We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • BLOGS & MORE
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • SCQ Forum
      • Reflections
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • BLOGS & MORE
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • SCQ Forum
      • Reflections
    • Mobile Apps
Home » A game of Supply Chain Risk
Forward Thinking

A game of Supply Chain Risk

May 8, 2018
Susan Lacefield
No Comments

When the pet food, candy, and drink company Mars Inc. wants to start a discussion with internal or external supply chain partners about supply chain risk management and resiliency, it basically holds a game night.

Chris de Wolfe, director of risk management, admits that initially he was skeptical that card and board games could help launch a supply chain risk management program. But he has since found that simulation activities are the best way to identify pain points and open people's eyes to the risks around them.

De Wolfe and Sean S. Murphy, CEO of the business continuity consulting company Lootok Ltd., described two of the games that they use during a breakout session at the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) 2018 Annual Conference. These games have been used both at local Mars sites as well as with the companies' key vendors.

In Crisis Cards, a player chooses a scenario card from the deck and reads it to the group. An example might be "A fire breaks out in the factory. Two associates are injured, several tons of product is burned, and some critical equipment is damaged." The group then has to decide if it would declare the scenario a crisis and explain their answer. This game is an effective way to start the screening process of identifying possible risks areas and their potential level of impact.

A second game "Attackers & Defenders" is used to help participants identify their most vulnerable, high-impact equipment items. In the game, one team, "the Attackers," try to cause maximum damage to the business by attacking three equipment items. They have to explain why they chose these pieces of equipment and how they would attack them. Meanwhile the Defenders team chooses three pieces of equipment to protect and describes how they would protect them.

De Wolfe describes the game as being like a version of the game Battleship, only for supply chains. "One team is trying to sink the supply chain, and the other is trying to put a resiliency plan in place," he said. "It can get competitive."

The games help the risk management group overcome one of the biggest barriers to the success of their program, according to de Wolfe and Murphy: the belief by local sites that they don't need a supply chain risk management program and that their business continuity plans are good enough.

  • Related Articles

    Index identifies potential supply chain risk in 130 countries and territories

    Which country has the most resilient supply chain of them all?

    Does supply chain have a mobile problem?

Susan Lacefield is Executive Editor of CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly.

Recent Articles by Susan Lacefield

New charitable organization looks to provide funding for pursuing a career in supply chain management

Riders on the storm

The master supply chain builder

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • The 3PL industry: time to reset

  • Resiliency starts with supplier mapping

  • Freight market growth expected to slow in 2021

  • Seizing the helm

  • Retailers designing stores to support inventory and logistics work, not just shopping

Featured Video

6cabd6ef 64df 4460 bb11 e90c2bdea0a5

Identifying Intralogistics Solutions to Fit Your Operation: LinkedIn Live Ep. 4

Viewer Contributed
As technology evolves, the advantages of using semi- and fully automated solutions to increase productivity and address labor shortages are clear. However, before an organization jumps fully into automation, optimization is a key step that must happen first. Intralogistics solutions, such as Raymond’s iWAREHOUSE and...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Warehouse Management System Project Toolkit

  • Solving Talent Management Challenges Now and In the Future

  • Shaping Up Last Mile Delivery to Surpass Customer Expectations

  • Finding the Right Transportation Management Partner

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2021. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing