Active learning ideas
Working with Suppliers explores the vital role of the supply chain in business success. Students examine procurement, the process of selecting and managing suppliers, and how factors like cost, quality, and reliability impact the final product. This topic is increasingly relevant as students consider global trade and ethical sourcing.
Activity 01
Groups are given three supplier profiles for a clothing brand: one is cheap but far away, one is expensive but local, and one is ethical but has limited stock. They must choose one and justify their decision based on the brand's target market.
What is the role of procurement in a business?
Activity 02
Students map out a simple supply chain for a pizza shop. The teacher introduces 'shocks' (e.g., a flour shortage, a delivery strike). Students must work in pairs to find immediate solutions to keep the business running.
How do supplier relationships impact production?
Activity 03
Students discuss whether a business is responsible if its supplier uses unethical labour. They share their views on how this affects the business's reputation and whether UK consumers really care about the supply chain.
What happens when a supply chain breaks down?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
The cheapest supplier is always the best choice.
A cheap supplier might be unreliable or provide poor quality, which ends up costing the business more in the long run. A 'supplier selection' activity helps students see that reliability and quality are often more important than price.
Supply chains are only for big manufacturing companies.
Every business, including small service-based ones like a hairdresser, has a supply chain. Peer teaching where students identify the 'suppliers' for a local cafe can help broaden their understanding.
Methods used in this brief
Production Processes
Students investigate different methods of production, including job, batch, and flow production. They will evaluate which method is most appropriate for various types of products.
8 methodologies
Quality Management
This topic focuses on the importance of quality in business operations. Students will learn about quality control, quality assurance, and the consequences of poor quality.
8 methodologies