Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/supply-chain-disruption
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a stark and often brutal reminder of the intricate web that is our global supply chain. For many businesses, the disruption was unprecedented, leading to stockouts, production halts, and significant financial losses. Recognizing this critical need for understanding and preparedness, Coursera offers a valuable course: ‘Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19’. Having recently completed this course, I can confidently recommend it to anyone looking to build resilience and navigate future uncertainties.
The course begins with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of Supply Chain Management (SCM). Module 1, ‘What is Supply Chain Management?’, provides a clear and concise introduction to the core concepts, using the SCOR model to explain operations and discussing key elements like roles, relationships, costs, and logistics. It effectively contrasts past and present SCM practices, highlighting its evolving importance. The module also delves into matching products with appropriate supply chain strategies, referencing well-known models from Marshall Fisher and Hau Lee, making complex ideas accessible.
Moving into Module 2, ‘Exploring the Concept of Supply Chain Disruption’, the course sharpens its focus on the vulnerabilities inherent in modern supply chains. It meticulously identifies and discusses structural characteristics like complexity and lack of visibility that make them susceptible to disruption. The definitions of risk, risk events, and risk management are clearly laid out, alongside a description of major disruption-related risk types. The critical concept of supply chain resilience is explained, and the module concludes with a discussion on disruption probability and impact severity, using relevant examples from manufacturing and health supply chains.
The real power of the course, however, lies in its application. Module 3, ‘Discussing a Disruption: COVID-19 & the PPE Supply Chain’, directly applies the theoretical knowledge to the very real-world challenges faced during the pandemic, specifically focusing on the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supply chain. Concepts like the bullwhip effect are introduced to explain demand management challenges, and the Fisher and Lee models are revisited to analyze strategic PPE challenges. The module thoughtfully addresses issues and success factors in meeting surge demand with surge capacity, drawing on upstream and downstream health supply chain examples.
Finally, Module 4, ‘Best Practices for Managing Supply Chain Disruption’, offers actionable insights. It outlines an overarching set of practices and then drills down into specific strategies for managing disruptions like the bullwhip effect, using the health supply chain as a practical case. The inclusion of three simple simulated disruption events is a brilliant pedagogical choice, allowing learners to actively generate their own best practices. The course concludes with a valuable discussion on organizational management and employee care during crises.
Overall, ‘Managing Supply Chain Disruption During COVID-19’ is a well-structured, informative, and highly relevant course. It strikes an excellent balance between theoretical understanding and practical application, making it an invaluable resource for supply chain professionals, business leaders, and anyone interested in understanding the critical importance of resilient supply chains in today’s volatile world. I highly recommend it.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/supply-chain-disruption