1.

Supply chain management fulfils an integral role in reducing operating costs,

improving an organisation’s bottom line and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Research your organisation’s (or an organisation of your choice) supply chain
structure, processes and networks to determine how the supply chain adds value to
said organisation. Write a report in which you:
a) Include an illustration of the organisation’s supply chain links, processes,
functions, networks and relationships. In doing so, explain the importance of
mapping these elements. (30)
b) Explain the importance of planning to achieve supply chain and organisational
objectives. (20)
c) Differentiate between the different supply chain activities and explain how
each are costed. (20)
d) Discuss how supply chain performance is managed and the approaches used
to improve supply chain performance (including the role of technology and
information processing). (20)
e) Discuss organisational policies and procedures that guide supply chain
operations and behaviour. (10)

Where appropriate, include theories, concepts, charts and tables to support your answers.

2. Supply chain planning is concerned with developing a strategy to balance supply and
demand, monitor supply chain fulfilment and predict an organisation’s future
requirements. Investigate the approaches to, and processes used in, supply chain
planning in your organisation (or an organisation of your choice) and then create a
presentation in which you:
a) Summarise how the supply chain is planned from both operational and
strategic perspectives. (20)
b) Explain the relationship between supply chain planning and customer service
levels. (10)
c) Describe the role of inventory in the supply chain. (20)
d) Provide an overview of the importance of inventory control in the supply
chain. (10)
e) Outline two different strategies that the organisation may use for supply chain
planning, (10) highlighting strategy benefits (10) and constraints. (10)
f) Conclude your presentation with new and developing supply chain strategies
which may facilitate effective supply chain planning. (10)

3. Supply chain operations encompass supply chain structures, systems and processes
that are used to plan and execute the flow of materials and goods from the source to
the end-customer. To ensure the effectiveness of a supply chain process, it is
important to understand both an organisation’s internal operation as well as that of
the extended supply chain. As part of preparing a business case, you have been
asked to analyse your organisation’s (or an organisation of your choice) supply chain
operation. Your analysis should:
a) Identify three separate activities in the supply chain explaining how each of
these are costed. (30)
b) Explain the role of performance indicators in the supply chain and describe
two types of performance indicators used to evaluate performance. (20)
c) Explain how the supply chain functions as part of the organisation’s marketing
mix. (20)
d) Describe how and why the supply chain responds to customer needs. (20)
e) Explain the nature and purpose of benchmarking and discuss how the
organisation’s supply chain is benchmarked. (10)