Ways in which Design and Construction Professionals Develop Local Supply Chains - Coursework Example

WAYS IN WHICH DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS DEVELOP LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS 295890 Ways in which Design and Construction Professionals Develop Local Supply Chains. Introduction A supply chain is a network consisting of commercial businesses which provide services and products to the consumer. The businesses are interconnected together forming a chain. The chain starts with raw materials which are in the end are converted in the final product and supplied to the final consumer. It is a system comprising of different people performing various tasks, organizations, technology and resources used in production and movement of goods to the final consumer. The supply chain involves activities such as sourcing, conversion of raw materials, logistics, procurement of goods and other useful resources. The supply management handles all these activities in addition to coordination of all the partners in the supply chain channel. As the world advances and more goods and services are being demanded by the ever increasing population in the whole world, there is need to put up systems that are both efficient and effective to aid in this conversion of products and consequent supply to the final consumer. The construction supply chain is one of the local supply chains; it involves the design and construction of building structures. Numerous supply chains all around the world have been developed to cater for the needs of the consumers in that chain. The world is under a great threat due to effects of environmental degradation that has lead to numerous negative effects such as global warming, climatic change, deforestations and desertification, polar ice melting, loss in the scenic beauty of the landscape, increase of tropical and other diseases, creation of huge dumping sites that lead to air, water and land pollution affecting the human, plant and animal life in general. Due to this pollution the human population is under threat. There is need to diversify and intensify any or all activity geared to reversing these hazardous effects. According to Friedman (2008), there is need for greening supply chains. This has been brought about by increased media attention; additional regulation and research by the scientific society showing that human activity directly influence the climatic changes. These human activities are the core business in supply chains. Some of the ways of improving the supply chain include; Maximizing the utilization of materials and machines The material and machines form the core of every supply chain. Raw material are used virtually everywhere. In construction various raw material and machines are used to design and construct different structures to be used by various entrepreneurs running the supply chains. All waste must be reduced by improving the construction material utilization, there is great need to evaluate every material be used in the supply chain construction and evaluate its importance, its effects to the environment and the by product or the waste. For example if plastic bags are used to pack different construction materials e.g. cement, Then within a short periods the whole environment will be littered with plastic bags, proper material utilization not only lead to reduction of environmental degradation but also lead to increased profit margin by the construction company. Machine effectiveness The effectiveness of various machines to convert goods/raw materials to finished product also affects the supply chain. Effective machines lead to greater efficiency in conversion of goods to finished product. Different construction materials undergo transformation before be used in design and construction. Because these materials are used in large quantities, there is need to use machines that will reduce any wastes as the waste generated by these processes generally effect the environment in the long run. Technological advancement Embracing technological changes is another method of championing improvement in the supply chains. The construction world is changing everyday and there is need for the design engineers to keep up with the current technological advancement, new and better products are being generated every day. The designers of these new products should also team up with the society to identify their needs so that this can be reflected on the end product (designed product). Currently numerous research is being conducted to produce materials that are environmentally friendly, cheap and are well utilized during construction. The process of designing structures needs continuous improvement Rules and regulation For a supply chain to be effective and efficient there is need for proper governance to put in place rules, regulation and laws that govern these supply chain. Environmental laws being championed by different lobby groups help to put pressure on different contractors to improve on their services and products. These lobby groups however must be supported by government legislation to enforce policies that can result to positive change and hence improve the environment. According to welsh government (Envirowise, 2008) sustainable practices are being encouraged. These projects encompass the greening of local supply chains. One of the areas ventured by Envirowise is the ECO design which advocates for design taking into account environmental impact of product packaging and the product itself across it entire useful life. Collaborative alignment and operation integration is another key area that can help in the adoption of cleaner and greener products and mechanism in the long run. This helps in developing a cohesive strategy. According to William (2008), Streamlining all aspect of the supply chain will help in efficient material utilization, better transport management which reduces the cost of fuel and hence save the environment some extra units of the poisonous carbon, and also lead to proper and organized management of the supply chain. Management entails leadership. For a well organized structure different roles must be identified and allocated to the right people. A well detailed financial plan need to be drafted; it should contain the financial objectives and the program details. To enhance integration there is need for an open and integrated process of making decisions, all members in a given construction should be involved right from the start of the project. These project members should be highly skilled and competent. In addition to the experience, they should be embrace the spirit of team work, be innovative trustworthy and transparent. To enable productive and creative work to be done, the role for each team member need to be identified and allocated to him/her. Environmental specialists and civil engineers can be called upon to make crucial decisions. The cost of the materials to be used should not be based on price but on the benefits gained from using a particular material. Such benefits should be quantified on the basis of the overall benefits derived from a product right from it being a raw material to the manufacturing process then to its sale and use and finally to its disposal (Construction bible, 2009). Payments For proper collaborative and coherent construction supply chain, there is need to develop an efficient, effective and elaborate financial management procedure. For proper work to be done money must be availed at the right time and the right amount as stipulated in the contract agreement. Experts can be involved in the design of a proper financial plan for any given project. Risks should be identified and their actual value calculated and allocated to each partner in the supply chain, this helps in compensation of any loses incurred during the construction. Mechanism of resolving disputes should also be well formulated to avoid arbitration or court procedures that may delay the project and also lead to heavy expenditure by one partner in legal fees or compensations ruled against him/her. Retaining and withholding money will delay the implementation of such projects (Martin, 2004). Design In order to improve the overall efficiency of the construction supply, formulation of proper design plays a pivotal role in the overall end result of the construction project. Bad designs lead to huge loses and destruction of the scenic beauty of estates or cities or any other business. Design must be carefully drawn, analysed and verified to very high standards to avoid huge capital loses. The selection of the designer should be based on the design. A good design should incorporate art and sculpture, green spaces as well as incorporate good landscaping techniques. The design should also capture the issues such as safety, health, maintainability and usability of the building. The designer must also be able to use third party design reviews, collaborative tools and communication technology in the design process (Davis, 2009 ). Involvement of the local people For the project to be successful in the long run the local people must be involved in all the phases of the project, i.e. from the design stage through its implementation and commissioning and maintenance, for them to be integrated, they need to be trained. Training can be through attachments with the local supply chain so that the person can gain experience. Equal opportunities need to be given to all, the supply chain partners should continually improve their employment practices and this can be through increase in wages and also offering staff training. Safety The construction site should be safe to all, this ensures that no one is at any risk, there is need to have an environmental impact assessment conducted by a skilled environmentalist to determine the effects of the project being undertaken to the people, environment and other concerned parties. The construction site needs to be safe to the workers, they should operate with absolutely no injuries or deaths. Proper safety training on all equipment must be emphasized for all workers. The supply chain partners must struggle to keep the site tidy, and clean. Budget reduction For the overall success of the construction supply chain there is need to identify ways of reducing costs. Lean budgets will increase profitability. The ways of reducing the budget should however not lead to adoption of inferior construction material or poor designs. The supply chain should adopt the most efficient and economic package (LRQA, 2009), Conclusion In conclusion new and better methods need to be developed to aid in improvement of the construction supply chains. There is need for everyone to be incorporated in all the areas of a supply chain. There is also the need to educate people about greening of supply chains to Evart negative environmental changes which can destroy our existence, to archive this the government, businesses, supply chains and individuals must all participate. References Construction Bible, 2009. Construction Bible Bringing People Together. [Online] Available at: http://www.constructionbible.co.uk/ [Accessed 4 May, 2009] Envirowise, 2008, ECO design [online]. Available at: http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/uk/Topics-and-Issues/Eco-Design.html [Accessed 4 May, 2009] Friedman, P., 2008. "Achieving a Green Supply Chain through Lean Manufacturing" Supply Chain Management Review, [online], available at: www.scmr.com/article/CA6550308.html [Accessed 4 May, 2009] LRQA. 2009, Linking Sustainability to the Critical Business Issues Driving Companies Today: Cutting Costs And Creating Efficiency Gains. [Online]. Available at: http://www.carbon-footprint-sustainable-supply-chain.com/sponsors.asp. [Accessed 4 May, 2009] Martin H. et al, 2004, NHS Wales. Construction Procurement Review, Collaborative Working Center and Bevan Ashford: Wales William J and Kerry A, 2008, Construction Supply Chain Management Handbook, CRC press: Amazon. Davis, N, 2008. NHS Wales: Construction Procurement Industry Open Day. [Online].Available at. www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/docopen.cfmorgid=254&id=36397 [accessed 3 May 2009] Davis, N et al, 2009 Designed For Life: Building For Wales [online] available at: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/docopen.cfmorgid=254&id=51107&0B1A802C-1143-E756-5C268BE03C2D6A9D [accessed 3 May 2009] Read More