苹果供应链管理——简约而不简单

如果您的供应链比起主要竞争对手的过程更加复杂，那你的问题可大了！一家制造商及其订单履约过程越简单，就越灵活高效，也能更具有竞争力地协助公司达到目标。 许多人可能没有意识到这一点，然而，全球主要的消费电子巨擘──苹果公司(Apple Inc.)就成功运用了世界上最精简的一种供应链业务。当用户使用苹果公司最成功的产品时，所体验到这种同样简洁的外观和感觉，正反映出该公司为这款产品所提供的设计与供应链过程。除了赢得产品销售以外，苹果公司在制造、采购和维修以及保固履约服务方面也更胜一筹。 没有什么比零售业务更能明显看出来的。在我看来，零售业务可说是苹果公司供应链业务精简的公开表现之一。尽管其它零售业者抱怨经济疲弱，但苹果直营商店仍持续强劲，而且被认为是全球最成功的零售业务。该公司零售业务旗下357家商店在2011年累积141亿美元的营业额，较2010年的98亿美元成长44%。相较于全球其它零售业者，苹果公司的成长力道使其别具特色。 在任何一家苹果专卖店中，你都可以感受到商品易于取得以及整齐陈列的设置，加上自在与不受阻碍的产品空间与人潮动线。即使是在商店中最忙碌时，也完全看不到任何的凌乱或嘈杂，明显存在一种秩序与简单易用。你不相信吗？不如听看看苹果公司自己的说法。苹果在去年年度证券交易委员会提交的评论：“Apple Store 旨在简化并强化公司产品与相关解决方案的展示与行销。”在我看来，苹果零售店的概念就是来自该公司精简的供应链策略。 接下来探讨苹果供应链的几个重要的特点，以及该公司为什么强调这种简单且高效率系统的概念： 高度定义、限量且延续性的产品：苹果公司只销售少数的产品，虽然近年来已经逐渐扩增产品了，但该公司所销售的大多数产品尺寸都可轻易地装进小盒中收藏。它销售PC、智能手机、MP3、电视盒以及一些外围设备与数字产品。从支持这些产品所需的供应链来看，产品之间可看出高度的延续性。事实上，有许多产品都是经由同一家公司所制造的：富士康(Foxconn)。 单一制造策略：这在另一方面也被视为是重大天然灾害发生时的一大问题，但截至目前为止，在单一制造区域的主要营运业务并未对苹果公司带来影响。事实上，苹果公司在其10K 备案中表示“该公司绝大部分的硬件产品都在亚洲制造，”这使其得以大幅降低成本，而且只需在少数地点协调物流与出货业务。尽管可能面临风险，但请记住这一 点：没有哪一种系统是毫无风险的。就算面对单一地区因缺乏某种关键组件而在全球造成整个系统中断的情况下，苹果公司的这种分布式(加上外包)电子制造服务业务也能使其免于受到冲击。 此外，苹果公司了解其策略所具有的风险，并认为唯有不断地采取措施，才能避免或减少潜在的问题。 该公司指出，除了其产品的生产“透过与亚洲合作伙伴外包制造以外，它也外包一些运输与物流管理业务。”尽管如此的安排“能够降低营运成本，”但苹果公司表示，“这也降低了该公司对于产品的直接控管与分配。”由于体认到这一挑战，苹果公司一直主动积极地进行监管，以确保供应伙伴都能履行双方的协议。“简化可不意味着愚蠢！ 策略性与前瞻性的采购策略：苹果在市场上占主导地位部分原因在于找到了一种得以确保组件具竞争力价格的方法。苹果花费数十亿美元确保像LCD这样的组件能够供应无虞。对于关键组件供货商的策略定位更是简单地令人大开眼界：它与供货商共同分担财务危机。苹果公司表示，“公司已经签署了多项不同的组件供应协议。” 苹果公司并不非十全十美，与单一地区少数几家制造商的一些独家外包与合作决定，也可能反过来困扰到这家公司。然而，其供应链完全呼应其简单高效率的原则，至今未对其造成重大影响。也许你的公司无法直接模仿或利用苹果高效率的供应链系统，但本质上较复杂的系统更难以实现成功。 在一个复杂供应链系统中，你可能因为制造产品的范围广泛而达到许多目标，但其中有些目标却可能让你得付出牺牲公司利益的代价。 编译：Susan Hong 本文授权编译自EBN Online，版权所有，谢绝转载 本文下一页：参考英文原文：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.