This document outlines the tasks for a seminar on global supply chain management. Students will critically evaluate the supply chain of a consumer goods organization of their choosing. They will consider the end-to-end process from sourcing materials to delivery and analyze the organization's sourcing strategy. Finally, students will provide recommendations to improve the organization's supply chain and present their findings to the class. The learning outcomes are to describe key supply chain stages, evaluate challenges of global operations, discuss sourcing approaches, and develop recommendations.

1. Industry Studies 1
Seminar:
Global Supply Chain
Topic Number: 5

2. Overview
Following on from the lecture on the global supply chain of the
consumer goods industry we will now look to apply the learning's
to an organisation of your choosing. In this seminar, you are
tasked with critically evaluating an organisation of your
choosing’s supply chain.
In your groups you are required to initially think of an
organisation operating in the global consumer goods industry and
then consider how they operate their supply chain. You will need
to consider their end-to-end approach from how they source raw
materials to deliver their goods to consumers.
Thereafter, you will take a deeper look at their sourcing strategy
and how they go about dealing with suppliers. Finally, you will
come up with a number of recommendations for them to move
their supply chain forward.

3. 3
Learning outcomes of this seminar
• Articulate the key stages of the supply chain for an
organisation of your choosing
• Critically evaluate and communicate the key obstacles and
challenges with operating a global supply chain
• Determine and be able to discuss the sourcing strategies
for the organisation
• Come up with recommendations on how the organisation
can improve their approach

4. Task 1
What do you think is a global supply chain?
What are its key characteristics?
Brainstorm with your partner (5 minutes)
Feedback to the class (5 minutes)

5. Task 2
Select an organisation operating in the consumer goods industry and
describe their end to end supply chain.
With your partner you have 15 minutes to choose your organisation
and research their supply chain online
There will then be a feedback session

6. Task 3
Explain the organisations ‘sourcing’ strategy.
To help with this refer to the ‘Generic Sourcing Strategies’ by Slack
and Lewis, 2011 (next slide)
What do you think is the rationale for its approach?
With your partner you have 15 minutes to research the
organisations sourcing approach and determine why it operates in
this way.
We will then have a feedback session

7. Generic Sourcing Strategies
Not
critical Critical
Contribution to Competitive
Advantage
Invest to perform
internally
(if high potential for
opportunism)
Outsource
(if possible to mitigate risk of
opportunism)
Outsource
(if possible to mitigate risk of
opportunism)
Weaker Relative Capability Position Stronger
Source: Slack & Lewis, 2011
Perform internally to
develop
(if high potential for
opportunism)
Outsource
(if possible to mitigate risk of
opportunism)
Outsource
(if possible to mitigate risk of
opportunism)
Keep internal
(if lack of capable
suppliers and spin-off
not feasible)

8. Task 4
Do you have any recommendations for the organisation?
Discuss these with the class (10 minutes)

9. End of Seminar
Note: This recording is for your
personal use only and not for further
distribution or wider review.
© Pearson College 2013