OPPapers.com

Article Project Description

Article Project Description
“Taking Supply Chain Security to the Next Level” by Dan McCue

Our team selected an article by Dan McCue entitled, “Taking Supply Chain Security to the Next Level”. This article’s strengths lay in it’s ability to use real-world examples of implementation success to support it’s claims. The concept of Supply Chain Security was presented as a combination of traditional SCM practices and the security requirements of the system. These requirements are driven by threats such as terrorism, piracy, and theft. Initial examples of technology currently in use to boost SC security, such as GPS, push talk phones, wireless receipt printers, bar codes and RFID, were provided.

Hand-in-hand with Supply Chain security is the concept of Real-Time Visibility. As technology improves, the expectations of both governments and private sector corporations is extending beyond the contents of a shipping crate. Advancements are allowing real-time access to origin, destination, quantity, and ETA estimates. McCue’s article summarizes this concept by discussing UPS’s Target Search Program. Additional research on this topic by our team revealed the program’s true benefits. The Target Search Program was established by UPS to help US Custom’s expedite clearance of incoming packages. Electronic information is delivered to the US Customs hub before the inbound plane’s wheels touch the ground. This electronic information allows Customs officials the ability to pre-select packages for screening based on pre-established algorithms. These packages are automatically rerouted to the customs office upon arrival. Our team saw the clear benefits involved with this program and asked the question “Why doesn’t the US customs office mandate that all importers comply with this program?” Further research provided the answer. In Lauren Gibbons Paul’s article entitled “How to Improve Supply Chain Security” it was shown that US customs has begun providing expedited services to...