read a book

Operations and Supply Chain Management by Ashley McDonough


The world of the supply chain might seem intimidating 😨 to some. However, fear not, since this book does a fabulous job 🤩 explaining it in layman's terms.

We go on with our day-to-day lives with little thought 💡 to how all these products that we use regularly come to life. What would happen if these products fail to reach us due to a natural disaster 🌋 or a war 🪖 that destroyed the distribution route? What if we do not receive food items 🥗 on time? What if we receive defective goods or unusable products? What if there is a shortage of goods? 😵 All these concerns are taken care of by those working tirelessly 👷‍♂️ in the background to maintain the supply chain operations so that millions of us can lead a smooth life. These thoughts have piqued my interest 💯 in the supply chain. Additionally, as a designer, it is crucial to comprehend the business to serve the users and the business.

This book has touched upon the key areas of the supply chain using a simple pair of scissors ✂️ as an example. It is mind-blowing that so many events happen for a product that is so simple and something that we do not think about often. These events consist of thorough planning, weighing ⚖️ the pros and cons of decisions that can cause ripples in other areas, sourcing for raw materials, bringing these goods to life, ensuring that safety standards and correct requirements are followed, and methods to distribute the goods to consumers.

My takeaways particularly from the Logistic include:

  1. Inbound Logistics signifies raw materials that enter the supply chain process. These raw materials will then contribute to the birth of the final good.

  2. Outbound Logistics denotes the goods that are distributed to the consumers.

  3. Reverse Logistics means unused goods that are returned to the production point so that they can be disposed with care.

  4. Warehouses can be private, public, and contract. These are selected based on the product, customer delivery time, long-term growth, workforce availability, and proximity to transportation modes.

  5. Inventory holding costs refer to the expenses that accumulate due to storing inventory that remains unsold.