Name : Aqiilah

Student ID : 702145

International Lecturer Report

Topic : Fully Optimized Supply Chain - Winning In A Digital Era
Lecturer : Dr. Olayemi Abdullateef Aliyu

Supply Chain Management consists of a set of approaches that efficiently integrate the
flow of finances, materials, and information from suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers,
distributors and retailers to the final customer and vice versa. There are three important things in
supply chain management namely product, information and finance. Product is important but not
as important as information. Information helps the company examine what customers want and
need, and the company must know what information is required for their supply chain
management.
The primary objective of supply chain management is to improve the service levels to
customers or improve customer satisfaction while reducing overall cost of supply chain and help
companies compete with other companies.

Supply chain management is important.

1. To improve customer service.
Customers expect to receive the correct product mix and quality to deliver on time.
The company needs to assure that it is not only satisfaction that is important but the
company needs to get their customer delighted. The right time, the right place, the
right quality, and the right price is the key to improve customer service.
2. Reduce operating cost.
a. Decrease purchasing costs
b. Decrease production costs
c. Decrease total Supply chain costs
3. Improve Financial Position
a. Insert Profit Leverage
b. Decrease Fixed Assets
 c. Increases Cash Flows

Supply Chain is also a part of operation. There are many types of supply chains, direct
supply chain and indirect supply chain. Direct supply chain is when the product is directly
delivered from producers to the customer. Indirect supply chains is when the product is delivered
through intermediaries, such as retailers, wholesalers, etc.
Supply chain process flow starts from planning and forecasting the supply chain flow.
The company must decide on the product design and how to produce. When forecasting the
company needs to adjust it to customers' demand, to get a better projection.

There are three most important elements to modern Supply Chain Management.
1. Technology - Technology is changing as time goes by. Moving from the
traditional to modern. Every company needs to adapt to this kind of situation. By
leveraging new technologies, it can simplify business processes, reduce the cost,
increase customer satisfaction, and provide greater control over the supply chain.
2. Continuous Improvement - A company should eliminate non-value-added and
solving tough business through their supply chain. Continuous improvement is
one of the total quality management parts besides customer satisfaction and
employee involvement.
3. Resilience - by building strategic partnership with suppliers resulting in resilient
supply chains where suppliers can improve their efficiency and quality.

Supply chain optimization refers to improving processes with technology. As the

technology keeps on growing and artificial intelligence/ machine learning continues to evolve,
businesses need to be aware of data and information. Managers are not only responsible for their
inner workings, but also should be responsible for the accuracy of the data shared with other
branches of the business. Value-added propositions will help drive business decisions and help
the company be more efficient.
To optimize the supply chain management, there are five ways, as follows :
1. Think Globally but Act Locally - the company needs to think outside their own
country to widen their mind.
 2. Focus in core strength and outsource all other activities
3. Improve collaboration between manufacturer/supplier and retailer for demand
data driven forecasting and inventory management - this can help to minimize the
costs
4. Utilize mobile-based technology
5. Build a responsive supply chain - this can help to minimize the lead time.

Supply chain analytics is analytics that can affect quality, delivery, customer experience
-- and ultimately, increase profitability. Supply chain analytics assists the company to uncover
patterns and generate insights based on a summary of relevant and trusted data.