Supply Chain Management
From Manufacture to Use

A Supply Chain for Everything:  Life of a Bullet

 

 Click here if the clip does not play.

Background:

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.

Questions for Thought:

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.

Lord of War
Lions Gate Films
©2005