Overcoming Obstacles in Supply Chain Management

The assignment requires students to identify and discuss an important obstacle that must be overcome to manage a supply chain successfully. The content highlights the importance of supply chain resilience, citing examples such as the 'Horsemeat Scandal' and '100's of garment workers crushed to death'. Students are expected to use live data sources and provide a detailed analysis of one obstacle, using relevant theory and concepts.

Global Supply Chain Management
Module Global Supply Chain Management
ASSIGNMENT 1
“Supply Chains are only of any interest to customers when they go wrong. Therefore, Supply Chain Resilience is considered as a very
important factor in modern Supply Chains”
The above statement is shown to be true in numerous occasions in the past. Examples include the “Horsemeat Scandal” in processed
meat products, “100’s of garment workers crushed to death” in an arguably avoidable factory collapse in Bangladesh, or other “Supply
Chain Scandals” in Asia that have affected McDonald’s, Burger King and Starbucks. These scandals (specifically in branded products)
have caused significant reputational and financial damage (as well as loss of human life) to different types of industries.
By taking as an example a Supply Chain that you are familiar with, identify and discuss in detail ONE ONLY important obstacle
(such as Demand Forecasting, Inventory Management, Bullwhip Effect, Traceability etc.) that must be overcome to manage that
Supply Chain successfully (100% of the assignment grade).
Typical examples of Supply Chains may include: production of fresh milk, automobile manufacturing, outpatient appointments or
accident and emergency departments in public hospitals, banking services, supermarkets, the garment industry, pharmaceutical
products, food supply chains etc.
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Global Supply Chain Management
Some of the data for this assignment may be ‘live’; for instance the horsemeat scandal was reported extensively in the newspapers, on
the media and other company accounts. You should use these sources for information on what may go wrong within your chosen Supply
Chain. Material for most Supply Chains is easily available and is included in books and articles. Theory of supply chain strategies,
relationships and response to breakdown is to be found in textbooks and peer review journal articles.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
This assignment represents 50% of your overall module mark. The maximum word count is 3000 words (+/- 10%). You will also need to take
the following into account when completing your assignment:
 Quality of executive summary (does it give a brief complete summary of your paper for an executive to read?)
 Establishment of relevant theory (e.g. what do I mean by supply chain resilience or supply chain obstacles?)
 Allocation of credit and sources used (have I included references and citations to the material I have used?)
 Clarity of argument
 Overall report presentation including spelling and grammar
 Adherence to nominated word limit (+/- 10%)
 Word processed (letter size 12, times new roman, 1.5 space), fully referenced (Harvard Referencing System)
The assignment must be submitted via OnlineCampus. Please remember that marks for assignment will also be awarded in relation to
presentation and structure, and aspects such as use of examples, figures, tables, illustrations and statistics that indicate
wider/independent reading.
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Global Supply Chain Management
INDICATIVE READING
Please refer to the reading list issued at the start of the module. Further material in the form of articles from refereed journals and web references
are available on OnlineCampus and SOLAR. www.emeraldinsight.com and www.sciencedirect.com are two good starting points for refereed
publications.
RELEVANCE TO LEARNING OUTCOMES:
 Analyse and critically evaluate the ways in which supply chains are adapted in view of specific market dynamics and environments.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of global lead-time management and time-compression.
 Critically analyse the theory, concepts and models of global supply chain management to interpret and understand complex and
ambiguous risks in global logistics and supply chain environments.
 Locate, summarise and synthesise a range of information from published literature and electronic sources on GSCM.
ASSESMENT HOUSEKEEPING
You are required to follow the University’s regulations regarding plagiarism and citing sources and references used. Assignments may not be
submitted late. Marking penalties for late submission will follow the University regulations for PMC and late submission. Please note that there
are changes in the late submission process this year.
Thank you
Dr Yiannis Polychronakis
Criterion / 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 40-49 0-39
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Global Supply Chain Management
Mark range
Overall level
(indicative –
not for
grading)
Standard comparable to
journal publication
Standard comparable to
conference paper
publication
Distinctive work for
Masters level
Merit work for
Masters level
Acceptable for
Masters
Below Masters
pass standard
Significantly
below Masters
pass standard
Scope Outstanding clarity of
focus, includes what is
important, and excludes
irrelevant issues.
Excellent clarity of
focus, boundaries set
with no significant
omissions or
unnecessary issues.
Clear focus. Very good
setting of boundaries,
includes most of what is
relevant.
Clear scope and
focus, with some
omissions or
unnecessary issues.
Scope evident and
satisfactory but with
some omissions and
unnecessary issues.
Poorly scoped,
with significant
omissions and
unnecessary
issues.
Little or no
scope or focus
evident.
Understandi
ng of subject
matter
Outstanding with critical
awareness of relevance
of issues. Outstanding
expression of ideas.
Excellent with critical
awareness of relevance
of issues. Excellent
expression of ideas.
Very good with critical
awareness of relevance of
issues. Outstanding
expression of ideas.
Good with some
awareness of
relevance of issues.
Ideas are expressed,
with some limitation.
Basic with limited
awareness of
relevance of issues.
Limited expression of
ideas.
Poor with little
awareness of
relevance of
issues
Little or no
understanding
of subject
matter is
demonstrated.
Literature
Comprehensive
literature review.
Evaluation and
synthesis of source
material to produce an
outstanding
contribution.
Excellent independent
secondary research.
Sources are evaluated
and synthesized to
produce an excellent
contribution.
Very good independent
secondary research.
Sources are evaluated
and synthesized to
produce a very good
contribution.
Good secondary
research to extend
taught materials.
Evidence of
evaluation of
sources, with some
deficiencies in choice
and synthesis.
Limited secondary
research to extend
taught materials.
Limited evaluation of
sources, deficiencies
in choice and
synthesis.
Little or no
extension of
taught materials.
Poor choice and
synthesis of
materials.
Poor use of
taught
materials. No
synthesis.
Critical
analysis
based on
evidence
Standard of critical
analysis – showing
questioning of sources,
understanding of bias,
independence of
thought
Excellent standard of
critical analysis –
excellence in
questioning of sources,
understanding of bias,
independence of
thought
A very good standard of
critical analysis. Sources
are questioned
appropriately, and a very
good understanding of
bias, showing
independence of thought
Critical analysis with
some questioning of
sources,
understanding of
bias, independence
of thought.
Analysis evident but
uncritical. Sources
are not always
questioned, with
limited independence
of thought.
Little or no
analysis.
No valid
analysis.
Structure of
argument,
leading to
conclusion
Well structured,
compelling and
persuasive argument
that leads to a valuable
contribution to the field
of study, paving the way
for future work.
Argument has excellent
structure and
persuasiveness, leading
to very significant
insights and relevant
future work.
Well-structured and
persuasive argument
Insightful conclusion
draws together key issues
and possible future work.
Structured and fairly
convincing argument
leads to conclusion
that summarises key
issues.
Argument has some
structure and
development towards
conclusion with
limitations in
summary of issues.
Argument is
unstructured, no
recognizable
conclusion.
No evidence of
argument or
conclusion.
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