Business Paper Part 2 – Supply chain management (SCM)
Business Paper Part 2 – Supply chain management (SCM)
The major takeaways of current trends and issues in supply change management and/or foundational supply chain management concepts and frameworks.
As the business environment changes, so does the supply chain and the need for supply change management to respond to the changes. Supply chain management (SCM) is a critical element in the business world, widely influenced by globalization and other changes in the business environment. The supply chains are increasingly becoming complex, especially with new technologies and innovations. As MBA SCM students seek career options and opportunities, they must learn what is important for businesses today and in the future, hence the need to analyze current trends and their implications. Companies seek innovative strategies to manage their supply chains more effectively and efficiently and cultivate resilient supply chain operations. The selected trends in supply chain management that will be learned in the SCM course include artificial intelligence and automation, primarily driven by the need to streamline and optimize supply chain processes and automate humdrum and repetitive tasks (Dash et al., 2019). MBA students should engage with digital knowledge, information systems, and information technology to better understand technologies like AI and automation and how digitization is enabled within supply chains.
Also, businesses are embracing the concept of Supply Chain as a Service (SCaaS) as they invite the idea of outsourcing supply chain operations to external actors that will manage the whole process from procurement to delivery (Lopienski, 2021). Outsourcing is perceived as cost-effective and transfers the risks of a project or activity to a third party, which is a positive for many companies. MBA students must understand that supply chain managers are responsible for the costs and risks attached to various SCM processes. Cost-effectiveness is imperative to achieving financial growth and health. Outsourcing labor, projects, and other business elements is a way to achieve cost-effectiveness and risk transfer, hence the need to learn and understand SCaaS.
Environmental sustainability and net zero are important considerations for companies. Therefore, students will learn about circular supply chain as a current trend that is gaining trajectory in SCM. Businesses are embracing the idea of a closed-loop supply chain, which encourages material reusing and recycling to achieve sustainable and efficient supply chains (Lahane et al., 2020). Generally, the major takeaways of these three trends are the need to optimize SCM processes, which can be accomplished through AI and automation, ensure cost-effectiveness and minimize risk through outsourcing or SCaaS, and promote environmental sustainability by integrating recycling and reusing into the supply chain.
Synthesis of how selected resources illustrate the three selected current trends or issues in supply chain management being taught in an MBA course
The resources selected will guide in teaching and understanding the selected current trends in SCM, learning and understanding course concepts, and achieving of course objectives. Sarmah (2016) provides insights into various acts of supply chain coordination and managerial strategies that can be adopted to achieve an efficient and profitable supply chain. Concerning the current trends selected, AI and automation in SCM seek to optimize supply chain processes, increasing their efficiency and effectiveness. Managerial strategies shared in the video can be employed in integrating AI and autonomation into SCM. The primary emphasis of the video is achieving a profitable supply chain, which is possible by ensuring cost-effectiveness. SCaaS seeks to promote cost-effectiveness by promoting outsourcing, a contract issue in SCM. Organizations can arrange contracts with third-party companies to outsource projects, labor, and processes, achieving cost-effectiveness and transferring risk. MBA students should engage the practical examples, concepts, and theoretical perspectives shared in the video to boost their SCM management skills as they prepare for future careers in SCM.
As organizations seek to contribute to environmental sustainability by implementing circular supply chains that encourage reusing and recycling strategies, Worth and Wilding (2020) present insights into a new supply chain model that seeks net zero. This resource aligns with the principles of circular supply chains and would help MBA students learn strategies to reduce carbon emissions attached to SCM. According to Kassaneh et al. (2021), business experience challenges related to environmental, social, and economic sustainability, prompting them to adopt innovative ways to manage resources and activities. The knowledge and management practices shared in this work can help inform the implementation of AI and automation, SCaaS, and circular supply chains that seek to optimize supply chains, ensure economic sustainability, and promote environmental sustainability.
Explanation of how chosen resources are appropriate for MBA students and the course objectives the resources will be supporting
Leadership, communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills are business fundamentals MBA students will learn. Therefore, it is imperative to engage with resources that encourage critical thinking and analytical skills to understand the current state of SCM, managerial perspectives to improve supply chains, and decision-making approaches to aid in implementing solutions to SCM issues. The selected resources, Sarmah (2016), Worth and Wilding (2020), and Kasseneh et al. (2021), requires MBA students to engage their critical thinking and analytical skills to understand the concepts and theoretical frameworks presented to comprehend and address SCM-associated business challenges like environmental, social, and economic sustainability, hence appropriate for MBA students.
(Business Paper Part 2 – Supply chain management (SCM))
The insights shared in the resources contribute to achieving course objectives, including describing the challenges of coordinating a supply chain, explaining the role supply chain in enabling business competitiveness, and analyzing contemporary trends and issues in effective supply chain management. Sarmah (2016) provides insights into supply chain coordination, which can help describe the challenges of coordinating a supply chain. Worth and Wilding (2020) provide information on strategies to achieve net zero carbon emission and will help describe and analyze a current trend in SCM, circular supply chains, attached to environment sustainability. Kasseneh et al. (2021) discuss business challenges of environmental, social, and economic sustainability and strategies to optimize SCM processes, which supports and informs the objectives of describing challenges of coordinating a supply chain, explaining the role of supply chain in enabling business competitiveness and analyzing contemporary trends and issues in effective supply chain management. The analysis shows that the resources are appropriate for this course and particular learning objectives.
Reflection on the degree to which selected resources fit with the adult learning framework and personal teaching philosophy applied to an MBA course
The classes will be online but highly engaging and interactive, calling for students to be passionate, active, and committed. Multiple challenges are associated with online learning, including reduced interpersonal engagements and diminished teacher-student and peer-to-peer relationships. However, some principles and interventions can be adopted to ensure the class is as interactive and engaging as a physical one and supports the present needs of adult learners. The learning plan and expectations are developed with the understanding that adult learners are self-driven and highly autonomous and will take charge of their own learning to improve learning outcomes.
Tanis (2020) and Chuang (2019) present principles and implementation protocols for online learning that will be used to ensure active and interactive online classes. Tanis (2020) presents the seven key principles of online education, including faculty-student communication and collaboration; student-student communication and collaboration; active learning techniques; prompt feedback; appropriate time for tasks; high-performance expectations; and respect for diverse learning styles. These principles fit the adult learning framework and my personal teaching philosophy because they support holding students to high performance, academic honesty, and professional conduct standards, promote the importance of teacher-student engagement, highly organized and communicative teachers, and engaged learners who are timely in class activities.
(Business Paper Part 2 – Supply chain management (SCM))
One of the class activities to gauge understanding of course concepts and enhance interaction with the real SCM environment is simulation. Simulation promotes critical thinking and evaluative thinking, encouraging learners to contemplate the implications of scenarios. It will also ensure increased interaction and engagement with course concepts. Chung (2019) provides the implementation protocol for utilizing a Web-based SCM game with descriptions, classroom pedagogy, and simulation assessment. The web-based computer simulation will help learners understand challenging concepts and think systematically and logically in uncertain and complex situations.
Resources Selected
Sarmah, S. P. (2016). Supply chain management strategies for effective channel coordination [Video]. IGI Global.
Worth, J., & Wilding, R. (2020). Route to net zero: A new supply chain model. Logistics & Transport Focus, 22(5), 36–38.
Kassaneh, T. C., Bolisani, E., & Cegarra-Navarro, J. (2021). Knowledge management practices for sustainable supply chain management: A challenge for business education. Sustainability, 13(5), 2956–2970. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2956
Tanis, C. J. (2020). The seven principles of online learning: Feedback from faculty and alumni on its importance for teaching and learning. Research in Learning Technology, 28, 1–26.
Chuang, M. (2019). A web-based simulation game for teaching supply chain management. Management Teaching Review, 5(3), 265–274.
References
Dash, R., McMurtrey, M., Rebman, C., & Kar, U. K. (2019). Application of artificial intelligence in automation of supply chain management. Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 14(3), 43-53. https://articlearchives.co/index.php/JSIS/article/view/4867
Lahane, S., Kant, R., & Shankar, R. (2020). Circular supply chain management: A state-of-art review and future opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120859.
Lopienski, K. (2021). What Is Supply Chain as a Service? A Complete Guide.
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