Friday 12 April 2013

Yakult Visit


Yakult developed the market of probiotic fermented milk drinks (hereinafter probiotic drink) and, consequently, holds the higher brand recognition in the relevant market, to the point that other brand’s product are usually referred to as Yakult by final customers.

Yakult developed four different distribution channels: home delivery by independent sellers, exclusive stores, supermarket chains, and dairy stores of milk products. In this distribution structure, Yakult offers the same product in different presentations and at different wholesale prices between their distributions channels, but maintains the same minimum retail price. Most favorable conditions were granted to independent sellers, which accounted for a huge proportion of Yakult’s total sales income.
Q1. As Yakult is an easily deteriorating product, how can Yakult make sure the whole supply chain including manufacturing, distribution and transportation is good enough to handle this perishable product?

Today Yakult investigate the important steps which ensure that they deliver the highest quality products to the customers. The Yakult manufacturing has strict procedures in place to guarantee that the quality of the products is never compromised.

Yakult’s International Organization for Standardization products and services how their products and services meet the highest international food manufacturing standards. The policies and procedures are also independently audited as regular part of the accreditation process.

Testing at the on-site quality control area ensures that every bottle of Yakult and Yakult light contain 6.5 billion probiotic bacteria; the unique Lactobacillus casei strain and also guarantee a product of the highest integrity.

The commitment to quality extends beyond the manufacturing facility through each stage of the distribution process to stores, ensuring the cold chain to stores is uninterrupted. In practical term this mean the temperature in the Yakult refrigerated vans and transport delivery vehicles is below 4 .

Yakult staffs are committed to giving the best service possible. Their highly trained sale team work at supermarket level to ensure that product is not out of date or damaged and the Yakult fridges are clean.

These are all vital steps in Yakult quality process. Therefore, they can ensure the quality of product during the manufacturing and transportation.


Q2. There are similar products of Yakult in the probiotic product market. They are similar with the bottle size and design. How can Yakult confront with the competitors? What is the positioning of Yakult in Hong Kong to have a sustainable development?


Yakult is a premium probiotic cultured milk-like product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota. From the perspective of preventive medicine, Yakult has included its range of products from food and beverages to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals using probiotics. Yakult is not only a pioneer of probiotics but has since become the world’s leader in this field against the competitors by providing varieties of probiotics products, e.g. Yakult Light, and different packaging in different countries all over the world. As Yakult is produced locally, the highest quality and freshness of Yakult sold in Hong Kong can be ensured. Yakult continues its healthy journey to spread to all Hong Kongers about the awareness on the benefits of its unique probiotics, L.casei strain Shirota with the principles of Shirota-ism.


Q3. Why Hong Kong has less flavors of Yakult than other regions? (Singapore has original, orange, grape, green apple)?

When the Company first introduced Yakult in Singapore in 1978, there was a competitor called ‘Vitagen’, which was introduced in Singapore in 1977 and the first company in Singapore to offer a probiotic milk drink with the similar functions as Yakult. Therefore, in order to compete with the competitor, the Company introduced Yakult with different flavors other than original one such as green apple.

Nowadays, there are many flavors of milk drinks in Singapore. For example:
Yakult
Vitagen
Original Flavor
 
Original Flavor (LB Flavor)
Grape Flavor

Grape Flavor
Orange Flavor
 


Peach Flavor
Apple Flavor
 
Apple Flavor


Original Flavor (LB Flavor) with Collagen


Rose Flavor with Collagen


Elderflower Flavor with Collagen



Q4. Does the demand of Yakult vary throughout the year and how do you forecast and manage the production accordingly?

As the business of Yakult is developing continually in the world, Yakult is sold in more than 30 countries around the world and more and more people recognize the benefits of drinking probiotic milk drinks such as Yakult. Thus, the demand of Yakult continually increases. Especially in China, the demand of Yakult increases so many Chinese people come to Hong Kong to buy Yakult. Nowadays, the daily sales of Yakult are 30,000,000 bottles on average around the world.

To forecast the demand and manage the production in Hong Kong, there are more than one hundred employees going to the retail stores around Hong Kong to collect data of the demand. Then, the data about demand collected and integrated help the Company decide how many bottles of Yakult to be produced.



Q5. How to deal with increasing demand in mainland chain?



In order to deal with the increasing demand in mainland china, Yakult is driving up the production of its premium probiotic cultured milk-like drink at its Tianjin facility in China to ensure meeting the growth opportunities. Yakult has to double the production to 1.2 million bottles per day by May 2013 from current capacity of 600,000 per day. Moreover, the Tianjin production plant is only one of three Yakult production plants in China. Under the three production plants, Yakult can produce a total of 4.2 million bottles per day, as to meet the demand in mainland China.



Wednesday 10 April 2013

FedEx Case Discussion


Q1. How has IT changed the definition of “logistics”?

The way that IT changed the definition of “logistics”
Bowersox 1969: “Business logistics” is defined as the physical distribution of goods from the place of production to the consumer and the movement of raw materials to the place of production. It concerns with inbound supplies and outbound products.
1960s to 1970s: The logistics management is divided function by function, such as demand forecasting, purchasing, requirement planning, production planning, etc.
1980: there is evolving integration, which is to focus both inbound and outbound logistics within companies and the movement of finished goods from dock-to-dock.
Transportation industry becomes not only about the physical transportation, but also the coordination and control of storage and movements of parts and finished goods.
The value-added activities are also provided, which include order processing, distribution center operations, inventory control, purchasing, production and customer and sales services.
The IT system including internet, intranets and integration of systems let companies redefine themselves and re-engineer their selling and supply chains.
Just-in-time inventory management reduces costs and improves efficiency.
With the invention of IT, logistics companies not only handle the physical delivery, but also manage and utilize the flow of information to control over the movement of goods.


Ballou 1992: Redefine logistics to incorporate three key activities, namely: transportation, inventory management and order processing.
It shifted from inward-looking view concerned with efficiency and cost-reduction to an outward focus on improving customer services.

Mabert 1998: Redefine logistics as “the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow and story of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods and related information from point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirement.
The charge is the direct result of increasing use of information and communication technologies.


Q2. List the benefits of a virtual supply chain.

The Benefit of Virtual Supply Chain
Virtual supply chains are designed for flexibility, complexity and speed in managing networks of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and warehousing agents virtually. FedEx has experienced process of re-organization and re-engineering in the past, it has developed a series of information technology systems to help cope with the logistic process. For instance, systems like COSMOS and EDI are highly integrated. The discussion will be followed by some specific benefits driven by each of the information technologies FedEx has adopted. In general, Internet-enabled system allows implementation of checking of inventory levels, order status as well as product delivery schedules. It can also decrease the time to market for a product. Just-in-time inventory management contributes to the freight to be ready within the shortest time as possible. Responsiveness is effectively improvement.


Greater transparency and convenience in information sharing
Continuous updated information in COSMOS improves communication along the logistics value chain – including various departments in FedEx and customer. For instance, information was inputted constantly by various mean into COSMOS so that data can be relayed on package movement, pick-up, invoicing and delivery to central data base. When COSMOS is updated, customer can find out at any time exactly where their package is and when they can expect delivery through call, web site or FedEx’s software. It also helps promote the globalization of markets. Since systems enable manufacturer to extend global reach for sourcing of parts or component as and required. By locating production plant in geographic locations can minimize costs without compromising on speed to market too.

Provide one-stop solution for its customers, buyers and suppliers
One to one relationship can be built. For its business partner, EDI (Electronic Data interchange) and internet enable manufacturer to match supply to demand without wastage. EDI can help Improve inventory level and squeezing time out of the system by redefining sources and procurement strategies so as to reduce cost and increase profitability. Importantly, management service including transportation, order processing and distribution center operation can also be improved by identifying potential to provide such service in the chain. For customers, since such practice can improve efficiency from point of ordering to point of delivery, FedEx has improved its ability to satisfy customers through speedy and accurate fulfillment.

Better value-added service and improvement in efficiency
Just-in-time inventory management can help reduce cost including warehousing cost and wastage through obsolete stock. It provides high flexibility in relation to changing marketing conditions in terms of the volume of production and in terms of production modification. Some additional service provided by FedEx like Power Ship System is an example. It provided for high-volume shipper with high speed, secure connectivity to streamline customer’s supply and relevant data into their existing system. Customer can be more loyal to the company and decrease switching cost. Loyal customer leads to stronger brand positioning that rise the barrier of entry. Marketing and administrative cost can then be saved.


Q3. Discuss the role of IT in FedEx’s Business Strategy.

The Role of IT in FedEx’s Business Strategy
IT changes the way company connects with each other in the new network economy. According to the founder, Frederick W. Smith, he considered that the information about a package is as important as the delivery of the package itself. FedEx’s core corporate strategy was to use “IT to help customer take advantages of international market”. The huge expenditure on IT development has boosted the following two,

Innovate the business it operates and increase business opportunity
1)    Generate process efficiencies
2)    Help re-define and re-engineer logistic and supply chain
3)    Maintain positive control over shipments every step of the way
4)    FedEx considers IT not additional to core business, but it is the core business

Innovate the “customer” it interacts and build closer relationship
According to the research done by Forrester Research, it indicated that 42% of online buyers are willing to spend between 6-10% of product value for shipping.

1)    Customer may have a single point of access to the Group
2)    Advanced in customer ordering, package tracking and process monitoring
3)    Build one-to-one relationship with customer due to system synchronization
4)    Provide an tailor-made and integrated platform for storing, retrieving and updating data
5)    Existing technologies help track back along the supply-chain to the point of raw materials
6)    IT also help business customer like Cisco solve operational problem such as selecting routes and pick up the most effective and economical mode of transportation

Innovate the market it involves as a whole
1.     Satisfying changing market demand
2.     Technology attracts potential partners to cooperate in running business
3.     Defend its business and differentiate from competitors
4.     Increase barrier of entry due to the adoption of technologies in advance


Q4. Discuss the virtual integration of supply chains without ownership.

The Virtual Integration of Supply Chain without Ownership
The traditional model promoted vertical integration as the best way to ensure control of the production process and to maintain competitive edge. As technology advanced, vertical integration is gradually replacing vertical integration. Technologies have improved efficiency along the supply chain without ownership of the links of the chains. To maintain such competitive advantage, that will result in increasing customer’s switching costs and build stronger brand loyalty. Parts of customer’s operational activities, which may not be their specialized functions, are outsourced to FedEx to support the business operation so as to increase efficiency.

FedEx had set a few records with breakthrough technologies, these technologies bring a greater convenience and efficiency along with effective integration. The connection among various stages in the chain is heavily linked to virtual platform. Followings are the techniques applied to different parties for FedEx and help smooth the flow of information, product and cash within supply chain.


Hand-held scanner (For Courier)
Hand-held scanners were issued to its drivers that alerted customer of when packages were picked up or delivered. This was made possible by placing a bar-code on each parcel at the point of pick up and scanning the bar-code at each stage of the delivery cycle. Hand-held scanner is also called Super Trackers which are used to scan the progress of the package an average of 5 times from pick-up to delivery. 

Super Trackers retain and transmit package information such as destination, routing instructions and the type of service requested. Once a courier returns to the van, the information is downloaded from the Super Tracker to DADS, which updates the package location in the COSMOS system. DADS is a small digitally assisted dispatch computer systems found in courier vans that help transfer information to COSMOS.

COSMOS (For Company Database)
It is called “Customer, Operation, Service, Master Online System”. It primarily kept track of all packages by the Company. The system monitored every phase of the delivery cycle at Federal Express. Data retrieval is done by downloading the information from courier’s Super Tracker (Scanner) when pick up or deliver the goods. FedEx’s customer service representative and customer may access them by the designated means.

FedEx software (For Customer)
It gave away 100,000 sets of PCs loaded with FedEx Software which designed to link and log customers into FedEx’s ordering and Tracking System. The software is called “FedEx Ship Manager Software” which can be downloaded from official website.




Functions enable customer to track the status of their packages and notify them of package arrivals, monitor shipping usage with easy-to-read reports and integrate shipping into customer’s company’s ordering and fulfillment database. Information provided by this software is highly integrated with other technological systems within its company. These information technologies are highly integrated to perform the smooth sequence of data convey. When any of these technologies break down, the rest of them will be affected. Therefore, maintaining a healthy operation of the above technologies normally cost the company a huge amount of money. FedEx has differentiated itself from traditional practice, it is definitely famous for its technologies and outrun other companies in same industry.

Other additional service integration
Power Ship Program provides additional service to customer including storing of frequently used addresses, label printing, online package pick-up requests, package tracking. It aimed to improve efficiency and control.

Besides, virtual integration of supply chain was not only demanded by FedEx, but also by its innovative customers. A company, Cisco, has developed an extranet that allowed its customers to order FedEx service without leaving the Cisco Website. The interactive integration online between FedEx’s customer and partner helps FedEx to raise barrier to entry for competitors.


Q5. What are the factors that put pressure on FedEx to consolidate its operations, while remaining customer-focused?

The factors that put pressure on FedEx to consolidate its operations, while remaining customer-focused
Rising Price
First of all, rising fuel price had severely impacted upon the Company’s net income. Cost of fuel charges large proportion of the variable cost of transportation. It affects the operating income a lot. According to the Annual report of FedEx, the average fuel cost per gallon kept rising from 2010 to 2012. Fuel expense increased 19% during 2012 primarily due to price increases. The amount of the surcharge is closely linked to the market prices or fuel. If FedEx is unable to maintain or increase their fuel surcharges because of competitive pricing pressure, fuel costs could adversely affect their operating result.


The Internet Market
The low cost and high diversity of internet made it appealing and accessible to many companies. A threat towards FedEx is that once a company was online and it fulfilled its orders to the expectations of its customers, the size of the company was not significant. Internet opened up opportunities in logistics management in logistics management for FedEx as they were using the Internet to re-engineer their supply-chains. As long as customers were satisfied, it really did not matter whether the goods were warehoused or not, whether the goods came directly from a factory in some distant location or whether the goods had been made to order. So FedEx may lose its competitive advantages.

E-tailing
E-tailing means the selling of retail goods or services via internet. E-tailing is done mostly with business-to-customer (B-C) transactions. Growth in e-tailing needed assistance of express transportation to fulfill the customer expectations.

Although FedEx had put a lot resources on e-tailing, e.g. set up
Caliber System, signed up with CISCO with mission of critical one stop online source for sales tools and client information, their competitors are also doing the same thing, utilizing internet to re-engineer the supply chain.

Intensive competition
In the logistic industry, there are loads of companies, which are both local and global, that provided myriad of transportation services to a wide range of businesses. Competition is vigorous. Majority of companies have already noticed the importance of IT and invest a lot on technology. Even though FedEx were investing millions on IT, it became the industry norm rather than a competitive advantage. DHL, TNT and UPS, the other three leading companies in the international courier business also invest large amount of capital to the information technology, which are aimed at reengineering the supply chain.

Meeting customers’ demands
By presenting the range of services under the FedEx brand and providing one contact address, one website and telephone number for sales and customer services, FedEx customers benefit from the more user-friendly customer interface.

Shifting focus from customer satisfaction on product quality to service quality
By providing one-stop solution having the up-to-date information about customers (who they are, what services they have been using, package delivery status etc.) helps to promote better customer service.

Minimizing duplication of work
FedEx’s information systems infrastructure promoted the sharing of information across the business units to minimize the duplication of work and to better serve customers, e.g. sharing of customer lists, logistics solutions.




Saturday 23 March 2013

Kerry Logistic Visit

Q1. As Asia’s premier logistics solutions provider, what are the key factors to maintain your competitiveness among the large global dynamic environment?


As Asia’s premier logistics solutions provider, Kerry Logistics works in both the region, and the global market environment. They take the advantage of the uniqueness of the Asian market, especially that in China. Their expertise with a powerful network helps to boost their business in the global, regional and local level of market. Kerry Logistics continue to invest in their own assets like building own infrastructure and storage place, in order to minimize the effect of the volatile change of global economy and to provide reliable and flexible support for their business partners. Also, Kerry Logistics has teams with talented employees and professionals to handle the growing business and the changing global environment for confirmation of profitability of their business. Lastly, the advanced IT system KerrierVISION provides a good management over the supply chain to monitor and control the processes in order to have competitive advantages like cost over the other competitors around the world.


Q2. Recently, Kerry Logistic expanded its network in Vietnam by establishing joint venture with a leading express company called Tin Thanh Express, What are the major advantages of this strategic decision?

Familiar with the Market 
Kerry Logistic is not familiar with the business environment of Vietnam, such as the pricing of equipment and local ordinances, so that they choose to establish joint venture with a leading company. The laws in Vietnam are not well developed such as labor’s law and there are many regulations in doing business Vietnam, Kerry Logistic may sometimes face difficulties with some management issues such as the labor management. Also, there is culture different between Vietnam and Hong Kong, it is hard for a company to send their staff to manage the Vietnamese. Therefore, establishing joint venture can help Kerry Logistic to familiar with the environment and overcome the difficulties so that they can have further expansion in the future.


Build credibility in Vietnam
Besides, Kerry Logistic may not have the reputation in Vietnam. Find the right joint venture partner high local recognition and reputation, and Kerry Logistic can instantly raise the credibility of its own business in Vietnam. Moreover, it can start building acceptance, penetration and access within its target market. Joint venture helps attract more customers and improves Kerry Logistic coverage.

Cost Reduction
Most of the Investors often find poorly developed infrastructure, high start-up costs, arcane land acquisition and transfer regulations and procedures, and a shortage of skilled personnel in Vietnam. As a result, Kerry Logistic can establish joint venture with a recognized local company, they can save the cost in developing infrastructures and hiring skilled personnel. It is much easier to focus on service enhancement when the company needs not to worry so much about exceeding and impractical costs. 


Combined talents and resources
Joint venture allows Kerry Logistics and Tin Thanh Express to pool their financial strength, workforce, equipment resources, and bonding capacity, while sharing the risks involved in competing bigger or more complex projects. Having a joint venture partner that provides additional working capital can reduce the likelihood of cash shortfalls, facilitating successful project completion. Moreover, they can have a better underwriting risk, making them easier to obtain bonding at competitive rates.


Access to different markets
Kerry Logistics can broaden the company’s geographic reach. It has expanded the business into Mainland China and other countries in US. Vietnam is a potential country for developing its business. Since the labor cost and manufacturing cost are increasing, many industries have left China and gone to Vietnam. Therefore, the demand for logistics would increase. 


Q3. Compared with the UPS and FedEx, what are the distinctions between Kerry Logistics and these famous logistics companies in term of the competitive edge?




For UPS and FedEx, their strategies aim to maximize the return on asset. Therefore, they do not make large investment on infrastructure and facilities. Without own infrastructure and building facilities, they can earn higher return due to low expenditure on asset. However, Kerry Logistics is an asset-based organization. With own facilities and infrastructure, it can reduce the effect of the external environment on the cost, for instance, it can ignore the rent and price of the asset. Therefore, it can stabilize the price inflation of the property in recent years. Moreover, with own facilities and buildings, it will be more flexible to provide customized logistics service for the customers to satisfy their needs. Changing containers or other facilities to cater for the special need of the customers can be easily achieved. In addition, Kerry Logistics constructs a big network all over Asia especially Mainland China. The economic growth is extremely rapid in China which makes a great opportunity for Kerry Logistics to sustain its growth of business. It also develops infrastructure in some undeveloped countries such as Myanmar. As Kerry Logistics has been running its business over several decades in the Asia, it should have relatively sound reputation and competitive edge compared with other logistics organizations.


Q4. How should the HK-based logistics company like Kerry to face the changing market environment?
  
First of all, the rental price of land is increasing vigorously in Hong Kong and China. Kerry Logistics react this by applying asset based policy, which is definitely a competitive advantage. The competitors in the market usually apply few assets policy, which to achieve high return per assets. Kerry Logistics has bought some lands in Hong Kong, which is to build warehouses, for example, Tai Po, Kwai Chung. This can help Kerry Logistics avoid the rise of rental cost increases its operating cost. In addition, they find the operating cost of warehouse in coastal cities is increasing. They turn to build warehouses in the inner cities, like Chongqing. Wages and other costs are lower.

Secondly, the business in Hong Kong may decline when there is economic downturn. Also, Kerry Logistics observe the opportunity in China and other Asian countries. Therefore, they are keen on develop their market in Asia. They have a slogan, “Asia Specialist, China Focus, Global Network”, which can show their core value of business, building network in Hong Kong. By exploring their market in new countries, this can help them avoid the economic downturn in one of countries. During the talk, the speaker told us they have explored new market in Myanmar by using the method of Joint Venture. Kerry Logistics has long history of doing Asia business, so it is relatively easy to enter into this special country, which have different political environment. They would use different methods to enter into new market, such as Joint Venture, Merger and Acquisition. Kerry Logistics is very flexible to adapt to different business environment. 



Last but not least, there are many logistics companies in Hong Kong, with both small and large structure. The competition becomes more vigorous. The customer expectation also becomes higher. Kerry Logistics does well to become more professional in niche markets including Food & Beverage, Fashion & Lifestyle. This could help them build up competitive advantages to better fulfill the needs of customers and win over other competitors. For example, they have built a PC3 warehouse in Tai Po. The meaning of PC3 is “Product customization and consolidation centre”. It especially serves the high fashion brands, like LV and Marks & Spencer. Those high fashion brands put high concern on their environmentally friendly image. Therefore, their requirements are higher, so that warehouse required being built greener by adding water recycle system, roof-top garden, etc.  


Q5. From your website, we noticed that ISO Tank Solutions have been becoming increasingly popular. With increasing fuel prices and environmental awareness, how does Kerry respond to these types of market trends?

Kerry Logistics has developed and operated an environmental management system to prevent pollution, preserve natural resources, and adhere to environmental regulations and laws.

The environmental management system includes:
  •  Use of Solar Energy
The company has installed photovoltaic cells on the building to convert light into electricity using the photoelectric effect to support the operations of the company.


  •  Use of Windmill
The company has installed windmill to convert the energy of wind into energy to support the company.


  •  Water Recycling System
The company has set up a water recycling system to remove solids and certain impurities from sewage for non-potable use in the company.


  •  Roof Garden
There is a roof garden on the building to reduce the overall heat absorption of the building which then reduces energy consumption.


  •  Policy adhered by Employees and Contractors
  1. Continually and effectively improving our environmental performance
  2. Complying with and surpassing standards required by all applicable environmental regulations
  3. Fulfilling all environmental requirements prescribed by the company
  4. Promoting sound environmental policies and practices within the company
  5. Setting and reviewing environmental objectives
  6. Conserving resources and maximizing energy efficiency
  7. Minimizing waste wherever practicable
  8. Reusing or recycling waste where appropriate and regulating the treatment and disposal of residual waste
  9. Reducing and preventing pollution where possible
  10. Minimizing vehicular emission of pollutants
  11. Minimizing adverse environmental impacts of asset decommissioning and disposal
  12. Enhancing environmental awareness of colleagues and subcontractors
  13. Advocating good environmental practices on both departmental and individual levels
  14. Effectively communicating our environmental performance to stakeholders