Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Management
Supply
Chains
in Asia:
Challenges and
Opportunities
In this issue:
Robert J.Easton and Tian Bing
Zhang explore supply chain
challenges facing companies that
operate in Asia,and identify seven
opportunity areas that have the
potential to dramatically improve
supply chain performance and
competitiveness.
2 3
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
Diversity of Capabilities
Differences in:
Economic development and political stability Taxation and regulatory systems Superior supply chain capabilities exist in only a few of Asia’s more-developed
Customs duties and taxes (some free trade zones) Logistics and communication infrastructure countries, most notably Singapore and Hong Kong. Elsewhere, peak capabilities are
Language, complexity of documents, country- Banking practices
specific branding and packaging Sophistication of consumers, customers largely the province of multinational corporations, conglomerates and a small
Currency and stability and vendors number of foreign logistics companies. For the most part, capability shortcomings
are the result of a shortage of skilled people, a dearth of enabling technologies
and/or insufficient access to third-party logistics providers.
• Enabling Technologies:
For the most part,
Poor infrastructure and distribution Mix of traditional, modern and Modern distribution channels In North America and Europe, implementation of materials resource planning
emerging distribution channels
Limited data, low levels of automation
Fragmented industries (e.g., super/hypermarkets)
Intense competition
Demanding consumers
systems began in the 1960s. By the mid to late 1990s, many companies across capability shortcomings
High degree of government More demanding customers,
Availability of sophisticated these regions had completed enterprise resource planning (ERP) and business
involvement
Resistance to third parties, low
increasing competition, consolidation
and rationalisation of industries
capabilities and technology
reengineering initiatives, and were poised to build "intelligent supply chains"
are the result of
Difficult to access sophisticated Easier to attract quality labour
third-party capability
Very low Internet uptake
supply chain capabilities
More advanced technology but with
Greater propensity to outsource
High Internet uptake
using focused applications for demand management, procurement, interenter- a shortage of skilled
Focus on fire-fighting varying levels of integration Processes and infrastructure that prise collaboration and customer relationship management.
Low to medium Internet uptake support collaboration people, a dearth of
Movement from reactive to
collaborative In Asia, however, local, regional and global players were far less inclined enabling technologies
to embrace leading-edge technologies, primarily due to skill limitations, infra-
Figure 1: Factors influencing supply chain competitiveness in Asia.
structure shortcomings and a general reluctance to invest in intangible assets. and/or insufficient
In fact, many Asian companies have not reengineered their logistical operations
access to third-party
and are only starting to implement ERP solutions. Even some multinationals
companies entering the Chinese market often find that standard theories of supply have yet to integrate their ERP platforms regionally. Without a reliable ERP logistics providers.
chain management do not apply, because the country cannot always support the system as a central repository for accurate transactional data and standardised
timely and economical movement of materials. China's government has announced business processes, even basic operational improvements materialise more slowly.
major initiatives to improve the infrastructure; for the time being, though, supply
chain performance improvements are innately handicapped. All in all, the information, costing, procurement and distribution systems of
many Asian companies are antiquated, fragmented and largely unrationalised.
But China is not the only country with an inferior logistics infrastructure. In fact, It is therefore no surprise that in Asia, compared to North America and Europe,
there really is no pan-Asian integrated transport and distribution network to leverage. costs are higher, reliability is lower, transfer pricing and sourcing decisions are
However, the potential and the rewards associated with infrastructure improvements exceptionally difficult to make, and reliable reports on regional performance
are clear, particularly because the economies of many countries rely on intra-Asian trade. are hard to obtain.
4 5
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
• Third-Party Logistics Providers: is network complexity. This problem is endemic in Asian distribution channels, which
Compared to North American and European companies, Asian companies have generally are multilayered, with three or four intermediaries between manufacturer
been slow to embrace outsourcing. There are only a few established logistics and customer. (In the US and Europe, one or two intermediaries are the norm.)
firms in Asia, a minority of which are internally networked and none of which In China, regulations prohibit foreign companies from owning distribution channels,
are pan-Asian in scale. This dearth of outside resources means that companies and they have little choice but to rely on local concerns to distribute their product.
have little alternative but to develop convoluted webs of relationships with Even if the performance of those local organisations were not suspect, foreign
multiple vendors and/or to rely heavily on subpar, internally developed supply companies still lose their ability to view and understand actual demand levels and
chain capabilities. Fortunately, there appears to be both a consolidation and customer requirements (Figure 2).
expansion of third-party resources in Asia, which in the near future should mean
broader—and more broadly available—capabilities at the country and regional levels. In China and Korea, distribution channels are particularly inefficient, fragmented
and costly. Because neither country has national distributors, the market is owned
Compared to North eCommerce Diversity by a plethora of small- and medium-sized local wholesalers. Consider the pharma-
Internet penetration levels vary greatly across Asia, with highs of more than 25 ceuticals industry in China and Korea, which is served by 16,000 Chinese wholesalers
American and European percent in Hong Kong and lows of less than 1 percent in China and India. Moreover,
Accenture client experience indicates that most Asian companies use the Internet
companies, Asian solely to share information and not as a mechanism for streamlining or managing
companies have been their supply chains. As a result, efficient online payment systems, third-party
“eServices” providers, mechanisms for managing supplier risk, and regulations that
slow to embrace protect against electronic payment fraud often do not exist. Nor is reliable data for
outsourcing. due diligence available publicly as it is in the US and Europe. Thus companies
typically use letters of credit, which heightens security but adds complexity, time
and inefficiency.
Some industry analysts report that, within a couple of years, 20 percent of the
world's business-to-business transactions will involve Asia. But with an eCommerce
infrastructure that significantly lags the US and most of Europe, Asian players will
have little choice but to tolerate supply chain inefficiencies and bring on extra
players to build and maintain supply chain relationships.
Organisational Diversity
Asia’s linguistic, cultural and regulatory diversity has forced many multinationals
Local and imported materials Often responsible for own Warehousing/distribution Nonexclusive distributors Little visibility of end-
to organise along geographic lines, with each division set up as an independent, Some contract manufacturers operations, including purchasing joint venture or handled Distribute product to stores customers apart from
for specific projects Sometimes based in by local or joint venture Credit with stores key accounts
country-specific profit centre. This approach helped many organisations penetrate multiple provinces third parties
Execute in-store promotions Actual demand and service
local markets, but it also perpetuated supply chain inefficiencies by fragmenting Rudimentary automated Some have willingness and performance masked
systems
product development, buying, manufacturing, logistics and planning efforts. In capability to improve
Delivery lead-times in weeks Little visibility of
effect, opportunities to build cost-saving, sales-enhancing synergies continue to not days subcontracted distribution,
be undermined by the organisational barriers to a regional supply chain strategy. Manual accounting unpredictable service
6 7
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
2 3
“Asia Industry: Redefining the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain,“ Economist Intelligence Unit Regional Economic News David Manion, “Asia Pacific Supply Chain Survey,“ CommerceNet (November 19, 1999).
(October 15, 2001).
8 9
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
• Respect, in Asia, often refers to the importance of “minding one’s own 6. Source Capabilities Intelligently (Buy, Build, Borrow)
business.” Across the region, people generally are expected to stay within their
own boundaries and avoid challenging the way others do business, especially
7A. Extend the Traditional Supply Chain
when the relationship involves superiors. This mind-set has been inculcated
within companies, among departments, and across external entities and trading
1. Strategise and Optimise the Network
partners. Because it discourages change, coordination and the development
of new approaches, it can undermine a company’s pursuit of greater supply 3. Integrate Demand and Supply, Manage Surges
chain efficiencies. Supplier's Customer's
Supplier Buy Make Move Sell Customer
Supplier Customer
Asia has several Further Exacerbating Asia's Supply Chain Challenges 2. Achieve Functional Excellence
Consumer demand for “better, faster, cheaper” products and services is a worldwide
highly entrenched phenomenon, as well as a major incentive for supply chain improvements. Indeed,
many companies around the globe confront the pressure of achieving supply chain IT Follow-on 4. Integrate Technology and Systems Architecture IT Follow-on
business practices
excellence to increase revenue, reduce net operating costs, reduce working capital Organise Follow-on 5. Organise and Measure for Supply Chain Efficiency Organise Follow-on
that profoundly and increase capital utilisation. But in Asia—a global hub for the manufacture of
consumer products (and particularly electronics)—the pressure to improve in these
affect the evolution areas is even greater. The global economic slowdown left many Asian companies Alternate Alternate Alternate Alternate
Channel Channel Channel Channel
of supply chain holding excess inventories at a time when spending on local goods also dropped.
However, the region’s astonishing diversity and complicated distribution network 7B. Extend beyond the Traditional Supply Chain
optimisation initiatives. schemes make responding to these pressures even tougher than in other parts of the
world. In contrast to the United States and Europe, for example, Asian companies face: Key: Establish Foundations Organise and Measure Extend the Supply Chain
• In-store stock-outs. IT and Systems Source Capability – Outsource Extend beyond the Supply Chain
• Lower levels of visibility over inventory and demand.
• Poor levels of forecast accuracy and demand management.
Figure 3: Supply chain opportunity areas for Asia.
• Higher inventory carrying costs, lower inventory turnover,
and lower levels of accuracy and control.
• Less understanding of customer and consumer needs and
required service levels.
• Excess infrastructure (i.e., too many nodes and assets in the network). The Opportunities:
• Lower levels of process and system standardisation and data Seven Approaches for Supply Chain Success in Asia
transparency across enterprises.
• Lower use of reliable performance measures. As the previous overview of challenges makes clear, realising supply chain improve-
ments in this part of the world is not easy. Yet it can be done. As summarised in
Lastly, Asia has several highly entrenched business practices that profoundly affect Figure 3, the remainder of this paper profiles seven ways that companies operating
the evolution of supply chain optimisation initiatives. For example, improving in Asia can significantly improve their supply chain efficiency and competitiveness:
the buying of materials and services is a significant savings opportunity in Asia; but
it also threatens the livelihood of procurement officials who might accept “off-book” Opportunity 1: Strategise and Optimise
incentive payments. Unwritten rules and entrenched practices such as those vary across Opportunity 2: Achieve Functional Excellence
countries, but they are a major source of resistance in virtually any business context. Opportunity 3: Integrate Demand and Supply
Opportunity 4: Integrate Technology and Systems Architecture
Opportunity 5: Organise and Measure for Supply Chain Efficiency
Opportunity 6: Source Capabilities Intelligently
Opportunity 7: Extend the Supply Chain
10 11
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
Obviously, Asia’s diversity complicates the task of prescribing solutions that success- Opportunity 1: Strategise and Optimise
fully relate to more than one group or business context, which is why many of Companies in Asia often embark on multiple supply chain projects without a coherent,
the cited opportunities must be addressed on a country-by-country, company-by- guiding supply chain strategy. In fact, few organisations operating in the region have
company and/or supply-chain-by-supply-chain basis. such a strategy. The problem with this approach is that it produces little more than
incremental improvements. Unless supply chain projects are implemented within the
The numbering of opportunities in Figure 3 is deliberate—an attempt to proffer a context of a broader, clearly defined strategy, their impact becomes diluted, localised
logical order to approaching supply chain tasks and determining what is achievable. and easily lost.
For companies dealing with underdeveloped infrastructures and tough regulatory
constraints, simply excelling at the basics would be a significant achievement. For oth- However, when they are implemented within the context of a broader strategy, the
ers (operating in more sophisticated environments), the task of synchronising supply results can range, for example, from reductions in inventory costs and improved
chains and connecting networks of eMarkets might be a more appropriate goal. The inventory visibility and control, to a competitively advantageous transportation
greatest likelihood, however, is that multinational corporations operating throughout structure. Plus, a more strategic supply chain approach leads to tax and duty optimi-
the region will have to address both scenarios. sation and better end-of-life product management, which can reduce inventory
obsolescence. This can be a big deal in Asia, but to date, few broad-scale efforts
As Figure 4 shows, there also must be a clear path that companies follow in their have been undertaken. Accenture’s client experience shows network and inventory
quest for supply chain effectiveness. This is particularly true in Asia, where operating savings ranging from 10 percent to 40 percent have been realised by companies in
environments can be varied and unsophisticated, and basic infrastructure systems Asia that have focused on developing a strategy and optimising their network. More
and capabilities are of utmost importance. In effect, the development and mastery importantly, companies have experienced improvements in revenue and market share
of core capabilities—consistent processes and procedures, integrated IT, accurate from 2 percent to 5 percent by aligning and optimising their supply chains.
and reliable data, straightforward performance measures, and thoughtful manage-
ment of people—are even more important to companies doing business in Asia. Thus, To realise these benefits, companies in Asia need to determine what drives real
true leaders and innovators do not question the need for a logical, evolutionary advantage in their supply chains and what drives real value to their customers—and
approach to supply chain improvement. Instead, they look for ways to do it quicker then configure their supply chains accordingly. As part of this effort, they need to
and smarter. align all relevant capabilities, processes and structures to an overall strategy.
Sourcing, conversion, distribution and replenishment planning should be coordinated
within the overall network design to ensure the optimal spread of resources, assets
and lower cost-to-serve (Figure 5). Complexity in algorithms caused by the impact of
Across Alliance tax regimes and regulatory diversity on make-buy decisions justifies the use of robust
Partners optimisation tools. Yet, to date, limited use has been made of network optimisation
tools in Asia.
With
Customers Elite Industry Shapers
and Suppliers Given the diversity of geography, language, culture, customs, regulations, and tax
and tariff regimes, postponement is a key component of most pan-Asian strategies.
In fact, the lack of local packaging, labelling, region-specific parts and/or multilin-
Leading Companies
Between gual documentation routinely adds cost, complexity and bloated inventories to the
Business
Functions
supply chains of companies that perform final configuration at their manufacturing
sites. Asian companies that have implemented postponement techniques have
Typical Companies realised inventory savings that average 10 percent to 30 percent. Additional savings
Within have resulted from higher fill rates and lower product obsolescence.
Business
Activities
Functions Process
12 13
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
However, it is clear that Asian companies lag their US and European counterparts
Strategy Considerations for Asia Supply Chain Network Issues in consolidating and leveraging purchasing activities across the enterprise. They also
• Local vs. regional factories, warehouses, etc. • Identify lowest-cost sourcing strategy have been slower to adopt strategic sourcing practices—making suppliers true business
• Revenue vs. profit maximisation • Determine number of manufacturing sites partners and thus bringing greater transparency to the overall procurement process.
• Role/relevance of each country/location and lowest-cost conversion strategy
to the overall strategy • Determine lowest total cost finished-
In the short term, those companies may be foregoing the benefits of solutions that
• Global implications and strategic directives goods source locations accompany strategic sourcing techniques, such as online auctions. Further down the
• Determine stock-holding locations road, they probably will be unable to match the lower cost-of-goods-sold profiles
across the network attained by industry leaders that have implemented highly efficient eProcurement
• Determine new infrastructure requirements solutions. In fact, the Aberdeen Group calculated that eSourcing applications have
• Identify cost-to-serve and service trade-offs 4
14 15
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
For many Asian Many of those opportunities involve make-versus-buy decisions and plant rationalisation. Other sell-related opportunities also are available as the result of Asian companies’
As noted earlier, for example, outsourcing is significantly underrepresented in Asia, limited success at:
companies, the greatest despite its potential to help companies (particularly small and medium enterprises) • Understanding the relationship between line fill and revenue. (Increases in line
realise production and cost efficiencies. This opportunity has not escaped the atten- fill generally lead to an increase in revenue.)
cost-reduction tion of contract manufacturers such as Flextronics, which plans to build a major • Acknowledging a connection between inadequate service and increased costs.
opportunities are those manufacturing and logistics hub in Malaysia. • Measuring customer satisfaction from an external perspective. (Many companies
simply do not query customers on a regular basis, preferring instead to rely on
associated with logistics Move internal measures of service performance.)
and distribution. For many Asian companies, the greatest cost-reduction opportunities are those • Measuring what is shipped as demand, rather than true demand (what
associated with logistics and distribution. Consider Korea, where the cost of trans- customers first ask for prior to negotiation, back orders, or other manual or
portation, storage, unloading and packaging accounts for 16.3 percent of the automated manipulation of the customers’ initial requests).
country's GDP, compared to 9.9 percent of the United States’ and 9.6 percent of
Japan’s. In most parts of Asia, in fact, distribution centre productivity, layout and
operations are rudimentary at best. Opportunity 3: Integrate Demand and Supply
As leaders such as Wal-Mart and Dell Computer have demonstrated, successful
In many cases, the key to better logistical performance is technology. For instance, demand and supply management requires thorough integration across the enterprise.
Mayne Logistics recently implemented EXE Technologies’ supply chain execution Unfortunately, many companies in Asia are silo-based, and thus do not have process
software at Unilever's facilities in Malaysia. On-time performance rates subsequently owners to orchestrate an integrated demand/supply planning process. Moreover, the
5
rose from 75 percent to 99.8 percent. Route planning and transport-management few that have implemented some form of integrated planning often retreat to silo
systems also are underrepresented in Asia, which could mean large opportunities to formation because they lack the measures to drive full integration, or because they
reduce net landed costs. Data mapping technologies for transport management have failed to organise around the integrated processes. Lastly, forecast accuracy and
systems are in their infancy, but documented increases in transport efficiency should inventory management in Asia generally are poor, which further complicates matters.
drive their use higher in the near future. Given the amount of product movement
that occurs in Asia, transportation optimisation should be a top priority. To lay the groundwork for integrated demand and supply planning, companies
should start with a fundamental, effective sales and operations planning process.
Sell That means having marketing, sales, logistics, manufacturing and procurement
In the US and Europe, tailoring supply chain responses to customer requirements has personnel talking with one another, planning together and identifying every
yielded revenue increases from 3 percent to 5 percent for companies. But in Asia, a opportunity to replace inventory with information. With this foundation in place,
"one size fits all" approach often prevails. As a result, broad opportunities exist for demand/supply planning software from companies such as i2 Technologies,
companies to increase revenues and market share by understanding: a) the costs Manugistics, SAP and Oracle can help organisations make complex operating decisions,
associated with serving each customer; b) what specific services customers require; ensure process consistency, adhere to key measures, and increase data integrity and
and c) services for which customers are prepared to pay. Market leaders then will use transparency. The extensive use of demand and supply planning software in the US
those insights to align their supply chain culture, capabilities, infrastructure and and Europe has not occurred to the same extent in Asia; but, as companies reengineer
people with the specific responses required by their best customers. The Asian com- their processes and improve their technology and data integrity, wider use of these
panies that have followed a programme to segment and tailor their supply chain tools is expected.
responses to specific customer requirements—developing a more holistic cost-to-
serve perspective that integrates sales and the supply chain—have seen significant
cost and revenue benefits.
5
Robert J. Bowman, “Despite Obstacles, Shippers Score Success in Asia,“ Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies
(July 1999).
16 17
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
18 19
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
Following are four ways that Asia business leaders can rationalise their supply chain
operations to increase efficiency: Regional Capabilities
20 21
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
3. Elevate People and Structures performance are altered during a highly iterative transaction process. As orders
Regardless of geography, sustainable increases in efficiency can only be achieved if are changed or cancelled during the fulfilment process, new documents generally
companies: a) successfully develop, attract and retain key talent; and b) migrate from are produced, while the original record is discarded. This prevents future analysis
a functional or subprocess orientation to one where direct, high-level accountability of the root causes for cancellations or shifts in demand.
is established for each supply chain process. Boundary issues, resource conflicts and
divergent opinions about the need for change naturally increase when higher levels • Archiving practices that are inconsistent. Historical records often are not
of regionalism and centralisation are indicated. Without talented people and a single, kept or are lost.
cross-boundary process owner, most initiatives will not increase the effectiveness of
the company as a whole. New cost-effective options for rapidly building supply chain • Inconsistent calculation and reporting of measures. From month to month,
talent and capability across a dispersed supply chain organisation are emerging to reported data may be drawn from varying sources and reflect different time periods.
provide immediate infrastructure and virtual supply chain training, which can be
tailored to individual and corporate needs. These options also provide companies • Targets that are not grounded in best practices, and do not represent the
with the ability to rapidly transfer best practices across divisions and markets. 7
consensus of all participants. Rules of thumb for calculating key performance
measures such as days of inventory coverage and forecast accuracy are applied
4. Focus on Performance Measures and Benchmarks instead of robust measures that have quantitative validity and reliability.
We know of no organisation that has achieved high levels of supply chain efficiency
and effectiveness without an effective performance measurement and benchmarking • Lack of a performance-management culture. People often do not know
capability. In fact, Michigan State University's multiyear study of supply chain how measures in their companies are derived, nor what their purpose may be.
excellence cited “performance metrics and benchmarking” as one of the top four There also may be a lack of designated process owners responsible for overall
8
drivers of supply chain excellence. However, Accenture’s client experience confirms performance measure management from data capture through to reporting.
that few Asian companies have pursued this capability with any level of vigour. In
fact, it is not uncommon to find:
7
Accenture’s Supply Chain Academy solution tailors virtual supply chain training on almost any supply chain
management subject and offers a cost-effective option for Asian companies.
8
The Global Research Team, Michigan State University, “World Class Logistics: The Challenge of Managing
Continuous Change,“ Council of Logistics Management (1995).
22 23
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
The best firms in Asia recognise that performance measures provide the link between Dell Computer is an excellent example of a company that successfully turned the Access to the best supply
business strategy and operational execution, which is why most use monthly, weekly acquisition of supply chain capabilities into an art form. When given the task of
and daily scorecards to hone in on the right activities and help set common goals for setting up two assembly plants in Malaysia and China, Dell obtained various supply chain capabilities is more
supply chain performance. Those leaders also apply rigorous measures based on high- chain capabilities in several ways.
quality data rather than rules of thumb. Most importantly, they clearly define what is
important than ownership
needed to achieve total supply chain efficiency and competitiveness. First, Dell purchased off-the-shelf software applications (buy). To overcome gaps of those capabilities.
in the capabilities of its people, the company recruited a key supply chain manager
For Asian companies, effective performance measurement and benchmarking could (buy) and used consultants to help with high-impact projects (borrow), thereby
be the best opportunity to translate supply chain strategy and improvement initia- accelerating the implementation of short-term projects. At the same time, the company
tives into real business results. But without those capabilities, they cannot see how invested heavily in training supply chain personnel to ensure strong management
they are doing today, nor can they know how they are progressing or when they capabilities going forward (build). To bridge gaps in the technology capabilities of
actually have achieved success. In effect, they are driving blind. local suppliers, Dell provided them with access to demand information via the Web
(ally). Lastly, the company recognised the basic limitations of its logistics infrastruc-
ture, so it outsourced some of its transportation and distribution operations
Opportunity 6: Source Capabilities Intelligently to third-party providers (borrow).
Many opportunities avail themselves solely to companies that are smart about how
they acquire key supply chain capabilities. As shown in Figure 10, there are four The result: Dell successfully has implemented its direct sales model across Asia,
different ways that those capabilities can be obtained; each has a clear-cut set of and Dell factories in China and Malaysia are capable of delivering made-to-order
advantages and shortcomings. personal computers to business customers within tight time frames. Currently,
Dell's plant utilisation levels are at 90 percent, while production planning cycle
time is down to two hours.
Outsourcing in Asia
High Dell obviously understands that access to the best supply chain capabilities is more
important than ownership of those capabilities. In fact, outsourcing has become a
mainstream way for companies in the US and Europe to obtain supply chain capabil-
Buy
Development ities that help them:
Ally/Acquire Build
Support • Bring new capabilities online quickly and productively.
• Minimise capital investment.
Ability to Differentiate
Moderate
24 25
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
IDC predicts that the outsourcing market for logistics will rise from US$8.6 billion in Currently, the greatest potential for these services appears to be in the energy and
2002 to $29.2 billion in 2005, with the most significant opportunities appearing in resources industries, as well as utilities, high tech, telecommunications, automotive
10
greater China, Singapore and Malaysia. In addition to the worldwide benefits noted spare parts, beverages and pharmaceuticals. However, there are many questions about
above, these dramatic increases will be driven by Asia-resident companies' need to the structure, ownership and even the business feasibility of these endeavours in
surmount linguistic, cultural, regulatory, political and economic barriers more readily, Asia. For one thing, a successful supply chain service provider requires an unusually
and to forge new inroads into other Asian markets. In the short term, many conglom- broad array of capabilities that generally do not exist in one organisation and hence
erates will rely on internal departments for logistics support, particularly in Korea and will need to be obtained from outside the organisation, including: technology integrators,
China. But over time—as external logistics providers become more adept at managing logistic services providers, programme managers, supply chain experts with deep
supply chains—conglomerates will outsource logistics support. Despite being suspicious functional knowledge, and people with deep industry knowledge (Figure 11). However,
of external parties, there are major opportunities for internal logistics departments of Asia’s unique and formidable barriers, combined with the need for low-capability
conglomerates to break free of their parents, and for large conglomerates to involve organisations to transform themselves rapidly, could be a catalyst for outsourcing
themselves in comprehensive outsourcing deals. models that transform rather than tinker with a multinational corporation’s
supply chain.
10
Douglas A. Jaffe, Caron Harrison and Wilvin Chee, “Taking Logistics into the 21st Century: A Study of Logistics in
Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan),“ IDC (July 2001) 27-28.
26 27
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
Customers
Distribution Customer Distribution Customer
Customers
Suppliers
Buy Make Buying Make
Suppliers
Logistics Management Logistics Management
11 12
Joan Magretta, “Fast, Global and Entrepreneurial: Supply Chain Management, Hong Kong Style—An Interview with Victor Fung,“ “A Surprising World Leader in Supply-Chain Management,“ The Economist (June 6, 2001).
Harvard Business Review (September-October 1998), 105-106.
28 29
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
Because real collaboration As a spokesperson commented on Li & Fung’s model of borderless manufacturing: Making the hub concept work involves developing solutions that move synchro-
“We’re not asking which country can do the best job overall. Instead, we’re nisation beyond supply chain participants to “trade chain” participants—
means sharing demand pulling apart the value chain and optimising each step. Not only do the benefits connecting customers, suppliers, enterprises, bankers, third-party logistics
outweigh the costs of logistics and transportation, but the higher value added providers, air and sea ports, freight forwarders, and customs/tax officials. In
information, companies also lets us charge more for our services.”13
places such as Hong Kong, there is no higher supply chain imperative, even
must develop a trust-based though overcoming hurdles relating to trust, data standardisation, language,
In addition to overall cost savings, value is realised in the reduction of delivery currency, security, bureaucracy, ownership and leadership will be a major challenge.
“win-win“ perspective. cycle-times from months to weeks. Plus, Li & Fung uses information—not
assets—to create competitive supply chains. Its adroit use of eCommerce helps Even further out, the distributed nature of Asian manufacturing, and the
to counteract the threat of major retailers going directly to suppliers, which subsequent trade flows that occur among Asian countries, suggest that a major
might cut Li & Fung out of the loop. opportunity may exist to connect several hubs into a network of co-opetition
(cooperation and competition). In the long term, this sort of synchronisation
• Collaborative Planning and Synchronisation. Collaboration among supply chain could help make Asian supply chains a formidable business force.
partners (i.e., customers and suppliers) can involve vendor-managed inventory,
collaborative demand planning, manufacturing and design, joint capacity planning • Alliances for Logistics Providers. Seeking to leverage new market opportunities
and/or synchronised order fulfilment (which involves the most risk because it and the growing popularity of hubs are the logistics arms of several nationally
makes parties dependent on each other). backed conglomerates. These forward-looking organisations desire to use their
logistics capabilities to develop a network or alliance of national supply chain
In any context, however, collaboration represents a new way of thinking for services providers. This network likely would resemble the oneworld™ alliance
many Asian companies. It also involves several prerequisites. Companies must and Star Alliance™ developed by the airline industry, which bring together
reengineer and integrate their internal supply chain planning processes and a number of competing, national flag-carrying airlines. Just as competing
technologies prior to involving themselves in collaborative activity. They also national airlines collaborate on (and synchronise) the flow of passengers to optimise
must be able to ensure that the data produced by their respective supply chain capacity utilisation, an alliance of logistics providers could synchronise the
technologies is valid, consistent and transparent. Lastly—because real collabora- complex flow of goods into, out of and across Asia (Figure 12).
tion means sharing information on demand—companies must develop a
trust-based "win-win" perspective. When these requirements have been met,
it becomes possible for trading partners to understand each other's basic operating
mechanisms and thus develop unified processes that drive down costs and Alliance Relationships Alliance Relationships
Logistics Logistics Logistics
increase the effectiveness of both parties. Leader Leader Leader
Market Dominance
Market Dominance
Market Dominance
Extending beyond the traditional supply chain involves creating new revenue
channels and cost-reduction opportunities by interacting in new or less-conventional
ways. Here are four examples:
30 31
Supply Chain Perspectives Supply Chains in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities
32 33
Supply Chain Perspectives
• Establish the imperative or pressure for change. Complete a supply chain value Bibliography
targeting exercise so that the benefits potential and business value are evident
and owned by key stakeholders.
“A Surprising World Leader in Supply-Chain Management,“ The Economist
• Develop a time-phased business case and road map in which priorities are based (June 6, 2001).
on driving significant value early from the supply chain. Success breeds success.
It is vital that all supply chain initiatives in the road map are integrated with “Asia Industry: Redefining the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain,“ Economist Intelligence
other organisational initiatives. Unit Regional Economic News (October 15, 2001).
• Articulate a supply chain vision that supports the company’s operating model Bowman, Robert J., “Despite Obstacles, Shippers Score Success in Asia,“ Global
and is compelling for all stakeholders. Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies (July 1999).
• Appoint an executive sponsor and process owner who will champion the change. Jaffe, Douglas A., Caron Harrison and Wilvin Chee, “Taking Logistics into the 21st
Century: A Study of Logistics in Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan),“ IDC (July 2001),
• Create the capacity to change. That is, clearly define responsibilities, train the 27-28.
appropriate people and provide worthwhile incentives.
Kim, M., “LG Electronics' Global Supply Chain Management System Goes Live,“
• Establish an end state through performance measures that are clearly tied to Business Wire (September 5, 2001).
strategic and operational goals. Communicate these measures and goals, and
then rigorously monitor performance. Lim, June, “Malaysia Continues to Improve Logistics Infrastructure,“ MHD Supply
Chain Solutions (November 2001), 14.
• Continually monitor customer reactions, market conditions and outcomes—and
adjust as necessary. Magretta, Joan, “Fast, Global and Entrepreneurial: Supply Chain Management, Hong
Kong Style—An Interview with Victor Fung,“ Harvard Business Review (September-
• Celebrate success and then continue to innovate and drive value. October 1998), 105-106.
Lastly, the time to act is now. For those companies that do not begin to capitalise on Manion, David, “Asia Pacific Supply Chain Survey,“ CommerceNet (November 19, 1999).
these opportunities in Asia, be assured that the competition will do so.
This white paper is adapted from a chapter in the forthcoming Gower Handbook of
Supply Chain Management, Fifth Edition, edited by John L. Gattorna. The book is to
be published by Gower Publishing Ltd., UK, in early 2003.
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About Accenture
Accenture is the world's leading management and technology services organisation. Through
its network of businesses approach—in which the company enhances its consulting and out-
sourcing expertise through alliances, affiliated companies and other capabilities—Accenture
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With more than 75,000 people in 47 countries, Accenture can quickly mobilise its broad and
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The Accenture Supply Chain Management service line helps companies operating in Asia to
solve complex supply chain problems with strategies and solutions that drive significant
cost savings and create competitive advantage. Our professionals across the region combine
deep skills and leading-edge approaches in supply chain planning, manufacturing and design,
procurement, fulfilment—and new models such as supply chain synchronisation, outsourcing
and supply chain value transformation—to help clients enhance revenue, reduce cost, and
improve asset productivity and customer service.