Planning the bioterrorism response supply chain: Learn and live

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 231-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret L. Brandeau, PhD ◽  
David W. Hutton, MS ◽  
Douglas K. Owens, MD, MS ◽  
Dena M. Bravata, MD, MS

Responses to bioterrorism require rapid procurement and distribution of medical and pharmaceutical supplies, trained personnel, and information. Thus, they present significant logistical challenges. On the basis of a review of the manufacturing and service supply chain literature, the authors identified five supply hain strategies that can potentially increase the speed of response to a bioterrorism attack, reduce inventories, and save money: effective supply chain network design; effective inventory management; postponement of product customization and modularization of component parts; coordination of supply chain stakeholders and appropriate use of incentives; and effective information management. The authors describe how concepts learned from published evaluations of manufacturing and service supply chains, as well as lessons learned from responses to natural disasters, naturally occurring outbreaks, and the 2001 US anthrax attacks, can be applied to design, evaluate, and improve the bioterrorism response supply chain. Such lessons could also be applied to the response supply chains for disease outbreaks and natural and manmade disasters.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem Butt

PurposeThis study explores the countermeasures taken by retailers to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chain disruptions.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a multiple case study approach and undertakes 36 semi-structured interviews with senior management of the four largest retailers of the United Arab Emirates. The respondents were designated at different positions such as Vice President, Director and Project Manager.FindingsResults reveal that retailers are employing six countermeasures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chains. Particularly, retailers are securing required demand, preserving cash flows, redirecting inventory, adding capacity to their distribution centres, becoming more flexible with their direct or third-party logistics provider and finally widening delivery options for their suppliers to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations. First, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a broader population as it attempts to build an initial theory. Second, this study uses a cross-sectional approach to explore the countermeasures employed by retailing firms to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.Originality/valueA notable weakness in a supply chain disruption literature is an unfulfilled need for research examining the strategies employed by retailers to respond to/address the challenges posed by COVID-19. Our study fills this gap.


Author(s):  
Lidia Betcheva ◽  
Feryal Erhun ◽  
Houyuan Jiang

Problem definition: The lessons learned over decades of supply chain management provide an opportunity for stakeholders in complex systems, such as healthcare, to understand, evaluate, and improve their complicated and often inefficient ecosystems. Academic/practical relevance: The complexity in managing healthcare supply chains offers opportunities for important and impactful research avenues in key supply chain management areas such as coordination and integration (e.g., new care models), mass customization (e.g., the rise in precision medicine), and incentives (e.g., emerging reimbursement schemes), which might, in turn, provide insights relevant to traditional supply chains. We also put forward new perspectives for practice and possible research directions for the supply chain management community. Methodology: We provide a primer on supply chain thinking in healthcare, with a focus on healthcare delivery, by following a framework that is customer focused, systems based, and strategically orientated and that simultaneously considers clinical, operational, and financial dimensions. Our goal is to offer an understanding of how concepts and strategies in supply chain management can be applied and tailored to healthcare by considering the sector’s unique challenges and opportunities. Results: After identifying key healthcare stakeholders and their interactions, we discuss the main challenges facing healthcare services from a supply chain perspective and provide examples of how various supply chain strategies are being and can be used in healthcare. Managerial implications: By using supply chain thinking, healthcare organizations can decrease costs and improve the quality of care by uncovering, quantifying, and addressing inefficiencies.


2011 ◽  
Vol 58-60 ◽  
pp. 2141-2146
Author(s):  
Xiao Di ◽  
Bao Xing

Based on demand uncertainty, the paper studies inventory management decision of two competing supply chains from the perspective of customer service. The paper mainly discusses two different inventory strategies, which are widely used, that is, consignment stock and VMI, and analyzes the optimal policies under three competitive scenarios, which consist of using consignment stock in both supply chains (CC mode), using VMI in both supply chains (DD mode), and using consignment stock in one supply chain but VMI another (VC mode). The paper compares equilibrium inventory level and profit of supply chain in different competitive modes, and concludes that both supply chains use VMI is equilibrium, which means that when manufacturers have right to choose inventory management policy, they prefer VMI. But it isn’t paradoxical with the phenomenon that consignment stock is common in reality, because manufacturers are forced to use consignment by retailer’s channel power.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prabhat Mittal

The present study is an attempt to quantify the Bullwhip Effect (BWE) -the phenomenon in which information on demand is distorted in moving up a supply chain. Assuming that the retailer employs an order-up-to level policy with auto-regressive process (AR), the paper investigates the influence of forecasting methods on bullwhip effect. Determining the order-up-to levels and the orders for the retailers’ demands in an isolated manner neglects the correlation of the demands and the relevant risk pooling effects associated with the network structure of the supply chains are disregarded. It is illustrated that the bullwhip effects are significantly reduced with consideration of potential correlation between the retailers’ demand.


Supply chain processes involved in this like sourcing, transportation, warehousing, inventory management, replenishment, cold chain management. Warehousing is the segment of enterprise logistic functions responsible for the storage space and managing of the inventories beginning with suppliers receipt and ending with the consumption point. Warehouse operations cover a number of significant areas, from the receiving, organization, fulfillment, and supply processes and areas including Receiving of goods, integrating and maintaining tracking software. Goal of warehouse operations is to satisfy customer’s desires and necessities whereas utilizing house, equipment, and labor effectively. The current trends and pressures on provide chain and logistics-forever increasing client examine levels, inventory optimization, time solidity and cost minimization have predictably changed the structure of supply chains and the location site and working of warehouses within the supply chains network .Supply Chain Management encompasses scheduling and organization of all activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion, and logistics managing activities. The business contains each variety of warehouses and the trendy multi-purpose supply centers furthermore because the ancient storage facilities called godowns.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-19
Author(s):  
Hubert Escaith ◽  
Sangeeta Khorana ◽  
William A. Kerr

As the world economy has become increasingly integrated the spectre of transnational supply chains has become a central feature of globalisation. The smooth and unfettered working of transnational supply chains has facilitated efficiency increasing changes to business operations (such as just in time inventory management). The automotive sector worldwide has been at the forefront of internationally integrated supply systems. The European Union (EU) has, in part, been structured to reduce friction in Europe-wide supply chains through the single market. Transnational supply chains are at the heart of United Kingdom (UK) – EU trade, and the UK’s departure from the EU’s single market (Brexit) will increase friction in international trade. This case study of the UK’s automotive sector uses a social network approach to analyse supply chain linkages between the UK, EU and other trading partners, and how these could be impacted as a result of Brexit. We use data from Trade in Value Added (TiVA) and World Input-Output Database (WIOD) to map supply chains, estimate total value-added in exports and examine how Brexit is likely to impact the competitiveness of UK exports. Results confirm that the UK’s automotive sector is closely integrated with the EU. To offset the loss of UK’s export competitiveness after Brexit, trade facilitation measures complemented with a duty drawback scheme could be an option in the short run. Policy measures are, however, unlikely to replace the benefits of duty-free and frictionless access enjoyed under single market trading arrangements. This suggests that the UK automotive sector, which is primarily comprised of globally active firms, may have to reconfigure supply chain arrangements and in the long run alter how decisions pertaining to locations are made. Keywords: Brexit, global value chains, input-output linkages, WIOD.


Logistics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Takaki Nagao ◽  
Hiromasa Ijuin ◽  
Tetsuo Yamada ◽  
Keisuke Nagasawa ◽  
Lei Zhou

Background: COVID-19 has disrupted and adversely affected supply chains worldwide. A global supply chain network that considers disruptions is needed. This study strategically analyzes the economic and structural effects of disruption on a global supply chain network with customs duty and the trans-pacific partnership (TPP) agreement. Methods: We present a cost minimization model which helps in understanding the difficulty of supplying materials or products to factories or customers if the supplier’s cities are facing disruption. This enables us to model and evaluate simultaneous considerations of supplier disruption, customs duty, and TPP in redesigning a global supply chain network. This network is modeled and formulated using integer programming, disruption scenarios, and a sensitivity analysis for customs duty. Results: Regarding the impact of disruptions on suppliers, two patterns emerge in the reconfigured network: direct changes due to supplier disruptions and indirect changes due to factory relocation. The sensitivity analysis for customs duty shows that the TPP has a positive impact on cost maintained, even in the presence of disruptions. Conclusions: Suppliers should be switched depending on the scale of disruption; when many distant suppliers need to be switched, the factory should be relocated to the country where these suppliers are located.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 232-249
Author(s):  
Matloub Hussain ◽  
Mehmood Khan ◽  
Mian Ajmal ◽  
Bilal Ahmad Khan

Purpose Supply chain quality management (SCQM) has gained less attention in the Arab world, and there is a clear dearth in existing research on this topic, particularly in service organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for investigating the impact of SCQM and associated indicators on organizational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach Empirical data have been collected through a survey distributed to a sample of major telecom companies in United Arab Emirates (UAE). To test the conceptual framework, structural equation modeling (SEM) has been used to analyze the data collected from 248 respondents of telecom companies. Findings The empirical data showed that SCQM practices are significantly correlated with innovation and operations performance. Statistical analysis through SEM also revealed that customer satisfaction has highest direct impact on OP. Research limitations/implications External factors (government regulations, policies and culture) also affect the SCQM practices. Hence, future work should incorporate these parameters as well. Practical implications This is a contribution to the continuing research into SCQM, giving supply chain managers and designers a practical way for measuring and implementing SCQM practices across service supply chains. Originality/value The contribution of this research, through successive stages of data collection, measurement analysis and refinement, is a set of reliable and valid framework that can be subsequently used in conceptualization and measuring quality of service supply chains.


Author(s):  
Ertunga C. Özelkan ◽  
Agnes Galambosi

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is believed to change how supply chains operate today. While RFID’s promise for improved inventory visibility and automation in inventory management is making many supply chain players hopeful for increased sales and reduced operating costs, these benefits do come at a cost and involve risks. This paper presents a financial returns analysis that captures RFID’s costs and benefits, and quantifies the financial risks of implementing RFID for various business sizes and products with different unit profits to understand when RFID makes business sense. More precisely, the returns analysis is performed using an econometric model to understand how break-even sales volumes, unit profits, tag prices, return on investment, and risks vary between a manufacturer and a retailer in a supply chain. The results are extended to multi-product cases as well. A sensitivity analysis is also performed to understand the returns in pessimistic and optimistic scenarios.


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