BMGT 477. Case 3: Polo Ralph Lauren & Luen Thai: Collaborative Supply Chain

BMGT 477
Case 3: Polo Ralph Lauren & Luen Thai: Collaborative Supply Chain
Essentially, the primary role played by Luen Thai in the supply chain is apparel manufacturing as well as a retailer for the same products. Luen Thai is a highly regarded garment manufacturing company since the 1980s and has been leading in the same through its efficient supply chain system. It has partnered with Polo and Ruentex for quite a long time a fact that has seen them through phenomenal growth both in partnership and business. Polo, on the other hand, brings in a rich history in brand business with numerous channels of wholesale, high-end collection, and outlets. Polo Ralph Lauren is the brand marketer in the supply chain. The case clearly states that despite not having any factory to manufacture products they sold, Polo Ralph Lauren played a significant role in the supply chain by providing channels for selling Luen Thai’s products across the different borough. Ruentex is the primary source of raw materials such as linen, raw cotton, and wool among others used by Luen Thai for manufacturing of apparels. Besides, it produces and supplies fabrics. Ruentex ensures consistent and excellent supply of textile products to Luen Thai, which ensures the efficiency and integrated nature of the supply chain system. These partners have to work together in close collaboration in order to achieve their set goals.
Indeed, Luen Thai, Ruentex, and Polo Ralph Lauren should each have different focuses on the application of information technologies due to the fact that each of them has respective clients or partners’ needs for communication. As such, they should each develop systems in their respective roles and harness the same towards achieving common goals including sharing information. The fact that Ruentex has already implemented the use and application of SAP systems in ...