如果您的供應(yīng)鏈比起主要競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手的過(guò)程更加復(fù)雜，那你的問(wèn)題可大了！一家制造商及其訂單履約過(guò)程越簡(jiǎn)單，就越靈活高效，也能更具有競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力地協(xié)助公司達(dá)到目標(biāo)。 許多人可能沒(méi)有意識(shí)到這一點(diǎn)，然而，全球主要的消費(fèi)電子巨擘──蘋(píng)果公司(Apple Inc.)就成功運(yùn)用了世界上最精簡(jiǎn)的一種供應(yīng)鏈業(yè)務(wù)。當(dāng)用戶使用蘋(píng)果公司最成功的產(chǎn)品時(shí)，所體驗(yàn)到這種同樣簡(jiǎn)潔的外觀和感覺(jué)，正反映出該公司為這款產(chǎn)品所提供的設(shè)計(jì)與供應(yīng)鏈過(guò)程。除了贏得產(chǎn)品銷(xiāo)售以外，蘋(píng)果公司在制造、采購(gòu)和維修以及保固履約服務(wù)方面也更勝一籌。 沒(méi)有什么比零售業(yè)務(wù)更能明顯看出來(lái)的。在我看來(lái)，零售業(yè)務(wù)可說(shuō)是蘋(píng)果公司供應(yīng)鏈業(yè)務(wù)精簡(jiǎn)的公開(kāi)表現(xiàn)之一。盡管其它零售業(yè)者抱怨經(jīng)濟(jì)疲弱，但蘋(píng)果直營(yíng)商店仍持續(xù)強(qiáng)勁，而且被認(rèn)為是全球最成功的零售業(yè)務(wù)。該公司零售業(yè)務(wù)旗下357家商店在2011年累積141億美元的營(yíng)業(yè)額，較2010年的98億美元成長(zhǎng)44%。相較于全球其它零售業(yè)者，蘋(píng)果公司的成長(zhǎng)力道使其別具特色。 在任何一家蘋(píng)果專賣(mài)店中，你都可以感受到商品易于取得以及整齊陳列的設(shè)置，加上自在與不受阻礙的產(chǎn)品空間與人潮動(dòng)線。即使是在商店中最忙碌時(shí)，也完全看不到任何的凌亂或嘈雜，明顯存在一種秩序與簡(jiǎn)單易用。你不相信嗎？不如聽(tīng)看看蘋(píng)果公司自己的說(shuō)法。蘋(píng)果在去年年度證券交易委員會(huì)提交的評(píng)論：“Apple Store 旨在簡(jiǎn)化并強(qiáng)化公司產(chǎn)品與相關(guān)解決方案的展示與行銷(xiāo)?！痹谖铱磥?lái)，蘋(píng)果零售店的概念就是來(lái)自該公司精簡(jiǎn)的供應(yīng)鏈策略。 接下來(lái)探討蘋(píng)果供應(yīng)鏈的幾個(gè)重要的特點(diǎn)，以及該公司為什么強(qiáng)調(diào)這種簡(jiǎn)單且高效率系統(tǒng)的概念： 高度定義、限量且延續(xù)性的產(chǎn)品：蘋(píng)果公司只銷(xiāo)售少數(shù)的產(chǎn)品，雖然近年來(lái)已經(jīng)逐漸擴(kuò)增產(chǎn)品了，但該公司所銷(xiāo)售的大多數(shù)產(chǎn)品尺寸都可輕易地裝進(jìn)小盒中收藏。它銷(xiāo)售PC、智能手機(jī)、MP3、電視盒以及一些外圍設(shè)備與數(shù)字產(chǎn)品。從支持這些產(chǎn)品所需的供應(yīng)鏈來(lái)看，產(chǎn)品之間可看出高度的延續(xù)性。事實(shí)上，有許多產(chǎn)品都是經(jīng)由同一家公司所制造的：富士康(Foxconn)。 單一制造策略：這在另一方面也被視為是重大天然災(zāi)害發(fā)生時(shí)的一大問(wèn)題，但截至目前為止，在單一制造區(qū)域的主要營(yíng)運(yùn)業(yè)務(wù)并未對(duì)蘋(píng)果公司帶來(lái)影響。事實(shí)上，蘋(píng)果公司在其10K 備案中表示“該公司絕大部分的硬件產(chǎn)品都在亞洲制造，”這使其得以大幅降低成本，而且只需在少數(shù)地點(diǎn)協(xié)調(diào)物流與出貨業(yè)務(wù)。盡管可能面臨風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，但請(qǐng)記住這一 點(diǎn)：沒(méi)有哪一種系統(tǒng)是毫無(wú)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的。就算面對(duì)單一地區(qū)因缺乏某種關(guān)鍵組件而在全球造成整個(gè)系統(tǒng)中斷的情況下，蘋(píng)果公司的這種分布式(加上外包)電子制造服務(wù)業(yè)務(wù)也能使其免于受到?jīng)_擊。 此外，蘋(píng)果公司了解其策略所具有的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，并認(rèn)為唯有不斷地采取措施，才能避免或減少潛在的問(wèn)題。 該公司指出，除了其產(chǎn)品的生產(chǎn)“透過(guò)與亞洲合作伙伴外包制造以外，它也外包一些運(yùn)輸與物流管理業(yè)務(wù)?！北M管如此的安排“能夠降低營(yíng)運(yùn)成本，”但蘋(píng)果公司表示，“這也降低了該公司對(duì)于產(chǎn)品的直接控管與分配?！庇捎隗w認(rèn)到這一挑戰(zhàn)，蘋(píng)果公司一直主動(dòng)積極地進(jìn)行監(jiān)管，以確保供應(yīng)伙伴都能履行雙方的協(xié)議?！昂?jiǎn)化可不意味著愚蠢！ 策略性與前瞻性的采購(gòu)策略：蘋(píng)果在市場(chǎng)上占主導(dǎo)地位部分原因在于找到了一種得以確保組件具競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力價(jià)格的方法。蘋(píng)果花費(fèi)數(shù)十億美元確保像LCD這樣的組件能夠供應(yīng)無(wú)虞。對(duì)于關(guān)鍵組件供貨商的策略定位更是簡(jiǎn)單地令人大開(kāi)眼界：它與供貨商共同分擔(dān)財(cái)務(wù)危機(jī)。蘋(píng)果公司表示，“公司已經(jīng)簽署了多項(xiàng)不同的組件供應(yīng)協(xié)議?！? 蘋(píng)果公司并不非十全十美，與單一地區(qū)少數(shù)幾家制造商的一些獨(dú)家外包與合作決定，也可能反過(guò)來(lái)困擾到這家公司。然而，其供應(yīng)鏈完全呼應(yīng)其簡(jiǎn)單高效率的原則，至今未對(duì)其造成重大影響。也許你的公司無(wú)法直接模仿或利用蘋(píng)果高效率的供應(yīng)鏈系統(tǒng)，但本質(zhì)上較復(fù)雜的系統(tǒng)更難以實(shí)現(xiàn)成功。 在一個(gè)復(fù)雜供應(yīng)鏈系統(tǒng)中，你可能因?yàn)橹圃飚a(chǎn)品的范圍廣泛而達(dá)到許多目標(biāo)，但其中有些目標(biāo)卻可能讓你得付出犧牲公司利益的代價(jià)。 編譯：Susan Hong 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 本文下一頁(yè)：參考英文原文：A Lesson From Apple: Simplify，by Bolaji Ojo, Editor in Chief

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{pagination} A Lesson From Apple: Simplify Bolaji Ojo If your supply chain is more complex than the leading competitor's processes, you've got a major problem. The simpler a manufacturing and order fulfillment process is, the nimbler it will be and the more competitively it will help your company achieve its goals. Many people may not realize this, but Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's leading consumer electronics company, operates one of the leanest and simplest supply chain operations in the world. At Apple, the same clean look-and-feel customers experience when they use the company's most successful products is mirrored in the design and supply chain processes that support the devices. In its manufacturing, procurement, and repair and warranty fulfillment operations, Apple may be as above the competition as it is in winning products it sells. Nowhere is this more obvious than in its retail operation, which, in my opinion, is one of the more public manifestations of Apple's lean supply chain operations. While other retailers are complaining about the weak economy, Apple's outlet stores remain buoyant and are considered among the most successful retail operations on earth. The retail division had 357 stores in 2011 and for the year posted sales of $14.1 billion, up 44 percent from $9.8 billion in 2010. That growth puts it in a distinct class compared with other retailers globally. At any of these Apple stores, the look-and-feel is that of ease of access and neat display, combined with free and unhindered flow of products and people. Clutter is literally non-existent; even at the stores' busiest, the sense of order and ease of use remain obvious. You don't believe me? Perhaps it will sound better coming from Apple itself. Here's a comment from Apple's last annual Securities and Exchange Commission filing: "The stores are designed to simplify and enhance the presentation and marketing of the Company’s products and related solutions." Apple's retail outlets, in my opinion, take their cue from the company's supply chain. Here are the key features of Apple's supply chain and why they reinforce the idea of a simple yet highly effective winning system: 1. Highly defined, limited, and contiguous products: Apple sells only a handful of products, and although it has expanded these over the years, most of what the company markets can be easily packed into a small box container. It sells PCs, smartphones, digital music players, TV box, and a handful of peripherals and digital products. The products are highly contiguous in terms of the supply chain needed to support them. In fact, many of these products are manufactured by the same company: Foxconn. 2. Single manufacturing strategy: This could be considered a problem in the event of a major natural disaster, but so far operating mainly in a single manufacturing region hasn't hurt Apple. In fact, manufacturing "substantially all of the company's hardware products" in Asia, as Apple said in its 10K filing, allows it to whittle down costs and coordinate logistics and shipping services in only a handful of locations. As for the dangers involved, remember this: no system is without risks. The decentralized (plus outsourced) electronics manufacturing services business has evolved to the point where even the absence of key components in one single location can ground the whole system to a halt globally. Additionally, Apple understands the risks in its strategy and is believed to be continuously taking steps to hedge and reduce the potential problems. The company noted that in addition to the production of its products by "a few outsourcing partners located in Asia," it "has also outsourced much of its transportation and logistics management." While such arrangements "may lower operating costs," Apple said, "they also reduce the company's direct control over production and distribution." Having identified the challenges, Apple has been proactive in monitoring and ensuring supply partners live up to the ends of their agreements. Simplicity doesn't translate into stupidity. 3. Strategic and forward-oriented procurement strategy: Apple dominates in its markets partly because it has also figured out a way to secure components at competitive pricing. Apple has spent billions to assure guarantee of components such as LCDs. Its strategic proposition to critical component suppliers is refreshingly simple: it shares the financial risks with them. "The company has entered into various agreements for the supply of components," Apple said. Apple isn't perfect, and some of its decisions with regard to sole-sourcing and partnership with only a handful of manufacturers in a single region could come back to haunt the company. Nevertheless, its supply chain is anchored on the principle of simple efficiency. Your company may not be able to copy or use Apple's system as effectively, but a complex system is inherently more difficult to manage. With a complex supply chain system, you'll score many goals depending on the range of products being manufactured, but some of these may turn out to be a strike against your company's interests.