LOG490 CA1

Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management Name Instructor Course details Date Why have supply chain management issues often been ignored by senior management? Supply chain management is deemed to contain the greatest work load among all other forms of logistics. The notion that “file and forget” is a common norm among supply chain officers (Dutton, 2009). Peggy LaRue, director of international transportation at urban clothier Abercrombie & Fitch indicates that "file and forget"is one of the main factors suppressing the process of supply and chain management. She indicates that education on the importance of collaboration among supply chain officers is very vital. It is regarded that supply chain officers are the most daunted amongst all workers in an organization (Harland, 1996). Until recently, the issues of supply chain management have being ignored by the senior management. There is no current inventory on the systems of supply chain management making the process of supply chain management lag behind other business processes (Dutton, 2009). Simply, LaRue indicates that supply chain management has being ignored by senior management because of lack of knowledge (Dutton, 2009). Strategies for supply chain management. The best strategy i can float to the senior management is educating supply chain officers on the importance of logistics in supply management. This is best know as selling the supply chain' upwards”. Currently it has turned out that in tough times, the supply chain occupies a much more prominent importance in the enterprise than in periods of more prosperity. And these times are certainly tough. So, all things considered, this is an opportunity to drive 'logistics awareness.' (Dutton, 2009). This training on supply chain management will nudge the institutions towards the realization that proper undertanding of supply chain activities will be of positive effect to the development of the organization as a whole. Dutton (2009) quotes LaRue in a statement that: "Logistics is unique in that it takes procurement, sales, distribution, finance, legal and other areas, and ties them together," LaRue continues. Logistics extends across many areas, she points out, and managers typically need more education from the supply chain manager to fully grasp the implications and the opportunities for collaboration. The typical approach taken by senior management begins with a focus on transportation costs and expands to process improvement, "but the supply chain is so much more than that!"(2) She notes that her co managers at Abercrombie & Fitch knows the importance of supply chain management. The 107 year old company began a global expansion process some few years back. Currently, it has more than eleven hundred stores scattered accross the globe. While speaking at the CSCMP annula conference ion 2010, she indicated that the expansion offers "a great opportunity to affect costs and develop the logistics processes that get inventory to the right place at the right time and ultimately drive down cash involvement of the company." (Dutton, 2009). In selling my strategy, id ensure that the superior management understands the importance of improving the su...