Supply chain management (SCM) is the combination of art and science that
goes into improving the way your company finds the raw components it
needs to make a product or service and deliver it to customers. The
following are five basic components of SCM.

1.PPC (Production Planning)
2.Purchase (Sourcing/Vendor Development)
3.Production (Manufacturing)
4.Despatch (Delivery/Logistics /Warehouse )
5.Stores (Receipts/Issues/ Storage)

A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that
performs the functions of procurement of materials, transformation of
these materials into intermediate and finished products, and the
distribution of these finished products to customers. Supply chains
exist in both service and manufacturing organizations, although the
complexity of the chain may vary greatly from industry to industry and
firm to firm.

The group is created with multiple purpose of serving Job seekers in the
field of Purchase/Materials management on one platform and benefit Job
seekers, Employers / Recruiters.


Source (Supply Chain Management)----yahoo web group

Dear All,

I am delighted to have stumbled on this site today. I share the same interest in a career in purchasing and SCM and have been equally sourcing for relevant information to enable me launch my career in SCM. I am a graduate of Business Administration and equally hold an MBA in Marketing, both degrees from the same Nigerian university. I do not have a core SCM work experience but a high percentage of my fifteen years B2B sales experience involves sub-contracting/purchasing, tendering, logistics, contract management  and project coordination - which are all core aspects of SCM. As a result, I now desire to branch off from core sales career to SCM, which I agree is still developing in Nigeria and will blossom in few years time.

I desire to proceed abroad for a PGD or MSc degree in Purchasing/Logistics/SCM where I can afford it or take the CIPS professional examination from here (Nigeria). Let me share the little information I have gathered which can help others. I also want to have the contact information of the Nigerian representative of CIPS.

For a very comprehensive career information in SCM (Purchasing & Supply Management and Logistics and Transport Management) check out the Careers Guide in www.insidecareers.co.uk.

Apart from CIPS certification, I came across the certification known as Senior Professional in Supply Management (SPSM) given by Next Level Purchasing (NLP), USA (www.nextlevelpurchasing.com). This is an online study and seems very convenient but I do not know how widely acceptable and globally recognized this certificate is. Also, there are lots of articles on Purchasing available on the site. Please somebody in the USA should kindly assist to provide more information on this certificate, especially job-wise internationally.

In addition, there is an online free "Supply & Demand Chain Executive" magazine which provides SCM articles, news and other information mainly from the USA (www.sdcexec.com).

From my search for top SCM universities in Europe, I have shortlisted these four as the top SCM schools, with some giving full automatic MCIPS certificate upon graduation: Cranfield University, Heriot-Watt University, University of Strathclyde (all in the UK) and Bordeaux Business School (France). I am also checking to get the top SCM schools in the USA.

I do hope these information will be helpful to others like me seeking to pursue a career or information on Purchasing and SCM. Please, I need the contact information of CIPS representative or Study Centre in Nigeria.

Best regards,
NN

Glad you can join us @NN, i will get the CIPS address, and other details ASAP,, Thanks for sharing all that info, its really useful. This tread is becoming even more intresting and enlightening with folks like you .

We are indeed getting there with SCM, Logistics and procurement in Nigeria.
See Nigeria’s first one stop shop for SCM consultancy.
(Highly recommended for every organization that seeks to better its Supply chain activities)


http://www.prologconsulting.net/home.php

Supply Chain Management Goal and Challenges September , 2006



The ultimate goal of supply chain management is to completely “synchronize” every supply chain cycle with the customer’s final demands. In reality, however, the goal is difficult to meet. Most customers face two business environment challenges, the “globalization” of the world economy and the emergence of the “customer economy".

Globalization of the world economy has resulted in extending supply chains, as customers seek comparative advantage and access to new markets. The emergence of the Customer Economy has changed the way businesses respond to demand. Product life cycles are shrinking, R& timelines are shortening and the demand for a greater variety of product choices is growing.

The efficient management of the flow of goods, services and information along a supply chain - from the procurement of raw materials, through suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors, to consumers and end-users - is becoming increasingly critical
Focus is on order-fulfillment and demand satisfaction allowing to deliver value through service excellence.







- Further distances and longer lead times to manage
- More complicated transportation routes and distribution patterns
- Increasingly larger number of participants in supply chain
- Increased risk of the Bullwhip effect due to number of additional of trading partners
- More difficult to respond to Consumer demand in a timely fashion
- Greater chance for weather or natural disasters to impact plans
- Communication and coordination problems increase


SCM Challenge: Emergence of the Customer Economy

- Increasingly more demanding Customers
- Decreasing product life cycles and time for Research and Development
- Increase in variety of products demanded - from mass production of small items, to small production runs of many items
- More important to produce what customers want, when they want, as much as they want, and in the proper locations.
- Effective coordination among supply chain partners is increasingly important.





Customer Economy presents SCM challenges

- Customers increasingly want to work with a single provider who can manage the flow
of product and information throughout their entire demand/supply chain
- Difficulty in forecasting Customer demand
- Coordination is required throughout supply chain
- Communication among multiple partners with varying technologies
- Local optimization at different stages within the supply chain
- Reacting to changes and problems in an extended supply chain
- Information distortion and variability within supply chain
- Effective communication and cooperation among supply chain partners







see attached Doc,, Courtesy NYK logistics

http://weatherhead.case.edu/msm/msm-sc.cfm

http://weatherhead.case.edu/msm/msm-or.cfm

for anybody interested in school or further information

its nice to know that there are people interested in this field. pls does any onehave info on where to do the SAP training, exam in nigeria and how much it costs.thanks

Hello@koye, sorry i didnt get to see my mail on time to alart me to check this tread , it got delivered in my bulk mails, , the info you are requesting for ,i have it, and will pots it here, or better still let me have yur email addy and i can forward it to you, i just recived the SAP training calander for 2007 from sap nigeria

Cheers

thanks a lot for the response, i'm just about hopping unto the SAP train. my email add is koyenflip@yahoo.com. thanks

Next year SAP Nigeria are planning to run both MM & SD as parallel academies.

The 2 dates when these training will be made available are:

FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 23, 2007
AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2007


Two responses are required: SD or MM
Date when you prefer to attend the course.


Contact , the person below, i believe they will be more than glad to send you more details


Toyin Joe-Bassey
Office Administrator (SAP Nigeria)

SAP Africa
Systems Applications Products (Africa) (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 1988/004033/07
T +234 9 413 3165, 670 0725
M +234 805 508 4744
F +234 9 413 3166
E T.Joe-Bassey@sap.com
www.sap.co.za

Koye i am also forwarding the 2007 SAP training calander via email to you, feel free to reach me anytime , will be glad to provide you more information

IBM and DHL jointly developing and selling Warehouse Management
Posted by: "supplychain.logistics" supplychain.logistics@yahoo.com supplychain.logistics
Fri Dec 8, 2006 12:52 pm (PST)

Two big names IBM and DHL in IT and 3PL industry respectively are
jointly developing and marketing WMS for logistics service providers. A
press release from IBM says

" DHL Exel Supply Chain, the logistics specialist at Deutsche Post World
Net, and the IBM business consulting firm Global Business Services have
jointly developed a new IT-based warehouse-managemen t solution for
Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH. The value of the euro-denominated contract is
in the double-digit range. Starting in mid-2008, 11 DHL locations will
be equipped with the new solution, known as system platform logistics.
Once the system goes into operation, Karstadt will profit from
significantly improved logistics processes and falling costs"

Source: http://supplychain- logistics. com
<http://supplychain- logistics. com>

Hi Guys, I have been on Nairaland for some time now but don't know about this group. I am glad to have discovered you guys.
I am a 28 year-old Procurement Officer of an Indigenous Oil Company operating in the domnstream sub-sector of the oil and gas industry. I have a B.Sc. in Adm. and a P.G.D. in Shipping Logistics Technology From Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Akwa Ibom State.
I am already on course for a booming career in SCM but I've limited knowledge of the field and even when I run to people that i thought will know about it, i end up discovering they themselves knoes nothing about the field. Moreover, I want  2 further but don't know where to go to. I don't think an MBA is that relevant to the field. I want something more closer-Logistics Mgt, SCM etc, that can boost  my CV. Want 2 also know more about professional qualifications I can bag in the field to make me hot most especially for the Oil and gas sector as i don't intend to remain here(downstream), but I intend to move over to the major players in the upstream sector.
Please fellow Nairalanders help me and also keep on with the good job. I tell you there is prospect in this field of ours. Love you all.   

Welcome on board@Shaddie, and Thanks for waking this thread once more from comatose. 
You are on the right part already towards building a career in SCM, and I think starting off as a Buyer and moving your way across functions will get you well grounded in all aspect of SCM. 
Time / and expertise in the Field plus the relevant professional qualification  is what will take you to the Top of the field and more especially in the oil and gas sector, How to chart that course, is what we are all here to share ideas about. There’s is strength in networking so let’s use it to the fullest.

Fell free to leave your suggestions, challenges and career prospects in the filed; someone is bound to give you sound advice. .WELCOME once more

Hi Wills, I am glad to see your reply. I've followed your contribution to the forum and discovered that you've known a lot about SCM. Infact , I am yet to assimilate all the lectures you gave on this forum. I t seems to me that you are a Lecturer in this field. Your knowledge about this field baffles me. I tell you man, I envy you.
I read your previous discussions about some SCM softwares-SAP, ERP etc. It makes feel like I am in a diffrent planet alltogether. These are things I feel, by know, I should have known, but I just couldnt lay my hands on them. Pls let me know a little about these softwares.
I also want to know about relevant professional bodies to register with both locally and internationally.
Thanks in anticipation, hope to hear from you soonest.

I am in great need here. I am a graduate in Education feild. the thing is this I dont like my profession that much. even if I do how can I take my Career in that feild to a higher level. Then the issue being discussed (SCM and CILT)which I am intrested in how can I pursue a career in it. pls some one help

Thanks for this posting, though,I have not really had time to go through all replies. However,I wish to state here that I am a green hornin Procurement and Warehousing and I think I love it more than any other job as it affords me the opportunity of negotiaing and decision making. I have been thinking of developing a career on this line and have been doing some research work too.

U can check cilt.co.uk and let me know what you think.

Hello again @shaddie, sorry it took a while for me to respond, it’s the pressure @, my place of work. I am most humbled by your comments I must say, the truth is that, just like you I am a budding SCM professional, I know I still have a long way to go from where am standing today, to where am hoping to be in the profession in the near future.
So don’t feel like you’re an alien. Like I side, its step by step process, SCM, Logistics, and procurement is a very broad field so don’t think you will know all at once.

I feel as a student member of CIPS or ISM, studying towards the MCIPS and CPM qualifications respectively you will learn a lot, and acquire some of the knowledge on the role ICT plays in the business, but as for working or hands on experience with any SCM / Inventory mgt software that’s a different ball game. I don’t think you can read that up anywhere, you just have to be trained to use them.

Send me your email, so I can add u to my messenger, then we can have a chat sometime.
@hello, you too can do same, I think as a graduate in education , u can pursue a career in procurement and SCM, but be sure that’s what you really want to do

Ladapo:

I have been thinking of developing a career on this line and have been doing some research work too.

You can check cilt.co.uk and let me know what you think.

@ Ladapo, it will be great if you can share some of your research work on this tread, it will be helping more people , than you can imagain.

Logistics Hmn!

Manoy,
Good to have you, be sure you hear from Me and a lot more others from this tread,

WELCOME!!!

I'm so glad to read your post, wills. It gives me an insight to this very profession.

I studied Mechanical Engineering [Production Engineering] from the Federal Poly Ado-Ekiti. I'm holding HND (Upper Credit) certificate.

I got a job with a Manufacturing/Construction here in Lagos. I was employed to work in the Logistics/Purchasing Department. Ih\ This arouse my interest in building career with Logistics Profession.

I want you [wills] and the entire house to furnish me with the adequate information on how to achieve my aim of building this logistics career.

Please give me the proper advices that can be of help.

My email number is ojogbon2005@yahoo.com

Thanks

A lot of kudos to Wills and Mike adeoye,I read through with all enthusiasm your presentation and contributions on the topic of logistics and SCM,which has in no small measure really thrown light to most of us that have and will be visiting this page, your contributions give us if not all but the needed info on building a career in the field.

I am building a career in logistics and scm and have been looking out for information, thank God I stumble onto nairaland and was able to read thru all your views, what have I to say than to be full of praises and appreciation to you people. I advise most young ones that we should always look forward to build ourselves and our society rather indulge in trivial and illegitimate ways.
I have checked on the websites stated above and making plans to start my professional certification,I will visit NIPSM office at Onipanu thanks to Kayfact for the lead on this.
I am a graduate of economics with the interest to work as a logistics personnel ever since I came out of school, I recently got job with an engineering firm,task with handling of their logistics and warehouse without any prior knowledge,I have been looking up the internet for informations and materials,I hope you will guys will help out on this,thanks.I am to put their stores,stocks,inventories and others into shape as task by the management,the accountant there has been of tremendous assistance though.
As the duo of Wills and Mike stated earlier that a hand on real life phenomenon is the best way to gain experience in the field. Pls I call you my brothers to please give the best advise you.

@ Olaakande Welcome, my Brother, and Thanks for the words of appreciation. It’s the least we can do, helping, sharing and also seeking knowledge in the process .

You are now a budding professional in the field, so I think we can learn from you too, lets hear a little of your experience .

I will also advice you go for CIPS, it’s one of the Premier professional body  for buyers, and professionals in the SCM field and what’s more its qualification has a global acceptance.

So check out cips at www.cips.org.

Welcome to the tread on logistics and SCM

Dear colleagues,
I found your contributions very enlightening and encouraging.However; I have a major concern with respect to the prospects of engagement of Logistics and Supply Chain practitioners as independent Management Consultants in Nigeria. Does anyone have a clue and can give specific examples of these opportunities? I am not just referring to the more commonly available Clearing & Forwarding business which has been colonized by the Lebanese and Multinationals like SDV & Panalpina. Earnestly awaiting your response.

Onwuzuam, Glad you can join us.

To your major concern “the prospects of engagement of Logistics and Supply Chain practitioners as independent Management Consultants in Nigeria".

I think now ,this is limited due to the view by most major organistaions that theres a dearth in expertise in this area locally, but I think there is great opportunity for this to happen now and in the future, to be honest I have my heart set on doing something in this line in the future as I grow to that point in the profession

Some Organization will rather outsource this function or at least require some professional input where they lack that in-house, and are in the process/need of repositioning their Logistics and Supply Chain function.

So far i think there two companies that I know of that are into Logistics and Supply Chain independent Management Consultancy and services in Nigeria. You can visit the site below.
Fill out the request form with your questions I am sure they will get back to you.

http://www.prologconsulting.net.

Cheers , Your Post is always and most welcomed.

Wills,I greatly appreciate your lead on,on this page,well so far I have been handling the inventories in the sense of taking into cognisance the firm's assets and it's value as at when I resumed duty,bringing forward the accounts from whom I took over from, and anytime there is an addition to this I update it in my inventories ledger.Also I take care of the stores by opening a ledger for all the materials inthere and their values,as well opening a products stocks leger.so far my brother these are the activities I have been doing,I just hope am on the right track?thank you

Many Thanks Wills. Their website was quite long on theory but their client list was not quite impressive. I have put in over ten years of organizational experience in Logistics and Supply Chain management in a number of key multinational companies locally and am seeking for an organization where I can contribute as a potential partner. Do you think they could be willing to engage someone like me? Otherwise, do you know anywhere else?

@onwuzuam, u can always send prolog an email via the website to find out, i bet they will get back to you. As of now i dont know anywhere else, but when i do i will be sure to let you know.

@olaakande, Thanks for sharing.

Hi Guys, its nice to have found this thread. My functional area is Supply Chain Management in the ERP consulting business - Purchase management and Supplier relationship management("Source/procure to pay processes"). Very interested in it as there is a great future for SCM in Nigeria.

Tats:

Hi Guys, its nice to have found this thread. My functional area is Supply Chain Management in the ERP consulting business - Purchase management and Supplier relationship management("Source/procure to pay processes". Very interested in it as there is a great future for SCM in Nigeria.

Hello @Tats,
Glad you ran into this thread, from the little profile info you dropped, I figure you will be an asset to this thread, we have a lots of young Nigerians that are interested and some already building a career in this fields (Procurement, logistics/SCM), and so your advice/knowledge / expertise will be most welcomed.

Also, I think its about time we start building a more formal networking structure, outside of Nairaland, while still retaining this thread and making regular post.

I already have made contacts with, about 3 other professionals in the field, two of them in the UK, one a Student, the other a Logistics supervisor in TotalfinaElf- UK and the 3rd person the CEO of Prolog consulting.


So if you are interested, just signify, I will try and put structure in place that we can make it possible for everyone to know our varying needs, career prospects, and see how we can build synergy to help ourselves.

No need for email addresses or numbers yet, just signify with (Interested), once the Numbers of interested folks is up to 10 or more, then we can start a more closed up forum.

Hoping, to get favorable responses from all interested Folks.

Further to my last mail on networking, I will also like to say that for anyone this is interested and I believe we have a lot of people in and out of this forum that are interested. A foremost SCM/Logistics consulting firm will soon be carrying out training on a wide spectrum in SCM.

Interested participants should contact me via this thread for more details.
Please do not post your emails or numbers here. Just indicate interest, I will figure out a way to get to you, and get you the details.

wills:

Hello @Tats,
Glad you ran into this thread, from the little profile info you dropped, I figure you will be an asset to this thread, we have a lots of young Nigerians that are interested and some already building a career in this fields (Procurement, logistics/SCM), and so your advice/knowledge / expertise will be most welcomed.

Also, I think its about time we start building a more formal networking structure, outside of Nairaland, while still retaining this thread and making regular post.

I already have made contacts with, about 3 other professionals in the field, two of them in the UK, one a Student, the other a Logistics supervisor in TotalfinaElf- UK and the 3rd person the CEO of Prolog consulting.

So if you are interested, just signify, I will try and put structure in place that we can make it possible for everyone to know our varying needs, career prospects, and see how we can build synergy to help ourselves.

No need for email addresses or numbers yet, just signify with (Interested), once the Numbers of interested folks is up to 10 or more, then we can start a more closed up forum.

Hoping, to get favorable responses from all interested Folks.

I am interested in a closed up forum to discuss and contribute professional knowledge in SCM. I am in the management cadre of a large global company. We can discuss better in small numbers and get to know more about our careers, specialisations and competence areas. It should be interesting as Supply chain is wide and the profession is dynamic.