QUESTION $1$

$(100$ marks$)$

Lean supply chains exist due to organisations becoming more competitive

and due to the fact that waste in a system has a direct impact on profitability.

This removal of waste has developed into a methodology called "the lean

philosophy".

This lean philosophy was created by Toyota's founder Sakichi Toyoda,

Kiichiro Toyoda and chief engineer Taiichi Ohno and integrated into the

Toyota Production System $($TPS$).$ This TPS creates manufacturing efficiencies

by implementing JIT $($inventory kept to a minimum, using automation and

minimising downtime$).$

Traditionally, demand and supply forces were viewed as the key driving

forces of a stock market but with changing supply chain and economic

models, the birth of and implementation of digitisation, new ways of getting

products to the market efficiently and quickly must be investigated.

E$-$commerce is now widely accepted and is increasing in popularity and

usage still. Especially during the Pandemic there was a great rise in online

platform usage to buy and sell goods.

$1\mathrm{.}1$ Discuss the difference between Lean and Agile supply chains.

$1\mathrm{.}2$ Several tools to use exist in the implementation of a lean approach. Compare

Poka$-$yoke, Value stream mapping and $5$ S visual management as lean tools.

$1\mathrm{.}3$ Lean techniques improve efficiency within the supply chain and reduces

waste. Discuss the Just$-$in$-$Time $($JIT$),$ One$-$piece Flow Production and Point$-$

of$-$Usage storage $($POUS$)$ lean techniques.

$1\mathrm{.}4$

Discuss the types of waste found in a supply system that may have an impact

on profitability.