The
clip shows a scene from the movie Lord of War
referred to as "the Life of a Bullet".
The clip is a great illustration of the entire
supply chain from product creation to product
use. Here are a few points to think
about from the movie clip.
1. We literally
follow a bullet on its route to be
created (MANUFACTURING). A casing
is pressed and it travels down the
assembly line where a nose or projectile
is added.
2. The bullet
then slips down a chute to onto a conveyor
belt (WORK IN PROCESS AND MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT) where a worker picks up the
bullet and appears to inspect it (QUALITY
CONTROL/INSPECTION).
3. The
bullet falls into a case and the cases are
sealed up by workers. Next, a case is
opened by a dockworker and illustrates the
bullet is in transit (WAREHOUSING AND
TRANSPORTATION).
3. Finally
the cases are shown at another port's
dockyard and the bullet almost gets away but
is "saved" and in turn transported to its
final destination (LOGISTICS AND FINAL
DISTRIBUTION)
There is more
to the clip but the activities of the supply
chain are clearly delineated from
manufacturing to materials management to
quality control to warehousing, logistics,
and finally distribution of the finished
product.
1.
Although the clip focuses on a bullet's
travels through the supply chain every product
and/or service has it own unique supply chain
story. Think to yourself about a supply
chain that you are involved in or that you
have experienced.
2. Where do
you fall within the supply chain? Many
people think their only place in the supply
chain is as a consumer at the very end of
the chain. However, I can guarantee
that in any job you have had or in your
current job, you are somewhere within the
supply chain itself.
3. Some say
that they are not part of the supply chain
at all or have minimal duties within the
supply chain. For example, an
accountant my say that they are not directly
part of the supply chain. However,
when audit time comes they find themselves
asking those within the supply chain many
questions. If you may be one of those
employees that is not directly in the supply
chain think about how your position
interfaces with the supply chain.