MSc GSCM Module Assessment (Summative) BUSI48961

This is an individual assignment, based on the module material. Students choose a case(s)
(from a list provided). Your choice must be made explicit in the introduction.

Based on your chosen case(s), prepare 4 of 6 portfolio options, including options A and B.
Each carries equal weight and should be 1000 words (+/-10%), or equivalent if you have
used powerpoint, maps, diagrams, tables, figures etc. A pdf copy should be submitted.

Each article should include a short discussion of the theories/ concepts that have informed
your arguments, whether explicit in the document or as a separate reflective paragraph. You
must provide HARVARD style references for ALL sources, including online and non-academic
material, providing citations in the text within each portfolio element and one list of
references at the end of your work. See
https://now.ntu.ac.uk/d2l/lor/viewer/view.d2l?ou=6605&loIdentId=25435 for guidance on
Harvard referencing.

Save your work into ONE pdf document to upload into the Dropbox. This should include:

1. A cover page detailing your name and student number, module code and the
portfolio options chosen, with page numbers.
2. The 4 portfolio items IN ALPHABETIC ORDER.
3. A single list of references formatted in the Harvard style and in alphabetic order.

The final deadline for dropbox submission of all 4 entries is 2pm on 19.7.17. Please follow
guidance from the course handbook should you find that circumstances beyond your
control prevent you from meeting this deadline. Feedback will be returned to students 21
days later.

The following pages contain

details of the 6 options, from which you need to answer A and B and choose 2
others;
a list of case studies for you to choose from. You are advised to use no more than 2.
a style guide to help you target your presentation style appropriately.
Portfolio options:
Choose 4 options from the following, including both options A and B.

A. Write a critical literature review about ONE of the following supply chain management
topics:

- Supply chain strategy and alignment (referring to models by Fisher or Lee)

- Strategic supply chain decisions such as outsourcing, offshoring or location
choice
- Strategic supply chain relationships (referring to the Kraljic matrix, 1983)

B. With reference to A above continue your literature review by discussing how your choice of
topic above impacts upon ONE (or more) of:
- Sustainable and/or ethical supply chain management
- Supply chain traceability, transparency and risk
- The integrated supply chain
- The Bullwhip effect

Choices C to F should be based on one or more of the arguments developed in your

literature review and should apply what you have learnt to a case study from the list below.

C. Write an expert blog entry, using your supply chain knowledge to critique the
sourcing/outsourcing/off-shoring strategy/strategic alignment of a specific case supply
chain. Compare the case to practice in a comparable business.

D. Write an entry to a company web-page that outlines the case companys approach to
transparency, sustainability and CSR in their supply chain. Use an appropriately
informative style to highlight the areas that are innovative and have the greatest impact,
and discuss how this relates to the companys marketing strategy and triple bottom line.

E. Write an internal report to your colleagues that sets out either:

- a process that the company might use to select a supplier for a critical purchase
within a sustainable supply chain
- or how the Partnership Development Model (Lambert and Knemeyer, 2004)
could be used by the company to develop a partnership relationship with a new
or existing supplier.

In your report, discuss the companys supply chain strategy, dominant order winners
and qualifiers, and explain the objectives, drivers or selection criteria they could
establish to ensure that the strategy can be achieved.

F. A recent TV documentary has publicised the issue of waste in the food supply chain. You
have been asked to write an informative news article for a daily online news feed for
industry practitioners. The brief asks you to explain how sales promotions (such as in
supermarkets, airlines or restaurants) are associated with both unnecessary waste and
lost sales. The brief specifically requires an explanation of the Bullwhip effect for
industry readers, an evaluation of collaborative ways to avoid this happening and
 recommendations that industry readers could follow. Prepare your draft of the article to
send to the editor.

Case Studies
Please choose from the following. You do not need to use a different case study for each
element. Ideally use no more than 2 different cases. Look for information online and in
published case studies (books and articles). For large corporations you may prefer to focus
on sub-brands.

Ikea Lenovo Li and Fung

Gap Apple Tesco

H&M Nestle Adidas

Xiaomi Starbucks SMART car

Hewlett Packard Lego

Format Guide

Each element of the portfolio should be approximately 1000 words in length, so that your
overall submission is 4000 words +/- 10%.

Literature review

The literature review is your opportunity to develop your learning on specific topics. You
should identify relevant academic sources from journal articles and text books starting
with those recommended in your course materials. You should compare and contrast the
writing of different authors and make sure that you cite and reference ALL sources using the
HARVARD referencing format, see:
https://now.ntu.ac.uk/d2l/lor/viewer/view.d2l?ou=6605&loIdentId=25435

Expert Blog
Blogs are informative, readable opinion pieces, often based on a particular viewpoint. In this
case, you are the supply chain expert, so the views expressed are your own, based on your
confident assessment of the case study context. Bloggers are often critical, but base their
arguments around evidence, examples and contrasts and above all, their assessment of
what should be done differently. Because Blogs are read online, it is helpful to divide into
subheadings. Citations for books, academic articles and industry news articles must be
included. For an example see Birnbaum (2010) see contents page for Word version or look
for free log-on details for Just-style.com via library Onesearch.

Web-page
Company webpages, such as the one requested here, are intended to inform customers and
stakeholders and are a way for businesses to promote their positive business practices. Your
webpage will, therefore, be one-sided showing the positive aspects of CSR. However
webpages must also be clearly structured, using subheadings and linking themes between
sections. Use images, bullet points and provide citations for the academic and other
materials used. Use the theory from your literature review to help shape the structure of
your entry and to provide a critical assessment of how theory might inform practice. For an
example see M&S Plan A; Puma.

Internal Report or Memo

Internal reports and memos are intended to inform colleagues and users of research,
knowledge, new systems or processes, etc. It is therefore important to identify who is
targeted and write to in a way that informs the reader (in this case professional colleagues),
quickly and effectively. A Report is divided into sections: title, contents, introduction, body
of report, conclusions, recommendations, references and appendices (if necessary).

Online News Article

Like a blog, this is an opinion piece. However, because it is to be edited by the publisher, the
expert must use a more balanced argument, illustrating different viewpoints and scenarios
informed by your literature review, and drawing justifiable conclusions. Provide citations for
all sources and add images if appropriate. For an example see
http://theconversation.com/a-circular-fashion-economy-is-about-more-than-clothes-68787
 Assessment Criteria

Student Feedback Form

Course: MSc Student ID:

Module Management the Global Supply Chain
Name: Grade:
Module code: BUSI49013
Assessment Individual 4,000 word portfolio of analytical articles Graded by:
type: based on business cases. 1st Assessor
2nd Assessor *delete
if not applicable
Assessment Date Graded
Date:
Module learning outcomes assessed:
a. Conceptually link supply chain management with other business functions with particular reference to the market, finance and operations.
b. Critically evaluate the strategic role of the supply chain in enabling improvement within organisations and in achieving customer value.
c. Evaluate the characteristics of supply chain design and relationships
d. Propose mechanisms for the design of a competitive supply chain, overcoming obstacles and trade-offs.
e. Understand theory and concepts; case based analysis and application

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the principles and concepts underlying the strategic and operational performance of organisations in relation to one another within
the international supply chain.

NB: Final grade determined by how well the criteria have been met overall and not the sum of the individual aspects of the work.
 NOTE: Complete four of lines 1-6, each related to corresponding Portfolio element - plus line 7
Criteria

Exceptional
Low Fail Mid Fail Marginal Fail Pass Commendation Distinction Distinction
Poor or inappropriate Appropriate literature Some academic Based on academic Range of academic Beyond the material Excellent range of
A&B Choice, interpretation

choice of literature not chosen but not based literature but limited or literature. sources. covered in class. appropriate academic
of supply chain literature

derived from academic on academic sources. not relevant. sources identified.

sources. Interpretation of
literature is
sophisticated and goes
beyond discussions in
class.

No critical evaluation Largely descriptive with Mainly descriptive Fairly descriptive but A critical argument Develops a convincing An excellent critical
A&B Critical evaluation of

and no coherent no clear argument with an attempt to based on a range of critical argument that evaluation is presented
literature and argument

argument is developed. develop an argument sources brings together a range with a convincing
of supply chain argument that brings
approaches together a range of
supply chain
approaches and goes
beyond discussions in
class.

Little understanding of A descriptive account of Strategic sourcing is Aspects of strategic Comprehensive Excellent review of Outstanding review of
Element C: Supply chain

strategic sourcing strategic sourcing in the explained, but with sourcing are discussed, account of strategic strategic sourcing, strategic sourcing,
demonstrated. Work is supply chain, not linked limited reference to SC but with superficial sourcing, linked to SC linked to SC design/ linked to SC design/
broadly descriptive to SC design or other SC design and little reference to SC design/ design/ theory; some theory; discussion of theory; critical
theory acknowledgement of theory and acknowledgement of trade-offs and discussion of trade-offs
trade-offs and/ or other acknowledgement of trade-offs and limitations and limitations &
strategy blog

SC theory. trade-offs. limitations recommendations.

 Descriptive, with no link Descriptive, with few Some evaluation with Sound evaluation with Good evaluation clearly Excellent evaluation Outstanding evaluation
Element D: web entry SSCM/

from SC to other links from SC to other no/few links from SC to links from SC to other linking SC to multiple critically linking SC to embedding SC among
business functions; no business functions; other business business functions; business functions; multiple business business functions;
reference to SC design little/no reference to SC functions; limited evaluates SC design critically evaluates SC functions; critically excellent critical
or relationships; omits design and/or reference to SC design and/or relationships; design and/or evaluates SC design and evaluation of SC design
concept of sustainable relationships; no clear and relationships; concept of managing relationships; relationships; and relationships;
supply chain concept of sustainable describes concept of sustainable supply sustainable supply sustainable supply sustainable supply
supply chain sustainable supply chain discussed. chain management chain management chain management
chain evaluated in wider critically evaluated in critically evaluated in
organisational context. wider organisational wider organisational
risk

context. context.
Descriptive, with no link Descriptive, with few Limited evaluation with Sound evaluation with Good evaluation clearly Excellent evaluation Outstanding evaluation
Element E: Internal report

from SC to other links from SC to other no/few links from SC to links from SC to other linking SC to multiple critically linking SC to embedding SC among
business functions; no business functions; other business business functions; business functions; multiple business business functions;
supplier selection/relations

reference to strategic little reference to functions; limited discusses strategic evaluates strategic functions; critically excellent critical
procurement or strategic procurement, reference to strategic procurement and SC procurement and evaluates strategic evaluation of strategic
relationships; omits key relationships or inter- procurement, relationships in context relationships in context procurement, range of procurement, range of
aspects of brief with no organisational context; relationships or inter- of inter-organisational of inter-organisational SC relationships & all SC relationships & all
reference to the case. omits some aspects of organisational context; improvements; all key improvements; all required aspects within required aspects within
brief with insufficient describes key concepts aspects of brief aspects discussed in context of strategic SC context of strategic SC
reference to the case. and/or aspects of the discussed. wider organisational improvements; clear improvements;
case. context. recommendations excellent theory based
based on SC theory. recommendations.
Descriptive, no Descriptive, little Some evaluation, Sound evaluation; Good evaluation of Critically evaluates Excellent critical
and

reference to reference to limited reference to discusses integration, integration, demand, integration, demand, evaluation of
integration, demand, integration, demand, integration, demand, demand, forecasting, forecasting, bullwhip, forecasting, bullwhip, integration, demand,
Demand

forecasting, bullwhip forecasting, bullwhip forecasting, bullwhip bullwhip and other SC CPFR & other SC CPFR & other SC forecasting, bullwhip,
or other SC theory; few or other SC theory; and/or other SC theory; theory; evaluates inter- theory; discussion of theory; integrates CPFR, improvements &
references to inter- limited references to descriptive references organisational links and inter-organisational critical evaluation of other SC theory; critical
organisational links or inter-organisational to inter-organisational communications/techn links and inter-organisational evaluation of inter-
Element F:
forecasting

communications/techn links or links or ologies communications/techn links and organisational links and
ologies communications/techn communications/techn ologies evident communications/techn communications/techn
ologies ologies throughout ologies ologies integral to
discussion throughout
 No consideration of Little consideration of Little consideration of Attempts to adapt Communications style Communications style An exceptional piece of
Communications, process

context and academic context and limited use context and ineffective communications to reflects context and is original and reflects work that is original and
foundations. Few or no of academic materials. use of academic context and clearly draws on context and clearly could be influential in
and academic rigour

sources identified. Few sources identified materials. Few sources incorporate academic academic concepts draws on academic incorporating theory
and/or referencing identified and/or concepts. Sources from the module. concepts from beyond into supply chain
incomplete. referencing incorrect or identified but not Sources are identified, the module. Sources practice. Referencing is
inaccurate. always well used well used and are incorporated and extensive and accurate.
and/or referencing referenced. used imaginatively,
10%

inaccurate. with excellent

referencing.
Additional comments:

Strengths

Areas for improvement

Overall performance