Personal Journal: Supply Chain Processes

Personal Journal: Supply Chain Processes
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Introduction
Supply chain management is important for the success of any business organization. This journal highlights the learning process that I have undergone this semester. There are several things that I have learned in relation to supply chain management that I believe will help me perform my job effectively in the future. Several concepts in the supply chain process explain how organizations do business and how products move from one place to the other with ease. The COVID 19 pandemic, for example, has shown how organizations can be adaptable to ensure raw material and other supplies get to the intended customers. The restrictions placed on the movement of people changed the way companies could get their supplies from one place to the other without breaking the safety measures imposed by healthcare professionals.
Personal Journal: Supply Chain Processes
Concept 1: Adapting Supply Chain to Customer’s Needs 
The three concepts that will be analyzed in this essay are; Adapting Supply Chain to Customer’s Needs, Customizing Logistics Network, and Outsourcing Strategically. Supply chain management plays a critical role in business operations across the globe. Globalization has made it possible for people to do business with other individuals across the globe with ease. However, an organization needs to be able to adapt its supply chain to the customers’ needs (Ageron et al., 2020). Being rigid is one of the issues that can make it hard for an organization to maximize profits. The Coronavirus pandemic has shown the importance of having a flexible supply chain system. Once restrictions came into effect after the pandemic was announced, companies had to look for ways to continue supplying products to their customers. This course has been instrumental in highlighting the areas that companies need to improve on to ensure the supply of goods is not interrupted. The course has also been instrumental in highlighting why some organizations and products could not be delivered to the market in time.
There was a shortage of meat products because employees in many companies had to go home (Kouvelis, 2021). Yeast, flour, and tissue paper have been in short supply because of hoarding, demand increase, and unpredictable demand. A majority of companies were not able to deal with the changes in demand because they did not have supply chain adaptability capabilities. According to the course material, organizations must be able to modify their supply network to meet the structural shifts in the markets. Several strategies can be used by a business to ensure it meets the need of the customers. One of the strategies that can help a business is to have an operating model based on the real-time demands of clients and their product needs. There are prediction tools that can help an organization get the full picture of the kind of challenges that suppliers may face. By understanding such risks, a company will be in a position to mitigate the risks associated with supply management.
 The course has also been important in helping a company develop pricing techniques that can help drive revenue growth rapidly. Other steps that can be taken to ensure an organization is not adversely affected by changes in the supply chain is by developing an agile supply chain system. All top management personnel should properly understand the supply chain and its risks. It is also critical to align the company goals with the current market conditions. Finally, an organization should choose a supplier that is reliable and predictable. The choice of the supplier should be based on experience and shared goals among the companies that are working together.
Concept 2: Customizing Logistics Network
Planning, sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, delivery, and returns of goods are critical elements of supply chain management. Customizing Logistics Network is another concept that has been taught during the semester. It is important for an organization to be flexible and to be able to customize its logistics networks to fit the need of the company (Singh & Pandey, 2015). A good example of a company that had to customize its logistic network was Nokia when its supplier was burnt down. In 2001, Philip’s plant in Albuquerque was burned, which affected hundreds of microchips that were supposed to be sent to two of its major customers, Nokia and Ericsson (Latour, 2001). The two companies faced the challenge differently, which led to the success of one company and the failure of the other. Nokia chose to work with Philips in addressing the issue by using some of its plants to manufacture specific integrated circuits (ASIC). Such a decision was critical in making sure Nokia got the p...