Posted: March 8th, 2016

discuss the importance of sustainable procurement for organizations in gaining competitive advantage.

Module learning outcomes being assessed
LO1. Apply a range of complex knowledge and skills to successfully and responsibly source, acquire, steward and dispose of products, capital equipment and services.
LO2. Diagnose quality issues in specific industrial contexts and formulate the contribution to be made by the purchasing function.
LO3. Apply knowledge and a critical understanding of relationships with suppliers, to include sourcing, building and maintaining relationships to achieve greater competitive advantage.
LO4. Demonstrate comprehension of the increasing trend in global/international sourcing and purchasing, with an understanding of the potential risk factors and measures to mitigate such risks.

Assignment Information

This assignment requires you to write a 2,000 word original essay addressing the following areas:

Background
Supply chains in many industries are increasingly fragmented and dispersed across international borders and large distances. For example, most consumer products in Europe are obtained from foreign manufacturers while international toy manufacturers often sell products which do not come from their own factories. Sourcing in this way provides many potential benefits, but may also increase concerns about environmental and social sustainability, such as questions over the use of child labour, and poor labour conditions in foreign markets when seeking cheaper sources of supply.
Your task
Using the case of a firm you have selected as well as relevant published journal articles and secondary sources such as company reports, the trade and the business press, discuss the importance of sustainable procurement for organizations in gaining competitive advantage. You should strive for a good balance of a review of relevant literature and analysis of the selected case.
Case selection might be based on various factors, including but not limited to:
• prominent recent problems in the supply chain related to sustainable purchasing,
• firms that particularly strongly emphasise their sustainability credentials,
• firms that you may know about or be interested in.