Just like consumers are customers to companies, companies are also customers to other wholesalers. Sourcing & Procurement aims at continuously improving and re-evaluating the purchasing activities of a company. Those purchases can be material, contractual or of service, and require great analytical, negotiation and customer relationship management skills. As a purchasing manager, you will look beyond cost: quality, delivery speed and supplier’s flexibility will be just as important when making business with the wholesaler.

Do you make or do you buy? Production & Planning looks at different trade-offs relating to cost, quality, speed and flexibility which will help an organization take that decision. Should it choose to manufacture, the organization will have to design/label the product and decide on the quality and quantity to produce, which in term involves machinery and inventory decision-making.

Your company manufactures a product in China and sells it worldwide. How should they do it and what criteria should be taken into account in terms of operations? Logistics & Distribution looks at several aspects which include transportation costs, reliability, flexibility and timeliness of the distribution affiliate that plays a big role in supply chain operations. Others factors such as Packaging, Documentation and Trade Compliance Regulations are also addressed in this branch of Supply Chain Operations Management.