Vintage Shoes Inc. Digital Supply Chain (Article Sample)

Vintage Shoes Inc. Digital Supply Chain Name Institution Course Instructor Date Vintage Shoes Inc. Digital Supply Chain The implementation of a new Supply Chain Information System (SCIS) is an important undertaking for companies like Vintage Shoes Inc. (VSI), especially when faced with the problem of meeting the stringent requirements of potential clients. This essay explicates the varieties of obstacles that company could face, when it tries to realize the goal of digitized supply chain. The Concept of a Digitized Supply Chain and How it Will Help VSI Digital supply chain is the application of digital technologies to facilitate the smooth interconnections of all the chain units, from procurement to production and finally to logistics and consumer. The process of transformation is happening with the responsibility of moving on paper-based and manual processes to the automated system that delivers the real-time data, enhanced analytical model which displays all the information about the supply chain (Schniederjans et al. 2019). For VSI, transitioning to a digitized supply chain means adopting technologies like cloud-based platforms, IoT devices, and advanced analytics tools that offer seamless data integration and real-time monitoring. The digitalization of the supply chain has many benefits for VSI. It will improve automation in tedious, time-consuming, and error-prone processes, increasing accuracy and accelerating processes. This makes the company more capable of adjusting to shifts in demand and situational factors that may affect supply, giving it a higher level of agility. An example of this is that the instant data from IoT sensors can be utilized to track the status of goods, enabling VSI as a prompt alert will be sent in case of a delay or a disruption so that it can proactively address the issues before they escalate. Digitizing the supply chain will give the end-to-end visibility that is of immense importance in transactions with this potential customer. Through constant follow-up with integrated systems, VSI can see the product from the manufacturing facility in Vietnam to their warehouses throughout the United States. This visibility has been the most crucial element in that all stakeholders, including customers, can access updated information that checks inventory levels, shipment status, and delivery times at all times. Software to Help VSI Comply with the Potential Client’s Supply Chain Requirements VSI must invest in software solutions that support collaboration, visibility, and automation to ensure that the client's supply chain process is in line with the demands and that the supply chain is digitized. Enterprise Resource Planning system is a crucial component which helps VSI to automate and consolidate the digital transformation by connecting multiple existing business processes into one, main platform. This platform unifies operational activities and makes possible the real-time data sharing among the units and also improves decision-making (Bialas et al., 2023). Major features of ERP system are inventory handling, order processing and production scheduling which are all important tool for efficient management of the supply chain. A Transportation Management System (TMS) is another piece of the puzzle and is as vital as all the others. In essence, the TMS will be responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing the physical movement of the goods, giving VSI the prerogative and power to keep track of its logistics operations. As Mohsen (2023) states, the core functionalities of a much-fewer system are freight management, real-time shipment tracking, and route optimization. TMS puts VSI on the front foot to optimize inbound and outbound shipment scheduling with the best carriers available regarding cost and service levels while monitoring the shipments in detail and on time. VSI in-house SCIS Development and Shift to External Software Vendors VSI management team should rethink the current trend of building their own SCIS by looking into external software vendors. The main driver of such a change is the necessity for rapid deployment of advanced, integrated solutions to meet the stringent requirements of their potential client. Weaving a digitized supply chain system in-house might be complex and challenging, particularly if the company continues to use manual data transfer between and non-integrated systems (Schniederjans et al., 2019). The external software vendors integrate into the technology stack, and it is not only built-in and comprehensive but also easily customizable. It also has aspects that fit the client's unique needs, serving fast implementation and adherence to open-ended customer demands. External software vendors specializing in other supply chain management solutions and having the competence and resources to give state-of-the-art technologies. Further, there is a proliferation of integrators who furnish all-encompassing ecosystems that encompass not only ERP, WMC, TMS, and advanced analytics but also a host of other functionalities. Such access to advanced capabilities would be challenging and complicated to replicate. One would not only have to consider the current technological status of VSI b...