Learning outcomes
1.0 Understand techniques for supplier development
1.1 Assess cross functional working to achieve improvements in the supply chain
- Cross functional involvement in the development of specifications and requirements
- Simultaneous (concurrent) engineering
- Product and process design
1.2 Evaluate techniques to promote the development of innovation in procurement and supply
- Collaboration with suppliers and customers to promote improvements in innovation
- Early supplier involvement
- The role of innovation councils
- Supplier forums and associations
- The use of technology transfer
- The use of data analytics to assist planning, forecasting, control and decision making
- The use of integration tools in systems technology
1.3 Contrast the developments in technology that can be applied to promote improvements in supply chains
- Forms of e-procurement
- E-catalogues
- E-sourcing
- E-auctions
- P2P (purchase to pay) systems
- Data integrity and integration between organisations in a supply chain
- XML (extensible markup language) and the use of application programming interfaces (APIs) and other integration tools
- Developments in technology such as:
- Cloud computing
- Open source software
- Mobile telecommunications
- Remote working
- Convergence of technology platforms
1.4 Evaluate the use of relationship assessment forsupplier development
- The use of joint performance appraisal systems
- The use of relationship assessment methodologies
- The use of balanced scorecards
2.0 Understand methods to achieve procurement and supply improvement and innovation
2.1 Evaluate influencing styles that can be used in the effective leadership of a supply chain
- Evaluate where technology can be used to improve procurement and supply
- Areas such as:
- Expenditure control
- Data analytics and capture
- Systems integration with suppliers and supply chains
- Organisational systems integration to improve senior management and stakeholder knowledge and information flow
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analysis
2.2 Evaluate tools and techniques which are available to improve procurement and supply
- Tools such as:
- Total quality approaches
- Statistical analysis
- Just-in-Time (JIT)
- Lean thinking and lean supply
- Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)
- ERP
- Databases
- The use of business continuity planning to mitigate supply chain interruption
2.3 Assess methods to incentivise improvement and innovation
- Bidding
- Selection
- Contract award
- Contract management
- Setting examples and maintaining standards
3.0 Understand the environmental factors which affect supply chain improvement and innovation
3.1 Assess approaches to environmentally sensitive design
- Lifecycle analysis
- Design for disassembly
- Use environmentally friendly materials
- ISO 14001 – Environmental Standards
- ISO 20400 – Sustainable Procurement Standard
3.2 Assess the impact of green procurement on improvement and innovation
- Impact on strategic policy and planning
- Sustainable procurement
- Low carbon
- Low waste