SUPPLY CHAIN OF CLEAR VISION OPTICAL COMPANY

Introduction

Chain supply basically entails a network of business entities which are indirectly or directly interlinked and mutually dependent in offering services to the same customer or client (Sehgal, 2011). These entities consists of vendors who assists in supplying raw material to the business organization, producers who takes the responsibility of converting them into finished goods, warehouse for storing them, distribution centers for delivering them to retailers, as well as the retailers for delivering them to the end user (Quayle, 2006). In connection to that, it should be noted that producers will not be in the position of offering consumers all that they desire, where and when, and at an affordable price unless the supply chain to underlie the value chains. Produce use the supply chain so as to compete favorably. Moreover, there exists no degree of improvements a producer can make at his or her production end which in return can result to shortages in the supply chain or reduce the his or her competitive ability (Ramanathan & Ramanathan, 2013).

Discuss the supply chain models adopted by the firm, and comment on the supply chain strategies in achieving competitive advantage in the international market

To begin with, the Clear Vision Optical is one of the business enterprises which specialize in the general manufacture and distribution of prescription and fashion sunglasses. With regard to the vision and mission of the company, experience is what is greatly taken into consideration. Basically the clients of the company are all perceived to be independent eye-care specialists who descriptive eye cares to the general public. With respect to that, the fact is that the integrated supply chain model which is used by the company is mainly driven by the market demand for its products (Frazelle, 2002). The reason for that is because it is the one which enables the management authority to integrate production, sales, and purchase strategies with the logistic chains. So as to be in the position of building an integrated supply chain model for the company, the model which is mainly used comprises an internal management system as well as the external supply chain system (Quayle, 2006).

In regard to that demand profile or demand variation is the one which has been consistently influencing the stability of the asset manufacturing workload of the enterprise.  As a result of that, market mediation expenses have been having a greater influence in reflecting fragile and unstable balance which exists between products obsolesces and lost sales. Conversely, the production lifecycle of the company is the one which has been getting shorter in the process of responding to the urgency of changing consumer demand trends, fashion, and technology in the industry (Sehgal, 2011). These factors in return are the ones which has the capacity of impacting the market meditation expenses and the predictability costs. Consequently, from the perspective of the management authority, it is clear that these supply chain strategies has the potential of pushing the management authority to the extent of increasing the speed of the development of its products as well as renewing the product portfolio of the company (Ramanathan & Ramanathan, 2013).

In addition to that, the general relevance of the expenses the company has been incurring is one of the industrial factors which profit it. As one of the company trying to fit his profile, the fact is that the supply chain has result to the higher utilization rate especially to the detriment of the service levels they offer to the general public. Conversely, because of the reason that the relevance cost of the assets of the company might have been low, the company had the opportunity of increasing client satisfaction through the reduction of their market meditation expenses (Sehgal, 2011).

The above explanation indicates that the strategic, tactical and operational are the main supply chain strategies used by the enterprise in achieving its competitive edge in the international market. In other words, with strategic approach, the management of this company has been seeking high-levels of strategic decision regarding the size and location of the enterprise, partnering with its suppliers, sales markets, and so on.  For the tactical decision, the main focus of the company has been on adopting all the measures which had the potential of producing cost benefits for instance working with other logistic businesses which assists in developing cheap transportation means, and establishing warehouse strategies for reducing the expenses to be incurred in storing inventory (Quayle, 2006).  Finally, at the operational level, the company has been making daily decisions which have the potential of affecting how its supply is moved along the supply chain. In other words, this involves establishing schedule changes to the production scale, taking orders from their customers, as well as delivering products to the warehouses at the right time (Ramanathan & Ramanathan, 2013).

Examine the strategic fit of the firm’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Internal Supply Chain Management (ISCM), and Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) to its mission, vision, and business objectives

With respect to the above considerations, customer relationship management is what has grown to the extent of becoming the top priority of the company. The reason for that is because the main objective of the company is to gain competitive advantage in the modern stormy economy. As compared to other organization in the industry, the strategic fit of the company with regard to the CRM is profit maximization (Jha, 2008). Conversely, the company achieves that though offering better services to its customers unlike its competitors in the industry. This is also in line with the need of reducing the expenses the company incurs, wastage, as well as the customer complaints if any.

Nevertheless, the strategic fit of the company in managing the relationship of its customers has been noted to have the potential of reducing staff stress. The reason for that is because attrition is one of the factors which the management authority of the company identified as the major cause of stress in the process of improving their relationship (Kamath & Saurav, 2016). Other than enabling direct market research for the company, the authority has had the potential of opening its lines of communications with the customers (Jha, 2008). This offers another avenue of having direct market reaction to the performance, services, and products much better unlike any market survey the company had been undertaking. In return, the company has managed to retain its customers and reduce its churn rates. In short, the strategy used by the company entails the means of building and developing valuable assets for its future development i.e. customer base (Sugandhi, 2003).

Conversely, although the company has been operating on independent basis, expressing the mission and vision to its employees assists in providing high quality products as well as exceptional services to the independent an existing eye care specialists. The commitment the management has to customer services comes from the need of helping the company to grow. This is also as a result of the long-lasting the management has in establishing good relationship with its customers so as to make them remain intact (Sugandhi,  2003).

In connection to the customer relationship management strategies used by the company, the integrated supply chain management strategy used by the company entails linking its customers and suppliers with its internal supplying process. This has been one of the evolutionary steps that a company undertakes in connection to its supply chain. In addition to that, the internal supply chain management strategic fit of the company has been noted to have the capacity of delivering it with competitive advantage (Kamath & Saurav, 2016). This has been achievable through offering opportunities which in return assists in streamlining manufacturing processes, costs hence increasing customer supports in return.

Nonetheless, considering the matrix model of the company, the horizontal flow of its supply chain is the one which has been essential as compared to the vertical flow. This is to say that the horizontal model has been assisting the company in adding value to its customers through taking example of the management system used by other organizations in the industry. In regard to that, the integrated supply chain used by the management consists of a network of warehouses, suppliers, and distribution centers of acquiring raw material and transforming the probable products to the customers (Kucht & T.U.B, 2015). This chain is also one of the operational, tactical, and strategic level decision making which the management authority uses in optimizing their performances.

The above information indicates that the strategic supply chain management used by the company has the potential of defining the transportation routes to be used, selection of suppliers, the facilities to be used for manufacturing, production levels, and so on.  The reason for that is because the tactical level strategies used by the company had the potential of meeting the actual demand of its customers so as to avoid shortages. The operational and tactical decision making strategies of the company remains to be distributed through its supply chain (Kucht & T.U.B, 2015).

In order to be in the position of optimizing the performance of this business enterprise, the function of the strategic supply chain is to operate it in an integrated manner. Thus, the dynamics of the company as well as the market strategies used makes it more and simpler in ensuring that customer orders are met in time. Since any problem regarding the supply chain cannot be locally contained, the management authority ensures that modifications across any manufacturing and distributing functions are systematically taken into consideration (Zinnert, 2010). I short, the integrated supply chain management used by the company ensure that all the activities are mutually coordinated.

With regard to the above considerations, the company has been taking a lot of transitions in its supplier relationship management. The objective for that is because the modern economy has several factors which ought to be taken into consideration in the process of selecting and managing its suppliers so as to make the process overwhelming. Making use of the modern technology is one of the strategic fit which enables the organization to simply and automates its manufacturing processes. Other than easing and quickening the whole process, the fact is that the management authority has the opportunity of making informed or sound decisions regarding its suppliers (Sollish & Semanik, 2012). The end result of this is that the company is able to cultivate meaningful supplier relationships. Earning the trust of its suppliers with ultimate honest communications, involving, and listening to their concerns is what has been making them to be a vested partners in the industry.

In connection to that, procurement is also another strategic fit the company has been using in acknowledging the bolster and vulnerable terms of the business. Quantitative and qualitative supplier information analysis is also what has been quickening and succinctly identifying the opportunities, risks, and weak spots of the world supply chain. This is to say that by improving the plans and strategies of management, the company has been able to align the suppliers as well as treat them as partners (Müller, 2005). This in return enables the management authority to decrease any associated risks as well as enhancing innovation and collaboration. In short, other than fostering quick transactional efficiency, large financial base, competitiveness, and risk management, the key to enhancing efficient SRM for the company is through having installing efficient system. The reason for that is because such as system has the potential of analyzing all the risk factors the company can be into in terms of the supply of the raw materials (Schuh, 2014).

Discuss the firm’s future supply chain development

As stated above, the mission of the company is all about growing and developing the culture of the enterprise. The reason for that is because it was essential for the enterprise to make meaningful and positive impact on the workers, business partners, and the community as a whole. Other than making to be a unique mission or objective of the enterprise, the company ensures that it embodies all that is expected in their industry as well as what is expected by it (Swinnen, 2007).The reason for that is because of the future supply chain expectation the company has in values, the community, and its responsibility to others. This is to say that, in case such information is taken as being more and more relevant to other stakeholders, the company will have the potential of optimizing its supply chain as comparable to the sub-optimization which is to be based on the local interest. From the information given by the management authority, the fact is that such a strategy is the one which has the capacity of enhancing better or efficient production and distribution of its products. In return, the management authority will be able to offer more and more attractive products and services to the customers. Conversely, this will lead to improved sales as well as the overall results of the company in their industry (Chris et al., 2016).

Moreover, with the general advancement in technology and globalization, the fact is that the company will be able to have quick and easier assessment to the alternative techniques used in manufacturing such products.  In association to that, the importance of enhancing its future product design is what the management authority considers to be the ultimate key of generating more and more demand. Other than fostering their competitive advantage, the future supply chain management of the company is coupled with the need of ensuring that some of the marketing elements are made to be less distinguishable (Chris et al., 2016).

In accordance to that, the future supply chain management is all about coming up with a better role which ensures that the company is able to offer attractive features which in return generates for demand of its products. Furthermore, in this context, it means that the future general demand for its products is what the company will be using in defining how the means to be used in satisfying the expectations of their customers (Cetinkaya, 2010). The reason for that is because product design is the one which will be affecting its future quality, costs, manufacturing process, and lead time. Moreover, it can be noted that the product design of the company is the one which will impact the associated future supply chain development of the company either directly or indirectly. By acknowledging that, it means that the company will be able to efficiently include production schedule, quality, and transportation to its existing and future system. The future supply chain development largely depends on the capabilities and the production design of the company.

In other words, since it is the supply chain which dictates the customer requirements, the future supply chain development for the company will remain to be an end-to-end process which will guide the general flow of its products in the market (Cetinkaya, 2010). Likewise, because of the complexity of the modern economy, the company’s future supply chain development will be representing the quickness of fostering its economies of scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Cetinkaya, B. (2010). Sustainable supply chain management: Practical ideas for moving towards best practice. (Sustainable Supply Chain Management.) Berlin: Springer.

Chris H, Rick H, & Chuck S. (2016). Lean Supplier Development: Establishing Partnerships and True Costs Throughout the Supply Chain. CRC Press

Frazelle, E. (2002). Supply chain strategy: The logistics of supply chain management. New York: McGraw-Hill.

In Ramanathan, U., & In Ramanathan, R. (2013). Supply chain strategies, issues and models.

Jha, L. (2008). Customer relationship management: A strategic approach. New Delhi: Global India Publications.

Kamath, N., & Saurav, S. (2016). Handbook of research on strategic supply chain management in the retail industry. Hershey, PA, USA: Business Science Reference.

Kucht, C. J., & Technische Universität Berlin. (2015). Integrated framework for managing sustainable supply chain practices.

Müller, R. (2005). Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Grundkonzepte, Strategien, Potenziale. München: Grin.

Schuh, C. (2014). Supplier relationship management: How to maximize vendor value and opportunity.

Sehgal, V. (2011). Supply chain as strategic asset: The key to reaching business goals. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Sollish, F., & Semanik, J. (2012). The procurement and supply manager's desk reference. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Sugandhi, R. K. (2003). Customer relationship management. New Delhi: New Age International.

Swinnen, J. F. M. (2007). Global supply chains, standards and the poor: How the globalization of food systems and standards affects rural development and poverty. Wallingford, UK: CABI.

Zinnert, S. (2010). Integrative Long-Term Supply Chain Demand Planning. Berlin: Logos Berlin.