11 Sep Discuss at least 2 Supply Chain strategies and how do you see Augmented Reality impacting it

Reading Chapter 4 “Supply Chain Strategy” will assist you in writing this discussion forum.

Watching the videos, “In Focus: Augmented Reality in Supply Chain”, “Logistics 4.0 – Augmented Reality Use Cases”, “Vision Picking at DHL- Augmented Reality in Logistics”, and “Top Chain Supply Chain Management Strategies and Tactics ” will assist you in writing this discussion forum.

Notes:

The initial discussion post must be a minimum of 250 words.

Replies to each student must be a minimum of 150 words.

Reply 1

Approaches to Augmented Reality in Supply Chain Transparency

Blockchain technology and incorporating sustainability into your supply chain processes are two additional tactics you may want to consider. Blockchain-based supply chains facilitate increased transparency and traceability, as well as the ability to establish trust among partners up and down a given network. The maturity of augmented reality technology can mesh effectively with blockchain platforms to enable users to see and interact live supply chain data (like the source, journey details of a product or status reports about its shipment) in real-time. Helping to improve visibility across the supply chain as well along with decision-making.

In light of the growing pressure that businesses are under to reduce their carbon footprint and become more environmentally conscious, this also applies to the management of sustainable supply chains. Augmented reality’s capabilities include the capacity to facilitate the movement of products, the visual planning and optimization of transportation routes, the simulation of the impact of changes to packaging, and the simple display of your sustainability initiatives to both staff and customers (Heizer, Render, & Munson, 2021). Nonetheless, the use of augmented reality (AR) for training and work instructions can also assist in the development of more environmentally friendly practices throughout our supply chain.

Discussion Questions

1. Detail the pros and cons of blockchain implementation with Augmented Reality in SCM Which of these use cases is most compelling for your organization?

2. How could a company use augmented reality to drive more sustainability inside their supply chain? Give concrete examples of AR enabled applications that will have a positive impact on the environment.

Reply 2

Part 1: Supply

Chain Strategies and the Impact of Augmented Reality

The two main supply chain management techniques that determine the effectiveness and viability of business organizations are JIT, or just-in-Time, and demand forecasting.

Just-in-Time (JIT) Strategy:

JIT is a concept of supply chain where an organization requires supplies only when they are needed in production. This strategy reduces costs and increases cash, but its degree of organization and scheduling is significant. JIT can be greatly improved by subscribing to augmented reality, as it conveniently displays the various conditions concerning utilization rates, production timelines, and the supply chain in a direct vision of reality. For instance, AR can help in applications in warehouses by enabling users to speedily identify and pick items as opposed to time-consuming inventory checking. AR guides in changing physical settings and comes in handy in pinpointing areas where there is delay and in ensuring that materials are delivered at the right time in a bid to avoid overstocking or stockout situations, as spotted by Azuma in 1997.

Demand Forecasting

Demand forecasting is a process of determining the future requirements of customers based on previous records, market trends, and other tools of analysis. Sales forecasting is therefore a critical tool for managing production schedules, inventory, and supply chain management. AR has emerged as a way of optimizing demand forecasting by improving the visualization of data. With AR, one can communicate with datasets in a much more natural and reflexive manner as compared to 2D, and they can find patterns that might have escaped them in the latter view. AR can also be used in planning; for example, by assuming certain demand levels on the supply chain, the simulation will provide the manager with a visual way of showing how such demand levels would affect the supply chain (Berte, 2020).

Part 2: Discussion Questions

Considering the role of augmented reality in enhancing the just-in-time (JIT) strategy, what are the potential challenges that companies might face when integrating AR into their existing supply chain processes? How could these challenges be addressed?

In what ways could augmented reality improve the accuracy of demand forecasting in a rapidly changing market environment? Can AR be relied upon as a primary tool for forecasting, or should it be used in conjunction with other technologies?