Key Concept Explanation
The supply chain strategy must be carefully coordinated and integrated into the business processes. In an article by Alzoubi et al. (2020), they reveal in detail how important it is to apply the principles of sustainable development in the system of old supply chains. The search for raw materials and the supply of components are necessary to optimize the company’s activities.
Risk management and problem-solving are relevant to understanding this topic (Ramanathan & Ramanathan, 2020). The first concept can provide more productive work that will be aimed at achieving beneficial work results. The second category refers to managers having special knowledge to eliminate possible negative factors in the supply chain (Koberg & Longoni, 2019). This topic interests me because building an effective supply chain strategy can affect the entire business, determining its success and place in the general market segment of comparable goods and services.
Comparison
The core topic has some basic concepts and aspects related to those studied in the module. The module covered various important aspects, such as measuring the effectiveness of a supply chain strategy and justifying its need. At the same time, Barman et al. (2021) focus on the role sustainability plays in supply chains.
This is especially evident in the context of the post-coronavirus world. The general concept confirmed during the study is the importance and conditionality of coordinating the company’s strategy with the supply chain strategy. However, the differences between these two topics are much more significant since the independent processing of the topic made it possible to study it more profoundly and with more detail.
The deepening of the topic studied in the module refers to various supply chain strategies that can be applied depending on the brand’s characteristics. A comprehensive understanding and study of the primary methods of creating strategies can significantly enhance the ability to plan supply and optimize those (Alzoubi et al., 2020). In addition, the study looks at emerging trends in supply chain strategy. Sustainability is an essential factor that enables organizations to allocate their resources and deliver them on time (Barman et al., 2021). Thus, the study significantly expands the understanding of the topic from the textbook by saturating it with new information.
Article Summary
Articles on supply chains cover various topics and contexts within the indicated primary focus. Authors Alzoubi et al. (2020) examine how adhering to sustainable supply chain principles can affect a company’s competitive advantage. In their work, scientists analyze the relationship between different sustainable strategies in supply management and cooperation in the organization so that the firm can withstand external threats (Alzoubi et al., 2020). The authors reveal this topic by examining several organizations working in the pharmaceutical field. This is a relevant study since this market segment experienced significant pressure after the coronavirus, and, accordingly, with the help of the study, it is possible to identify which organizations were best able to cope with the challenge.
After conducting their investigations, scientists came to certain conclusions based on several pieces of information received. First of all, supply chains must be streamlined and planned. Pharmaceutical companies dominated by a robust supply chain structure performed significantly better in overall progress toward customer centricity (Alzoubi et al., 2020). In addition, a sustainable supply chain strategy has enabled organizations to have a faster and more reliable product distribution network (Alzoubi et al., 2020). This is explained by the fact that more shops and malls wanted to cooperate with firms guided by sustainable practices.
Biblical Integration
Supply chain strategy can be viewed through a biblical lens. Improving the supply chain strategy and sustainability is relevant to God’s laws. This can be found in words: “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down” (Proverbs 21:20). This shows that it is essential not to waste all resources but to take good care of them when planning everything for the future.
Another quote to support the need for sustainable supply chains is, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). This symbolizes the fact that a person is called upon to take care of nature in various ways to preserve its capabilities. Another line, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,” reinforces the need for supply chain strategies (Colossians 3:23-24). It can mean that everything needs to be treated carefully and with love.
Application
Sustainable supply chains can significantly facilitate business and speed up supply processes, thereby optimizing the work of companies. An example of an organization that has implemented this strategy is Walmart, which has recently made significant progress in achieving sustainable goals in its supply chain (Jones & Comfort, 2020). Applying a sustainable supply chain strategy has resulted in a significant advantage for the firm over its closest competitors (Jones & Comfort, 2020). This can be explained by the fact that building an efficient supply chain is crucial for supermarkets. Accordingly, stability and smoothness are indicators of primary importance.
Annotated Bibliography
Jones, P., & Comfort, D. (2020). Sustainability in retail supply chains. International Journal of Sales, Retailing and Marketing, 9(2), 51–60. Web.
This article explains how sustainable supply chain strategies can affect companies’ performance and drive the growth and development of their retail business. The authors examined many enterprises and compared the final effect, finding that following sustainable principles positively affects the result. The study also collects a wealth of data on how important it is to plan and stick to goals.
This work can be assessed positively as it highlights how sustainability positively affects business. This may help many entrepreneurs design their enterprises more correctly in the future. Thus, this article can be highly appreciated for the authors’ contribution to the development of theoretical developments in the field of sustainability and supply chain strategies.
Barman, A., Das, R., & De, P. K. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 in food supply chain: Disruptions and recovery strategy. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 2. Web.
In their article, the authors reveal how the coronavirus has changed supply chains and raised demand on supply chains, making a case for sustainability. Socio-economic consequences for organizations deviating from sustainability can lead to negative consequences and slow business development. In addition, the authors consider food supply chains to be as sustainable as possible for food safety.
The article can be assessed by comparing the results of scientists’ work with the general concepts of sustainability. Thus, the scientists sufficiently confirmed their conclusions by substantiating them with the considered empirical data. This is a positive aspect as it helps to ensure the reliability and validity of the data.
Koberg, E., & Longoni, A. (2019). A systematic review of sustainable supply chain management in global supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production, 207, 1084-1098. Web.
In their article, the authors reveal the importance of avoiding possible incidents in product delivery in companies. Implementing sustainability in the supply chain strategy can eliminate problems. At the same time, such an approach can help maintain an advantage in a particular market segment.
The authors’ article can be assessed as quite relevant because they have a large amount of evidence and have studied the work of other scientists. This approach ensures the validity of the conclusions through empirical studies. In this regard, the authors improved their understanding of the principles of sustainable development by demonstrating facts from the example of several companies.
References
Alzoubi, H., Ahmed, G., Al-Gasaymeh, A., & Kurdi, B. (2020). Empirical study on sustainable supply chain strategies and its impact on competitive priorities: The mediating role of supply chain collaboration. Management Science Letters, 10(3), 703-708. Web.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. Web.
Ramanathan, R. & Ramanathan, U. (Eds.). (2020). Sustainable supply chains: Strategies, issues, and models. Springer International Publishing.