Seminar: Strategic Supply Chain Development

Facilitator: Larry Berglund, SCMP, MBA

Research and history indicates, over and over, that without a strategic planning process, organizations will fail.

With the multiplicity and complexity of the issues involved with strategic planning, can it be made easier for individuals and organizations to follow successfully? If it is easier to understand, then strategic planning has a greater chance of being utilized for successful business operations.

The aim of strategic management is to gain competitive advantages. Using an organization's strengths to exploit its competitors' weaknesses is a strategic goal of business organizations. Public organizations have less choice in redirecting their objectives as issues become politicized and subject to debate in the media and legislative arena. Nonetheless, government agencies, as well as private sector and not-for-profit organizations do find that management and staff are enthusiastic participants in the strategic management processes, which affects the organization's mission, objectives, and policies, when they are actively engaged in their development.

Strategic management activities lead to an in-depth understanding of the business environment an organization operates in to develop its priorities for success. Although it is not a formula for success, the planning process leads to an organization being prepared to function in a proactive manner and correct its aim where necessary. Reactive decision-making is characteristic of companies without vision and therefore, their long-tem success is much more in doubt.

Most people base their tactics on a handful of issues they have drawn from over the years. Larry provides a listing of over 150 issues which could be considered in negotiations. Armed with this toolbox of issues we can become more creative in drafting successful deals.

This seminar is directed at enabling individuals in supply chain management roles to align their operational plans with the strategic direction of their organization, within the context of today's environment.

The reference material for this program is drawn from many of the leading writers on strategic management such as Ansoff, Bryson, Porter, Mintzberg, Ohmae, Hamel, Prahalad and others.

Topics include:

The two-day program uses case studies, lectures, and exercises to draw participants into discussions and debates on the important business topic. It encourages individuals to consider their role and the importance of alignment of tactical activities with strategic objectives.