C11SA Supply Chain Risk & Adaptation

Assignment Brief 2024-25

Individual Essay (60% of course mark)

The objectives of the assignment are to evaluate students' understanding of supply chain resilience, analyse key components and strategies, conduct a detailed case study analysis, reflect on lessons learned,  and  propose  recommendations  for  enhancing  supply  chain  resilience.  Additionally,  the assessment aims to ensure structural coherence and academic rigor in the essay.

This assignment contributes to the following course learning outcomes:

On completion of this course, you will be able to

1. differentiate risk management frameworks and approaches used in the logistics and supply chain field

2. use risk identification and assessment tools within supply chain and logistics context.

3. analyse supply chain response and mitigation strategies in a specific supply chain and logistics risk context.

4. evaluate a resilient supply chain within the contemporary business context.

5. appraise the emerging risk megatrends within the supply chain and logistics field.

Here is the assessment brief:

Uncertainty  has  become  the  new  norm  of  the  business  ecosystem  due  to  continuous  disruption caused by man-made crises and natural disasters with serious effects. Logistics and supply chains are among the most impacted business functions during disruption. The likelihood and consequences of various  sources  of  risks  are  amplified  by  complex  global  supply  chains,  ever-shrinking  product lifecycles, and unpredictable volatile markets. This is along with other mega-trends including climate crisis, shortage of labour, and digital disruptions.

In times of crisis, uncertainty can reach extreme levels, and supply chain vulnerability can be highly exposed. The recent crisis has proven that building resilience and adaptability are crucial during these periods of systemic change and transformation.  It differentiates  businesses  that  not only survive amidst disruption but also thrive and create business values and in turn a competitive edge.

Your task

You are requested to answer the following.

•    Why resilience has become a critical success factor in managing logistics and supply chains.

•    Analyse how supply chain leaders can build resilience that allows them to prepare for a fast- paced and uncertain future.

•    Provide  a  detailed  case  study  of  a  company that  has  successfully  implemented  resilience strategies in its supply chain. Assess the challenges faced and the solutions adopted.

•    Reflect  on  the  lessons  learned  from  the  case  study  and  propose  recommendations  for enhancing supply chain resilience in the future.

Your essay must be supported by good quality relevant academic sources, reliable industry reports, statistics, examples, publications, company websites, and other reliable online sources.

You might focus on a specific supply chain context in terms of industry/product type.

Please read and follow the instructions carefully:

-      Your essay should be no more than 2500 words The word count excludes the cover page, figures, table of contents, and reference list. The word count includes tables in the body of the essay.

-      Do not include an executive summary, abstract, or any appendices.

-      Use 11-point font (Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman are all acceptable), with 1.5 line spacing.

-      The language used must be third person, formal, and therefore presented in an academic style.

-      Use the Harvard Referencing style. Your report should include relevant literature only, minimum of 10 references.

-      Please do not email your draft or completed work to your lecturer.

Assessment criteria

-      15% - Understandings & critical discussion of how resilience has become a critical success factor in managing SC & logistics.

-      30% -  In-depth analysis of the critical elements and strategies that contribute to supply chain resilience.

-      30% - Quality of the case study selection, depth of analysis, and relevance to the discussion on supply chain resilience.

-      15% -  Insightful reflection on the case study and practical, well-reasoned recommendations for future resilience strategies.

-      10% - Clear structure, logical flow, and adherence to academic referencing standards.

Essay Structure

•   A brief introduction: the purpose of the essay and what is included in the essay,

•   The main body of the essay which covers the elements of the task (see assessment criteria),

•   A conclusion in which you clearly state what can be concluded from the study you have carried out.