Link issue12 Final One - SCLG

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Academia
John Mee, M.D.
Supply Chain Centre of Excellence
A Blended Learning Approach
In the fast-paced era of globalisation, skills and
qualifications of supply chain professionals are continuously
challenged as more new factors within the chain take lead
roles. Managing Director John Mee of the Irish based Supply
Chain Centre of Excellence tells The LINK how ‘blended’
learning, a different learning method that can help
professionals better manage supply chain changes.
John Mee, M.D.
Supply Chain Centre of Excellence
Can you briefly assess SCM in Dubai?
What aspect needs more focus here?
The focus as always needs to be on
some of the less visible, but
nonetheless important aspects of SCM.
I would suggest that the role of IT and
the approach to forecasting and
inventory management are salient
here. The reasons I would offer are as
follows: The location of Dubai as a
gateway between East/West
necessitates connectivity between
these two geographical extremes, and
this is the role of IT in SCM – to
connect.
Inventory has the prospect of being
stock-piled in the gateway centre of
Dubai as a result of attempting to
match supply and demand along the
East/West corridor. This could create
an unnecessary strain on the working
capital requirements of companies.
Pre-emptive work here i.e. forecasting,
would at least reduce the reliance
upon chance in aligning demand and
supply along the East/West, West/East
corridor.
What exactly is ‘blended’ learning?
Employing a ‘blended’ learning is an
academic format which allows the
individual to learn and access materials
at a time which is convenient to
professionals, irrespective of their
current location. The ‘blend’ is
achieved by being assigned a personal
coach whose responsibility is to be in
regular contact with students as they
are mentored as well as their progress
at all times. Essentially blended
learning is an amalgamation of
synchronous (real time and personal)
and asynchronous (elapsed time and
impersonal) communication via the
learning medium.
How does this work?
The learning medium is actually built
around a virtual company packed in
CDs. The actual learning offer is
designed to deliver the learning in
small, manageable units, with easy
access to support from specialist tutors.
Learners can apply the principles
learned instantly in their day to day
work.
All throughout the learning process,
students are appointed to a position
within a fictitious company to perform
the tasks required of that position to
demonstrate the necessary
competence for the qualification.
How is the assessment process
applied?
Based on submission of tasks and
written responses to these tasks,
students will have amassed a complete
portfolio of evidence of their
competencies for final assessment.
This will lead to the award of the
appropriate qualification. The process
achieves two things as it establishes
the knowledge of the individual, and
the ability to apply that knowledge in a
practical manner.
Are certificates and diplomas enough?
In Dubai the learning needs to be
formalised and ideally, recognised
globally. I would suggest that
ultimately there will be a requirement
for higher levels of qualification
programmes perhaps at Master level.
Programmes that are positioned at
Certificate and Diploma levels are vital
“gateway programmes” to establish a
reasonable level of acumen in the
discipline but perhaps are missing the
necessary depth and breadth to
develop “the managers of tomorrow”
at senior organizational levels that will
be responsible for strategic planning.
I believe that a full time senior
executive programme at a Master level
has tremendous merit in Dubai. It
would allow Dubai a greater degree of
self-reliance than at present, and
actually support the desire for inward
foreign investment by having an
educated indigenous workforce readily
available for foreign companies
locating to the region. Ultimately
Dubai will need to become selfsufficient
in terms of senior managerial
positions to maintain a cost base that
compares favorably with evolving low
cost countries such as China. This can
be achieved by upskilling the
indigenous labour pool and negating a
reliance on the more costly Western
expertise option. Such a move will
protect the direct supply chain costs
that Dubai itself can influence along
the supply continuum.
Supply Chain & Logistics Group | www.sclgme.org