Theses and Dissertations
Filtering by
- Creators: Department of Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management is becoming an increasingly vital component in the success of an organization. Business and government leaders continue to recognize the importance of having robust and resilient supply chains. This trend has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which brought to light the fragility of the modern global supply chain network. Decades of offshoring has led to the inability of businesses to adequately manufacture critical supplies in times of crisis. This reality is most prevalent in the healthcare industry. Antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, PPE, testing equipment are almost entirely sourced from Chinese manufacturers. Building a more resilient healthcare supply chain requires a revaluation of critical items, cooperation between businesses and government, and recognizing the precarious situation for the United States which has become completely reliant on foreign manufacturers. <br/> Businesses are looking to develop more resilient supply chains which can respond and predict unforeseen market circumstances. The federal government is reckoning the national security concern of sourcing nearly all antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals from Chinese manufacturers. Aligning the goals of key stakeholders and developing the necessary incentive structure to encourage domestic manufacturing is necessary to respond to this crisis. As the global economy becomes increasingly interconnected and dependent on changes to markets anywhere on the globe, a renewed focus on proactive strategies is necessary to ensure the security and resiliency of the United States healthcare supply chain.
Technology continues to impact human's daily lives and behavior, from how we purchase our groceries to how we get access to news and the means we communicate with others. New technologies are constantly being introduced and are not only influencing the public but also how businesses operate. During this technological era companies are investing more in research and development to learn more about the potential benefits of these technologies. This research, in particular, will address the need for companies' investment and continuous improvement in transportation management systems among complex supply chains to increase adoption rates of TMS technology. Also I will show how Transportation management systems have increased cost savings, customer satisfaction, the optimization of data, and planning. Such research is further supported by personal interviews with Intel, Big lots, Leslie’s Pools, and At Home, whom all have experience with transportation management systems within their business operations.
The deliverable for my project was, in this case, a video that helps to visualize the differences between these supply chains, while also educating the listener about various key facts that make this problem so complex. It utilizes an adapted framework to visualize the main stakeholders in the supply chain, providing explanations and photos of each level. It then dives into further detail of the first level in the supply chain: Pickers.
The challenges that companies face when digitally transforming the supply chain can often be self-inflicted. This paper will address those challenges and provide a structured approach to a successful transformation. It will also share insight from interviews conducted with the CIO and directors of three different companies as well various studies from outside sources. The purpose is to urge business leaders to re-evaluate the way they approach digital transformation in the supply chain to close information gaps and provide value to the whole organization.