Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/supply-chain-disruption

Introduction

### Course Review: Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19 In an era marked by unprecedented disruptions, understanding the intricacies of supply chain management has never been more critical. "Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19," offered on Coursera, presents a timely and comprehensive exploration of how global events, especially a global pandemic, can affect supply chains. This course not only elaborates on theoretical frameworks but also offers practical insights into real-world supply chain challenges faced during COVID-19. #### Course Overview The course is meticulously designed to unravel the complexities surrounding supply chain management and the disruptions brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic. It dives deep into why supply chains are vulnerable and highlights both supply-side and demand-side issues. The curriculum strikes a perfect balance between theoretical knowledge and practical applications, ensuring that learners are well-equipped to understand and manage supply chain disruptions effectively. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **What is Supply Chain Management?** The course kicks off with a detailed introduction to supply chain management. This module builds a solid foundation by comparing historical and contemporary practices in supply chain operations, utilizing the SCOR Model as a guiding framework. Through carefully crafted examples, learners are taught how to evaluate supplier performance and align supply chain strategies with product types using renowned theories from Marshall Fisher and Hau Lee. 2. **Exploring the Concept of Supply Chain Disruption** This module provides an in-depth look at the vulnerabilities inherent in supply chains. By discussing structural characteristics such as complexity and visibility, learners gain critical insights into risk management and the significance of supply chain resilience. The exploration of various risk types—including probability and impact severity—helps create a comprehensive understanding of disruptions in different contexts, particularly manufacturing and healthcare. 3. **Discussing a Disruption: COVID-19 & the PPE Supply Chain** The hallmark of this course is its application of learned concepts to real-world scenarios, notably the PPE supply chain during the COVID-19 crisis. In this module, participants explore the bullwhip effect and the strategic challenges of managing demand surges, revisiting earlier theories to propose solutions to contemporary issues. Real-world examples from health supply chains enrich the learning experience and provide relevance to the theoretical knowledge gained. 4. **Best Practices for Managing Supply Chain Disruption** Finally, learners are introduced to a repertoire of best practices for effectively managing disruptions. By engaging in simulated disruption events, participants are able to apply theoretical concepts in practical scenarios, leading to a more profound understanding of effective supply chain strategies. The focus on organizational management and caring for people in this module adds a human-centric approach to the subject. #### Recommendation I highly recommend the "Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19" course for anyone interested in enhancing their understanding of supply chains, especially in today's volatile environment. Whether you are a supply chain professional looking to hone your skills, a business student, or simply curious about the dynamics of supply chains during disruptions, this course offers invaluable insights and knowledge. The course is structured in a user-friendly manner, allowing learners to digest complex concepts with ease. The integration of real-world examples, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, makes the content relevant and engaging. Moreover, the strong emphasis on both theoretical frameworks and practical applications ensures that participants are well-prepared for future challenges in supply chain management. In conclusion, this course serves as a pivotal resource that enhances both theoretical understanding and practical skills necessary for navigating the complexities of supply chain disruptions. Enroll today to gain competencies that are essential in our rapidly changing world!

Syllabus

What is Supply Chain Management?

In this module, you will be introduced to the concept and practice of supply chain management. Supply chain management from the past and current times will be compared to highlight its importance. The fundamental operation of the supply chain model will be explained using the SCOR Model, and the definition will be used to discuss roles, relationships, costs, logistics, and the supply chain “rights.” An example of how supplier performance can be measured will be given with a few examples of perfect order. The module ends with an explanation of matching products with a supply chain strategy based on Marshall Fisher’s well-known and Hau Lee’s supply chain strategy adaptation. A variety of examples are used.

In this module, you will be exploring the concept of supply chain disruption. Typical structural characteristics (e.g. complexity, lack of visibility, diamond shape, etc.) that make supply chains susceptible to disruption, will be identified and discussed. Risk, risk events, and risk management will be defined, the major disruption-related risk types will be described, and the importance of supply chain resilience will be explained. The module ends with a discussion about disruption probability and impact severity. Examples from manufacturing and health supply chains are used.

In this module, we will be applying the concepts learned from Module 1 and Module 2 to an actual supply chain disruption case. Specifically, this module explores several parts of the PPE supply chain that was disrupted during COVID-19. In addition, new concepts will also be introduced. For challenges in managing PPE demand, the bullwhip effect will be applied and ideas discussed. Fisher model and Lee’s adaptation will be revisited to discuss some of the strategic PPE challenges. The module ends with a discussion on issues and potential success factors of attempts to meet surge demand with surge capacity. Examples from the upstream and downstream health supply chain are used.

In this module, we will be discussing a variety of practices that can help organizations manage supply chain disruptions. An overarching set of practices will be explained first. In addition, practices for managing the bullwhip effect disruption will be given using the downstream health supply chain as an example. You will engage in three very simple simulated disruption events that will ultimately generate more specific best practices in supply chains. The module ends with a general discussion on managing the organization and caring for people. A variety of examples are used.