Do you remember this?
In those early months when no one knew how serious Covid-19 could get, you may remember people flocking to supermarkets and shops to buy food and other essentials. That’s because people were worried that the pandemic would interrupt the flow of goods and services.
Fortunately, thanks to good preparation and excellent links with our trade partners, Singapore was never in serious danger of running out of supplies.
But what if we did?
Imagine a world where everything you could buy was limited to what you could procure, create and distribute locally. That’s a world without supply chains, a much tougher world.
Understanding how supply chains work
Nothing is certain in the current environment, but supply chains are likely to be important for a long time to come.
If you’re wondering where you can learn more about them, the Amity Global Institute has exactly what you’re looking for.
It offers an MSc in Supply Chain Management & Global Logistics awarded by the University of London. This programme is one of the few UK degrees to be accredited by both the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS).
Successful graduates with sufficient work experience can apply for both MCIPS (CIPS) and CMILT designations (CILT), designating them as a professional with internationally recognised status.
And what’s better, you can take the course right here in Singapore. Just another benefit of having a strong supply chain.
MSc in Supply Chain Management & Global Logistics
Need the right qualifications
This industry is one in which most employers will be looking for a mix of a Master’s degree and practical experience.
But with growth comes a demand for talent, and companies are looking for people with the right qualifications.
The importance of supply chains
Supply chains refer to a company’s process of sourcing raw materials, fashioning them into products, and then distributing those products to customers.
It sounds easy. But when you think about it, much of our modern life depends on these chains, and they are far more complicated than they appear at first glance.
Back in 2015, a man named Andy George decided to make a chicken sandwich from scratch for his series, How to Make Everything.
A chicken sandwich sounds simple, right? Two slices of bread, some cheese, some vegetables, salt and pepper, some chicken, and maybe a pickle if you like them.
But it cost him US$1,500 and took him six months to get everything he needed together.
Why so expensive?
Without supply chains, George had to source everything himself. As he didn’t live near the ocean, he had to take a plane to a beach to get some seawater so he could obtain salt.
And it took so long because George created his own garden, so he could grow his own tomatoes, onions and lettuce. He also milked a cow to get cheese, ground his own flour from wheat for the bread, and yes, killed and plucked a live chicken himself for the meat.
All for a sandwich he described as “not bad.”
Complicated products
Imagine trying to set up a sandwich shop in a world without supply chains. All that time, money and effort? You’d have to sell thousand-dollar-sandwiches just to make a profit.
But what if you wanted to sell something else?
Imagine trying to sell an electric car, international banking services, or even healthcare without supply chains from all over the world.
If supply chains didn’t exist, we’d have to test the limits of John Donne’s maxim “No man is an island.”
And things would be even worse if we just limited ourselves to Singapore. We’ve long imbibed the lesson that we are a tiny island with no natural resources. If we couldn’t get our stuff from other places, our society would be severely restricted in what it can create and produce.
Thanks to globalisation, the above scenario is unlikely, barring a full-blown zombie apocalypse. But we got just a taste of it when Covid-19 hit our shores.
Entire industries are being disrupted and are experiencing upheaval. But the basic concept of sourcing raw materials, ensuring that it reaches the manufacturers, then taking the finished product and bundling it for sale to the customers will remain the same, even as technology makes things faster and more efficient.
It’s quite baffling to know how all these things contribute to the ease of everyday life. Kinda makes you appreciate the little things now, doesn’t it?
This sponsored article by the Amity Global Institute made him really appreciate the humble sandwich.
Top image from Unsplash.