Global Supply Chain Management
1,800 words
Suez Canal Blockage: A Case Study of Global Supply Chain Disruption
This individual report examines the challenges faced by global supply chains as a result of the Suez Canal blockage and critically evaluates the factors that affected supply chain performance during the disruption. The assignment uses the Suez Canal blockage as a case study to explore the wider principles and practices of global supply chain management, with particular attention to supply chain disruption, risk management, resilience, logistics, supplier relationships and integrated supply chain performance. The report requires students to conduct preliminary research into the Suez Canal blockage and use relevant academic and practical sources to identify the major challenges created by the disruption. The case study focuses on the six-day stranding of the Ever Given and the resulting disruption to international supply chains and global trade. The assessment considers how a disruption at a strategically important global trade route can create wider consequences for organisations, logistics networks and supply chain operations. The analysis should identify the key factors that influenced supply chain performance and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions implemented to resolve the disruption. Relevant global supply chain management theories, models and concepts should be clearly defined and applied to the case rather than simply described. The report should demonstrate an understanding of fundamental supply chain principles and consider how evolving trends and global issues can affect supply chain operations. The assignment also encourages consideration of important supply chain management areas covered within the unit, including risk management, resilience, outsourcing, supplier planning and selection, relationship management, supply chain integration, demand management, order management and customer service. These concepts should be connected to the Suez Canal blockage to provide a critical assessment of the challenges and possible approaches to improving supply chain resilience. The report must be presented in a formal and logically coherent report format and should provide evidence of critical reasoning through a wide range of relevant academic and practical sources. The conclusion should draw together the main findings, while recommendations should propose realistic approaches for addressing the supply chain issues identified in the case. The assessment is worth 30% of the overall unit mark and requires an individual report of 1,800 words, with a permitted variation of ±10%. The report is assessed across four main areas: use of theory and frameworks (25%), analysis and evaluation (30%), conclusions and recommendations (20%), and structure, presentation and referencing (25%). The marking criteria emphasise the application of relevant theoretical concepts, critical evaluation of academic and practical sources, a clear connection between theory and practice, realistic recommendations, logical structure, and appropriate in-text citations and referencing.
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Supply Chain Operations and Logistics Management
3,000 words
Critical Review of Global Logistics: Supply Chain Strategy, Resilience and Sustainability
This postgraduate logistics assessment requires students to conduct a critical review of the global logistics operations and strategies of a selected multinational manufacturing organisation. The chosen company must operate internationally and have sufficient publicly available information to support detailed academic and industry research. The report examines how global manufacturers structure, manage and improve their upstream and downstream logistics channels in increasingly complex and uncertain supply-chain environments. Component_2_NBS_7054A_25_Report… The first part analyses the organisation’s upstream and downstream logistics channels and evaluates the logistics strategies it has adopted. Particular attention is given to how the organisation responded to disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students examine how supply-chain networks were reconfigured and how logistics strategies were adapted to maintain operations, while explicitly relating these responses to relevant performance objectives and supply-chain dimensions. Component_2_NBS_7054A_25_Report… The second part focuses on value creation within global logistics networks. Students evaluate how supply-chain intermediaries contribute to value co-creation while balancing operational costs and reducing waste or Muda. The analysis also considers how communication and information sharing support the objectives of the organisation’s marketing channel network and identifies lessons learned from pandemic-related disruption. Component_2_NBS_7054A_25_Report… The final section examines how the organisation can strengthen the sustainability of its logistics operations. Students assess the feasibility of aligning circular economy principles and Industry 4.0 technologies with existing inbound and outbound logistics activities. Relevant issues include reduced material use, reuse, repair, refurbishment, alternative transport modes, carbon-footprint reduction and environmental efficiency. Students must also recommend operational decisions that apply innovation-led lean approaches to sustainability initiatives. Component_2_NBS_7054A_25_Report… The marking criteria place 25% of the assessment on logistics theories and strategies, 35% on value co-creation, communication and resilient logistics networks, and 40% on circular economy, Industry 4.0 and sustainability recommendations. Marking_Criteria_NBS_7054A_25_R… Overall, the assessment integrates global logistics strategy, resilience, lean operations, digitalisation, sustainability and evidence-based supply-chain decision-making within a real organisational case study. Overview word count: approximately 340 words.
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2,000 words
Covid 19 and the Automotive Industry
This individual report examines the impact of COVID-19 on the automotive industry and the management of automotive supply chains during the disruption. The assignment requires students to select a company operating in the automotive sector and focus the report on a particular product manufactured by that company. The analysis must consider how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the supply chain and how the resulting social impacts and government-imposed restrictions affected automotive supply chain activities. The report requires consideration of both upstream and downstream activities within the selected automotive supply chain. Students are expected to analyse the effects of COVID-19 on the chosen country, organisation or product and examine how entities within the supply chain responded to the disruptive events and government restrictions. The analysis should consider the actions taken by supply chain participants and evaluate the successes and failures associated with their approaches to managing the disruption. A central requirement of the assignment is to examine supply chain management and adaptation during the pandemic. Students should explain how the selected automotive company and relevant supply chain entities responded to disruption and restrictions, considering the challenges affecting the movement and management of supply chain activities. The report should then provide independent analysis of the effectiveness of the approaches used rather than simply describing the events or responses. The assignment also requires students to develop recommendations for sustainably managing an automotive supply chain in the event of similar disruptions in the future. These recommendations should follow from the analysis of the selected company, product and supply chain and should address how supply chain management could be improved to respond more effectively to disruptive events. The suggested report structure consists of an introduction, background, supply chain impacts, supply chain management, analysis, recommendations and conclusions, followed by references. The background section should discuss the COVID-19 disruption and describe the relevant automotive supply chain, while the supply chain impacts section should examine the effects on the selected country, organisation or product. The supply chain management section should discuss how the supply chain adapted to the disruption, followed by an independent analysis of the successes and failures of those management responses. The report must be supported by ample and suitable academic and other appropriate references. The brief specifically requires Harvard referencing and states that students should cite core books, journal articles and non-journal articles. Blogs and Wikipedia should be avoided. The completed report has a maximum length of 2,000 words and the stated submission deadline is 5:00 pm on 10 December 2025.
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