deals on the best products in early fall. This increased demand prior to the bigger shopping days in November and December can cause havoc on a supply chain. It is very important to plan ahead and plan well prior to the very busy holiday season.

Ideally, a company could hope that their plan for the holiday season will work out with little to no kinks or hiccups in the supply chain. Unfortunately, this is a very unrealistic hope. Manufacturers and retailers are working overtime during the holiday season. As a result, often times one can find mistakes in invoices or manufacturing that can throw a supply chain off track. Weather is also another factor during this season that can delay a supply chain. All it takes is one storm to ground planes or block roads, and shipments arrive days later than expected. These kinds of delays result in lost sales and unhappy consumers.

These are all reasons that companies need to plan cautiously and work vigorously when planning for the holiday season. It is important to make the best of each issue as it comes, and to make sure that lines of communication are open and clear for every step of the supply chain. Taking precautions and communicating effectively are the best ways to prevent chaos in a supply chain this and every holiday season.

-Devon Anderson

http://knowledgecenter.averittexpress.com/five-retail-supply-chain-practices-for-preparing-for-the-holidays

Supply Chains Need to Switch to the Digital Frontside

https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-digital-supply-chain 

There are many logical reasons for companies to switch to a digital supply chain, which are explained in more detail in this article. The Center for Global Enterprise study supports that now is the time for organizations to make the transition. This switch to a digital supply chain can only optimize a company save time and money.

Results of a survey, made of hundreds of leading supply chains, shows that an improved digital supply chain can lead to a "20% reduction of procurement costs, a 50% reduction in supply chain costs, and an increase in revenue of 10%," (Myerson). The author also stated the arguments that real-time data analytics and collaboration with a purpose are among the many reasons to switch to a DSC (digital supply chain).

-Lauren Jankowski

Works Cited

Myerson, Paul. “Supply Chains Need to Turn to the Digital Frontside.” Industry Week.com, 1 Nov. 2017, www.industryweek.com/supply-chain-technology/supply-chains-need-turn-digital-frontside.

Pompt 6; Why Supply Chain Matters

I was curious on how much a companies supply chain matters to their overall success. After researching supply chain for a few weeks I have learned that a companies supply chain should be directly proportional to how successful they are. In order to prove that, I found a website that gives seven reason why supply chain matters to a business' success and ways to have a successful supply chain. That website can be found here.

The article states, "the success of your business is inextricably linked to the performance of your supply chain". This meaning, you cannot have a successful business without having a strong supply chain. A survey in 2014 found that seventy-nine percent of companies with a high-performing supply chain had a higher revenue than they were expected to have. With this in mind, a company needs to make sure that they have a strong supply chain. If they do not, then their company will struggle and possibly be shut down. Putting effort into your supply chain will determine how well your company can run and move forward.

There are many things a company can do to have a successful supply chain. One way is to find a strategy that works for your company; one that will move products smoothly and efficiently. A companies supply chain has to support what your overall business is trying to succeed, they cannot be two separate strategies. Having one goal for your overall company will help communication run smoothly throughout the supply chain.

One of the most important aspects of having a successful supply chain is its customer service. When it comes to supply chain, the customer has to be the number one priority. There are many similar companies out there, so you have to win over customers and prove that your company is the better option. Then, once you gain the trust of customers, you have to be able to keep that trust by making sure they are satisfied. If the customer is not satisfied, then they will judge the overall company. Just other way how the supply chain matters to the overall company.

This article give many arguments on how a companies supply chain directly affects the overall company. I found myself agreeing with all of the points they made. A supply chain can be considered the base of your company. It brings in customers, buys raw material, and moves the products you are selling. If your company fails to do any of these things, then you will not be able to compete with a company that is able to do all of these things. All in all, a companies supply chain is one of the most important aspects of that companies success.

-Jarrod Lincoln