The document discusses key aspects of supply chain management including establishing goals around profit and quality, understanding inventory levels and supplier relationships, managing quality and logistics, and integrating the entire supply chain efficiently. Effective supply chain strategies aim to coordinate all parts of the chain from suppliers to manufacturers to shippers and sellers. Creating sustainable and ethical supply chains requires safe practices, environmental responsibility, and disaster preparedness plans.

1. SUPPLY CHAIN
FOUNDATIONS
By: Aric Smoker

2. Understanding Parts of a Supply Chain
■ The supply chain includes the processes of purchasing, manufacturing and operations,
logistics and transportation, and inevitably the delivery of the product to the end
consumer.

3. The Changing Nature of Supply Chain
Management
■ The relative idea of supply chain has been around for years and years, but it has
changed to become more complex create greater global trade.

4. Establishing SCM Goals
■ Many supply chain goals are based around the concept of creating the most profit
without cutting quality through more efficient processes and procedures.

5. Understanding SCM Across Industries
■ Supply chain management is involved in all areas of selling and buying industries, and
it is the goal in all industries to increase efficiency and increase value wherever
possible.

6. Understanding Inventory
■ The supply chain must be able to satisfy the needs of the consumers through
inventory, and must make sure there is enough to sell right now, and that there will be
enough to sell in the future to meet demand.

7. Choosing a Supplier
■ You must choose a supplier based on your needs and how you want your customer to
see your product and company.

8. Developing Good Buyer and Supplier
Relationships
■ Showing you care about your suppliers and all that they do, such as getting them a gift
or good rating, can improve future relationships and build better ties with that
supplier.

9. Understanding Manufacturing and
Operations
■ Manufacturing quality products and always working to improve those products is
important to retain customers and keep a competitive advantage.

10. Marketing and DesigningYour Product
■ Finding the right place to make and distribute your product, as well as catering that
product to the target market is key in marketing and selling that product effectively.

11. Managing Quality
■ Before outsourcing or considering a third party manufacturer, you must first confirm
proper manufacturing processes and that they use the same quality supplies that you
use in order to maintain quality.

12. Understanding Logistics
■ When shipping, you must consider the regions economic climate, political climate,
regulations/laws, culture, shipping standards and methods of payment.

13. PackagingYour Product
■ It is not always efficient to package your product in a more intricate design to gain
more attention if it affects your ability to store it and utilize shelf space.

14. Containerization
■ It is important to package and organize your product so that it can be easily shipped
across the world in standardized shipping containers.

15. Transporting and DistributingYour
Product
■ When choosing what type of transportation you will use for your product, you must
consider cost, where it is going, how fast it needs to get there, and the quantity in
which you are shipping your product.

16. DeliveringYour Product
■ Accumulating inventory is no longer seen as efficient, so products must be delivered at
a time when they are needed and do not create a great excess in inventory and
warehousing costs.

17. Delivering the Last Mile
■ To effectively deliver the “last mile” companies need to determine if the consumer will
buy it in the store, get it shipped to them, and what kind of area they live in whether it
be rural or urban.

18. Integrating and Coordinating the Entire
Supply Chain
■ Effective supply chains coordinate efficiently and consistently between supplier,
manufacturer, shippers, and final sellers.

19. Mitigating the Bullwhip Effect
■ The key to mitigating the bullwhip effect is strong communication between the
supplier and the seller in order to stay on top of consumer demand and make sure that
they can always meet their needs.

20. Basic Supply Chain Strategies
■ The main strategies include, pull (custom products), push (building inventory),and
postponement (building inventory with certain customizability).

21. Understanding Lean Systems
■ Setting a set of clear cut goals that need to be met, while having the ability to change
certain things allows companies to change and adapt to the changing market while
continuing to be consistent in how they operate.

22. Going Global
■ Going global causes greater challenges that must be met, specifically dealing with the
region and the different cultures and practices.

23. Creating and Managing Ethical Supply
Chains
■ Supply chain managers must use safe and ethical practices to keep customers and
workers safe, and investors satisfied all while getting things done as quickly and
efficiently as possible using codes of ethics.

24. Creating Sustainable Supply Chains
■ By only producing what you need, adopting eco-friendly practices, and creating more
efficient processes, supply chains can reduce their impact on the environment thus
creating a more sustainable supply chain.

25. DealingWith Disasters
■ Having a plan in place on how to deal with specific natural disasters is the most
important step in reacting and overcoming these disasters.