Understanding Supply Chain Management Concepts

Why Should You Attend:

Supply chains and supply chain management was first discussed in the 1990s and eventually became well-recognized terms in the 21st century. However, many organizations define supply chain management as procurement or logistics. Supply chain management is the management of a network of organizations from cradle-to-cradle or cradle-to-grave. It includes all the layers of suppliers and customers and all transportation providers as well as all intermediaries.

It is a business concept that is growing in importance. Employees in organizations today are part of many supply chains, so it is critical everyone really understands what constitutes a supply chain. It is noted by business experts that supply chain concepts influence 90 percent of an organization’s costs. Supply chain management principles generate higher levels of sales, increase profits, and save the organization money. Anyone who wants to build a career must understand supply chain management concepts.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• Supply chain and supply chain management defined.
• The evolution of this business concept
• The impact of supply chain management
• The outcomes of supply chains
• The layout of a supply chain
• Collaborative relationships
• Silo issues
• Long-term contracts
• Stakeholders and channel members
• The supply chain hierarchy
• Planning the supply chains
• Performance outcomes
• Tier selection and tier management
• Communication among the supply chain networks.
• Technology
• Supply and demand matching
• Transparency
• Risk management

Who Will Benefit:

Managers, Supervisors, Directors, and Vice-Presidents as well as others in the areas of:

• Supply management personnel (purchasing, procurement)
• Anyone in an organization who also is involved in purchasing services or materials.
• Engineers
• Research and Development
• Safety Managers
• Human Resource Managers/Supervisors

Jose Mora
Principal Consultant, Atzari Enterprises

José Mora is a Principal Consultant specializing in Manufacturing Engineering and Quality Systems. For over 30 years he has worked in the medical device and life sciences industry specializing in manufacturing, process development, tooling, and quality systems. Prior to working full time as a consulting partner for Atzari Consulting, José served as Director of Manufacturing Engineering at Boston Scientific and as Quality Systems Manager at Stryker Orthopedics, where he introduced process performance, problem solving, and quality system methodologies. During that time he prepared a white paper on the application of lean manufacturing methods to the creation and management of controlled documents and a template for strategic deployment. José led the launch of manufacturing at a start-up urology products company as Director of Manufacturing for UroSurge, Inc. at the University of Iowa's business incubator park in Coralville, IA, creating a world-class medical device manufacturing operation, with JIT, kanban systems, visual workplace and lean manufacturing practices. José worked for 10 years at Cordis Corporation, now a Cardinal Health company, where he led the successful tooling, process development and qualification of Cordis' first PTA (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty) catheter. His medical device experience includes surgical instruments, PTA & PTCA dilatation and guiding catheters, plastic surgery implants and tissue expanders, urology implants and devices for the treatment of incontinence, delivery systems for brachytherapy, orthopaedic implants and instruments, and vascular surgery grafts and textiles. During his time at Cordis, José managed the Maintenance and Facilities Department, taking that operation to a level rated as “tops” by the UK Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) during one of their intensive audits. Jose managed Manufacturing Engineering as part of the Guiding Catheter Core Team of managers, a team that took the Cordis Guiding Catheter business to lead the market, bringing it up from fourth place. By introducing world-class techniques, the Guiding Catheter design and manufacturing was completely re-engineered for robust design and tooling, under Jose's leadership. He was also instrumental and played a leadership role in the complete re-engineering of the Tooling Control System, including design drafting, the tool shop and technical support. Wherever he has worked, he has a track record of introducing world-class methodologies such as Kepner-Tregoe, Taguchi techniques, Theory of Constraints, Lean Manufacturing, Five S (Visual Workplace), process validation to Global Harmonization Task Force standards, and similar approaches.

Topic Background:

Supply chain management is a concept that has evolved over many years, beginning with the implementation of materials management in the 1980s. Materials management integrated those functions involved in the management of materials and suppliers, such as procurement, demand planning, warehousing, forecasting, production planning and scheduling, manufacturing, inventory management, transportation, and customer service. These areas were moved under one boss, and decisions were based on what was best for the management of the organization’s materials to what was best for a department.

This concept proved very successful in reducing stock outs, inventory levels, duplication, etc. Materials management has evolved into supply chain management focusing on collaboration between not only the materials management area but also other functions that impact products and services.

Supply chain management brings a focus to all the layers of organizations that contribute to the final product and/or service. It moves organizations from functions to processes. Those processes cross over departmental boundaries as well as over company boundaries and require commitment of all stakeholders on the ultimate customer. It looks at all raw materials from their very beginnings, such as on a farm.

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