Symposium On Changing Role Of Supermarkets -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Symposium On Changing Role Of Supermarkets? Answer: Introduction The report is a discussion on the globalisation of supply chain of Coles Supermarket. Coles is an Australian supermarket chain that opened its first store in the year 1914 on the Smith Street of Melbourne (Coles.com.au 2018). However, in the present day scenario, top management of Coles Supermarket have realized that better management of the supply chains by adopting a global perspective in terms of finance, purchasing, logistics and transportation management, management of materials, information technology and quality can largely enable the organization to not only implement initiatives strategically but also help in achieving overall goals. Strategies for Globalization the Supply Chain of Coles Supermarket Coles supermarket now looks forward in building solid progress of its existing supply chain ensuring its modification on a global perspective. The supermarket chain of Australia took baby steps in simplifying the ways of working by ensuring more efficiency, responding faster to the customers and ensuring delivery of better outcomes (Burch, Dixon and Lawrence 2013). The company however looks forward to replicate the benefits on a global scale through globalizing its existing supply chain. Although the changes will help in introducing, newer reporting lines and roles but they will also allow a single supply chain team on focusing a greater availability, freshness and value for the customers. The strategy adopted by Coles in globalisation of supply chain includes: Implementing a new demand centre for excellence for driving consistent processes and enhanced accuracy of forecast Implementation of newer supply chain operations of excellence for facilitating decision making and planning especially through sales support, demand planning, systems and business integration. Incorporation of demand planners with the merchandize and reporting to the supply chain managers for bringing the customers closer to the heart of the business and ensuring consistent ways for working. Implementation of new end-to-end structure that helped in reflecting strategic importance of the business in driving greater simplicity and efficiency The newer players in the scenario are not only forcing Coles Supermarket in rethinking their older strategies and implementing newer ones but cut down excessive and unnecessary cost across the supply chain of Coles. Critical Evaluation of the Approach Globalising supply chains comes with its own barriers and challenges. In presence of varying environment, international environment there exist a number of barriers and challenges in building a supply chain globally (Richards et al. 2013). Due to the globalisation of the supply chain, the Coles supermarket faces an uncertain political stability due to implementation of different agenda set by the government. Lack of critical market mass in specific countries can negatively influence the Coles Supermarket. With globalising, the transaction cost related to supply chain of Coles Supermarket increases due to difference in business environments. There is also a requirement for the use of in country partners or agents along with local requirement of content. Coles Supermarket also faces a lack of potential for repetitive purchases. Globalising the supply chain also enhances the financial risks and longer and unpredictable lead-time of the suppliers. Coles Supermarket faces a limited availa bility of the trained personnel for the supply and purchase of management positions. Globalizing the supply chain also brings in certain benefits for Coles Supermarket in the form of expanded opportunities for sourcing, opportunities for reaching newer customers in newer markets (Monczka et al. 2015). The application of theory ensures more room for growth and better opportunities for saving money Conclusion The report ends with a critical evaluation of the theory on globalising supply chain. There is also discussion on the strategies of globalising the supply chain of the supermarket chain. Coles Supermarket is however confident that application of such a theory would help its business scores a 100 percent. References Burch, D., Dixon, J. and Lawrence, G., 2013. Introduction to symposium on the changing role of supermarkets in global supply chains: From seedling to supermarket: Agri-food supply chains in transition.Agriculture and Human Values,30(2), pp.215-224. Coles.com.au. 2018.Coles Supermarkets. [online] Available at: https://www.coles.com.au/ [Accessed 17 Jan. 2018]. Monczka, R.M., Handfield, R.B., Giunipero, L.C. and Patterson, J.L., 2015.Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Richards, C., Bjrkhaug, H., Lawrence, G. and Hickman, E., 2013. Retailer-driven agricultural restructuringAustralia, the UK and Norway in comparison.Agriculture and human values,30(2), pp.235-245.