Logistics And Supply Chain Management

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

NAME

TANG, Fa Suet Franciess

DEGREE

BA (Hons) Logistics and Supply Chain Management

TUTOR

Dr. Artie Ng

TITLE

How supply chain tools to strengthen corporation competitiveness.

DATE

April 2013

STUDENT No

11007080B0

Project submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements of the

BA (Hons) Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Of Northumbria University

DECLARATIONS

I declare the following:

(1) that the material contained in this project is the end result of my own work and that due acknowledgement has been given in the bibliography and references to ALL sources be they printed, electronic or personal.

(2) the Word Count of this project is: Section A: 3991

Section B: 6422

Reflective Statement: 525

Total Word Count: 10921

(3) that unless this project has been confirmed as confidential, I agree to an entire electronic copy or sections of the dissertation to being placed on Blackboard, if deemed appropriate, to allow future students the opportunity to see examples of past dissertations. I understand that if displayed on Blackboard it would be made available for no longer than five years and those students would be able to print off copies or download. The authorship would remain anonymous.

(4) I agree to my project being submitted to a plagiarism detection service, where it will be stored in a database and compared against work submitted from this or any other School or from other institutions using the service.

In the event of the service detecting a high degree of similarity between content within the service this will be reported back to my supervisor and second marker, who may decide to undertake further investigation that may ultimately lead to disciplinary actions, should instances of plagiarism be detected.

(5) I have read the University Policy Statement on Ethics in Research and Consultancy and the Policy for Informed Consent in Research and Consultancy and I declare that ethical issues have been considered and taken into account in this research.

SIGNED:

DATE: 08 April 2013

Abstract

This professional project consists of two sections, the first section is about the psychometric test and the indication of the test result to the author, the second section is about the literature review of the topic selected by the author that the author believed it is relevant, interesting and contribute to her career development.

The psychometric tests are aimed at helping the author understand her strength and weakness fluently. These tests divided into two main aspects. The VARK and Honey & Mumford tests help the author understand what ways she can learn most effective and abundant those bad habitual learning preference that the author may not realize. The MBTI, Jung & Humanmetrics, and the Belbin are the personality tests, giving implication to the author on the career choice. The author has to understand the right choice of career align with her personality will give her fruitful and enjoyable life and vice verse.

The literature review covers the topic selected by the author. The author has a strong desire to looking at the supply chain tools that can enhance the competitiveness of the corporation which the author currently working with. The tools reviewed are Collaborated Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), Just-In-Time (JIT) and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI). They will be elaborated in details from initiate stage to implementation stage, what are the pros and cons, what obstacles have to remove and what critical elements contribute to their success implementation.

Since the author is working in a lighting corporation, Cree Inc., the corporation is the technology leader with strong R&D power and also in her exponential expansion in market share that require strong need to adapt right supply chain tools to help her success.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Artie Ng who has given his greatest patience and support on guiding me to complete this Professional Project.

Furthermore, I also have to thank for my husband, with his warmest understanding and support to take up all family responsibility, it allows me to concentrate on studying without any hesitation. This is not an easy journey that take one and half year to accomplish, the continue encouragement from him is the strength to keep me moving forward, I truly thanks to God who has sending me a right man to walk with me throughout my life, no matter in joy or in tears.

Contents

Section A:

Part 1: Who I am as a learner

This is beneficial to understand which way I learn most effective and what is the career I should choose based on my capability and personality. By completion of various questionnaires that enable me to understand my strength and weakness from different aspects, with family and friends’ additional comment that further endorse the result of thequestionnaires.

With the result indicated from different questionnairesthat help me to understand what’s the best way of study will most suitable for me. I may not easily to realize if the current study habit is effectively enough as it has been adapted for long time, however the questionnaires are designed with specific questions and format to let the participant have fluent understanding on his/her character and personality and so as to give suggestion. To pursue the career development as the professional in Supply Chain, these questionnaires proven that I am on the right choice of career.

Several tests and questionnaires have been done. It’s including VARK, Honey & Mumford Learning styles, MBTI, Humanmetricsof Jung Typology Test and BELIN. They all produced consistence result exceptHumanmetricsof June Typology Test produced different result that will be explainedin the later part.

VARK

VARK, a guide to learning styles, the result helps identify the learning preference of individuals, help develop learning strategies from different angles of visual (V), Aural/Auditory (A), Read/write (R), and Kinesthetic (K). There are also mixture described as Multimodality (MM), life is multimodal in majority and there are seldom instances that one mode is used and it won’t be sufficient.

My VARK profile is multimodal in combination of Visual and Aural in majority.

My score distribution is:

Visual:7, Aural:8, Read/Write:5, Kinethetic:5

The result indicated that I should learn fast when the information is expressed in visual like diagrams, charts or any symbolicexpression like arrows, circles, hierarchies, etc. I should also learn fast if the information that is "heard or spoken". I agree with it as this is in syn with my experience that I can catch the information in visual and I can also remember most from the lectures, discussion and e-mail. According to the VARK definition, e-mail is also classified under Aural as it is often written in non-formal language, chat-style with abbreviations, slang, colloquial, etc.

Honey & Mumford

Another questionnaire that I have done is Honey & Mumford Learning styles. The score distribution is:

Activist:13, Reflector:15, Theorist:19, Pragmatist:17

The result tells me that I am a THEORIST. I found my character almost exactly same as the description from the official web site of the Honey & Mumford, it is saying that "Theorists adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They think problems through in a vertical, step by step logical way. They assimilate disparate facts into coherent theories. They tend to be perfectionists who won’t rest easy until things are tidy and fit into a rational scheme. They like to analyze and synthesize. They are keen on basic assumptions, principles, theories, models and systems thinking. Their philosophy prizes rationality and logic. ‘If it’s logical it’s good’. Questions they frequently ask are: ‘Does it make sense?’ ‘How does this fit with that?’ ‘What are the basic assumptions?’ They tend to be detached, analytical and dedicated to rational objectivity rather than anything subjective or ambiguous. Their approach to problems is consistently logical. This is their ‘mental set’ and they rigidly reject anything that doesn’t fit with it. They prefer to maximize certainty and feel uncomfortable with subjective judgments, lateral thinking and anything flippant"

With such characteristics as described, I am a true self-starter and enjoy learning in a high disciplineand organize way.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Several years ago, I’ve done this test at a course about personality development. It was around five to six years ago, my result was ENTJ at that time. There were only two ENTJ out of twenty participants. However, I got my result was either in ENTP or ENFP, the mark between T and F were always between 50/50, the S and N were also always in 49/51 although I tried several time from August till November this year. What’s the implication? I changed a bit in personality, now I am both T &F, I got the balance in between.According to the result, it’s indicated that I can work alone but the most interesting that I can also keen as part of a team. I am suitable on supervising and further as senior management.

The MBTI with 16 possible type combinations, but the key dichassess personality type into 16 types, two dichotomous pairs of cognitive functions:

Rational (judging) functions: thinking and feeling

Irrational (perceiving) functions: sensing and intuition

Humanmetrics

Belbin

The Belbin Team Inventory is a famous psychometric test that was developed by Dr. Meredith Belbin in 1970s’. It’s also known as the Belbin Self-Perception Inventory (SPI), Belbin Team Role Inventory (BTRSPI). Distinctive behaviors are clustered into nine Team Roles. Dr. Meredith Belbin comment the test is, "A tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way" (Belbin Associates, 2012). So, the Belbin Team Roles is intended to identify individual’s behavioral strengths and weaknesses in the workplace environment; the measure is behavior basis rather than personality basis.

" A team is not a bunch of people with job titles, but a congregation of individuals, each of whom has a role which is understood by other members. Members of a team seek out certain roles and they perform most effectively in the ones that are most natural to them." By Dr. R. M. Belbin (Belbin Associates, 2012)

As self-explanatory of the statement by Dr. Belbin, though the team role is identified individually, but the success of the companies shall teamed with the mix of people in different team role so that they can compensate or compliment to each other. As per his experience, the company shall not only seek for the high intelligent people, but the balance of the team roles shall be in higher consideration.

TABLE ??: The Nine Belbin Team Roles

Team Role

Contribution

Allowable Weaknesses

Plant

Creative, imaginative, free-thinking. Generates ideas and solves difficult problems.

Ignores incidentals. Too preoccupied to communicate

Resource Investigator

Extrovert, enthusiastic, communicative. Explores opportunities. Develops contacts.

Over-optimistic. Loses interest once initial enthusiasm has passed.

Coordinator

Mature, confident. Clarifies goals. Brings other people together to promote team discussions.

Can be seen as manipulative. Offloads own share of the work.

Shaper

Challenging, dynamic, thrives on pressure. Has the drive and courage to overcome obstacles.

Prone to provocation. Offends people feelings.

Monitor

Evaluator

Serious minded, strategic and disceming. Sees all options. Judges accurately.

Lacks drive and ability to inspire others. Can be overly critical.

Teamworker

Co-operative, mild, perceptive and diplomatic. Listens, builds, averts friction.

Indecisive in crunch situations. Avoids confrontation.

Implementer

Disciplined, reliable, conservative in habits. A capacity for taking practical steps and actions.

Somewhat inflexible. Slow to respond to new possibilities.

Completer

Finisher

Painstaking, conscientious, anxious. Searches out errors and omissions. Delivers on time.

Inclined to worry unduly. Reluctant to delegate.

Specialist

Single-minded, self-starting, dedicated. Provides knowledge and skills in rare supply.

Contributes on only a limited front. Dwells on specialized personal interests.

(source: Belbin Associates, 2012)

The author has done the test with the score and preferred role identified as below:

TABLE ??: Belbin test result of the author

Preferred Role

Team Role

Score

Preferred Roles

Coordinator

93

Implementer

82

Monitor

Evaluator

78

Specialist

72

Manageable Roles

Plant

60

Shaper

48

Least Preferred Roles

Completer

Finisher

8

Teamworker

3

Resource Investigator

0

Per the test report tells my main characteristics is I got an ability to organize and readiness to get things done, I am good at getting people to do things as well as performing as a role model by doing things myself.

My greatest value in situations where I am involve in decision making with other people. I always try to ensure there is practical outcome that was expected in the first place. With time goes by, my reputation will build up and credibility shall earn from my experience continually, then I will be in a position to influence others.

As the progress and are placed in a position of responsibility, I have to keep remind myself to give credit to others for what is achieved by the team as a whole, sending appreciation to those who have gets things done properly.

I shall open about wanting to know what is going on and enthusiastic in my desire to play a full part myself. As I am more likely to achieve personal fulfillment and let people around me can see my contribution..

It is important that you let those around you see where your contribution lies, as you are then more likely to achieve personal fulfillment. So be open about wanting to know what is going on and enthusiastic in your desire to play a full part yourself. As you progress and are placed in a position of

responsibility, always remember to give credit to others for what is achieved by the team as a whole.

What is my personal contribution?

Your profile is likely to be of greatest value in situations where you are involved in decision making with other people. Here you should try to make sure that there is a practical outcome and that it is in line with what was intended in the first place. In time, others will appreciate your ability to get results in a way that is acceptable to all and reflects what is agreed. But before you can get to that position you need to have built up a reputation as someone who gets things done. Your credentials need to grow from your experience. You will then be in a position to influence others.

It is important that you let those around you see where your contribution lies, as you are then more likely to achieve personal fulfillment. So be open about wanting to know what is going on and enthusiastic in your desire to play a full part yourself. As you progress and are placed in a position of

responsibility, always remember to give credit to others for what is achieved by the team as a whole.

How should I make the best out of my profile?

The remarks above may give some idea of how you can use your strengths to advantage. But bear in mind that the desired opportunities will not always be there. Sometimes you will have to bide your time, take on another role, and sacrifice your natural behaviour. You should learn to do this in a disciplined way until the right openings occur. It is part of life that, for a while, all may not go in the direction you would wish. So consider the advantages of working with someone who is good in areas where you are weak. Such co-operation will leave intact your sense of personal identity, while allowing you to develop your interpersonal skills.

In your particular case, there is one area where you may need some help or support. You do not appear to be someone who is ready and skillful in making new contacts. Introductions can be important in life. So you may benefit by keeping close to someone who is good in that role.

Part 2: Implication for career choice

Lifelong learning

The term lifelong learning become popular nowadays, this is to describe anongoing learning processin self-motivation to pursuit knowledge throughout the entire life. The person will be equipped, with enhancement on competitiveness and employability if the learned knowledge and skill are in related to his/her career development.

I was work in Motorola Semiconductor during the period of 1993 to 1997, Motorola was an learning organization who required all employees to spent 40 training hours minimum per year to sharpen their saw, that had no limit on if this was related to work or personal. The company provided a series of training program forchoice, most of them were organized and facilitated by Motorola University. Starting from that time, I was enthused and found interested in continues learning, please refer to the appendix XX which listed what courses I hadtaken during the period.

Transferable skills

I was not only enjoyed on learning new things, new skill but I also started develop transferable skills that can be used throughout my life no matter I will be in any industry as long as it is within Supply Chain and Logistics.

Since I have been working in different positionsin Supply Chain; through the positions I held, they all strengthen my skill in negotiation, sourcing, procurement, logistics, production and material planning, inventory control and new system implementation. These skills are transferrable to many industries as demonstrated by the employment offers from both electronic and plastics industry.

Justify chosen career choice

Section B:

Part 1: Introduction

The author is working in a technology driven multi-national corporation, the corporation has strong commitment to bring energy saving lighting solution to the society from government level down to the household utilization. To drive for success, time to market is one of the key essential, the corporation realizes all parties involved in the supply network must actively participated to achieve its goal. The corporation not only has her own manufacturing site in the United States but also has number of contract manufacturing sites in Asia and Mexico that continuous adding capacity to cope with the rapid expansion.

The corporation seeks for supply chain tools to achieve below goals:

To leverage the bargaining power on consolidated demand of all manufacturing sites.

Secure non-interrupted materials supply.

The quick lounge of new model may not give enough ordering lead time, need high calibrated suppliers.

The flexibility on swop of production product mix among manufacturing sites without materials shortage due to lack of ordering lead time.

Inventory optimization.

Materials can flow around the sites without limitation of geographical location. Though swop of production product mix will not cause either shortage or excess at any site.

There are several supply chain tools have been reviewed that the author considered are competence to cope with the fast-pace growing lighting manufacturing industry. The tools reviewed are Collaborated Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), Just-In-Time (JIT) and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI). They will be further elaborated in the literature review section for how they can help the corporation to drive for success.

Part 2: Literature Review

Part 3: Summary and Conclusions

Supplier selection with global capability, first tie, network orchestra.

Manufacturer vs supplier, supplier vs distributor.

R&D in materials selection, adopt common part, not in extreme value.

Forecast accuracy.