Currently, I am working with Time Warner Cable, and the services we provide to the consumers include cable TV, the internet, and phone. The different components of the supply chain for cable TV, the internet, and phone service that we provide to our customers include the following. The supplier manufactures and delivers the fiber optic cables to the company; the workers engage in placing the cables in manholes and street poles and connect them with the materials retrieved from the organization’s warehouse. After that, the customer service will involve in processing the various requests from the clients who would like to get our services. Finally, the technicians will install the service for the customers.

In this scenario, the upstream service providers are the cables manufacturers while the downstream service providers are the customer care department and the installation technician. The manufacturers provide the necessary raw materials while the customer service providers and technicians process and distribute the services to the clients (Skjott-Larsen & Schary, 2007).

The global supply chain is currently facing a problem of natural disaster and extreme weather conditions. For instance, Japan’s earthquake forced companies dealing with semiconductor and shipbuilding to minimize their supply (Kim & Jim, 2011). Besides, factories supplying high-tech components and steel, firms such as Sony Corp and Toyota Corp suspended their production. Such moves by the companies depicted a severe threat to the global supply chain since many global technology products come from Japan. The devastating earthquake reduced the overall consumer demand and disrupted the supply of high-tech components and equipment (Kim & Jim, 2011).

References

Kim, M., & Jim, C. (2011, March 14). Japan quake tests supply chain from chips to ships. Retrieved May 06, 2016, from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-quake-supplychain-idUSTRE72D1FQ20110314

Skjott-Larsen, T., & Schary, P. B. (2007). Managing the global supply chain. Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press.

 
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