Lecture

LEGO Supply Chain Analysis

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

In course

MGT-526: Supply chain management

This course introduces key concepts in supply chain management. It uses a combination of case studies, simulation exercises, formal lectures and group discussions to illustrate how the various concepts can be successfully implemented in practice. ...

Description

This lecture analyzes the LEGO supply chain from a value chain perspective, identifying root causes in earlier stages that lead to effects in later stages. It discusses issues in product development, sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution, highlighting challenges such as high number of suppliers, waste of raw materials, and inaccurate forecasts. The lecture also covers the implementation of a new distribution strategy, the impact of production planning decisions, and the successful turnaround of LEGO's operations. Through case studies and real-world examples, the instructor explores the importance of efficient supply chain management and the key factors that contribute to a successful supply chain strategy.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Instructors (3)

Ralf Seifert

Ralf W. Seifert is Professor of Technology & Operations Management (TOM) at the College of Management of Technology (CDM) at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) since 2003. His primary research and teaching interests relate to operations management, supply chain strategy and technology network management. He is also active in industry analysis, international project work and new venture formation. Based on his work with companies, Professor Seifert has co-authored more than 30 case studies covering different industries. These efforts have been recognized by multiple international case awards granted by EFMD in 2018, 2012, 2009 and 2003, ECCH in 2011 and 2006, as well as POMS in 2004. He continues to actively research issues of supply chain strategy, supply chain finance and technology management and has more than 70 articles and international conference presentations to his credit. In addition, he co-authored two books: one focused on strategic supply chain management and another one concerning start-up challenges of technology ventures. In parallel to his appointment at EPFL, he continues to serve a position at IMD, were he has been appointed Professor of Operations Management in 2000. Prior to joining IMD, Professor Seifert studied and worked in Germany, Japan and the US. He earned PhD and MS degrees in Management Science at Stanford University, a Diplom Ingenieur degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and a Master's degree in Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering from North Carolina State University. While in the US, he consulted for Hewlett-Packard and served as Teaching and Research Assistant at Stanford University. In Germany he worked for Booz & Company, McKinsey & Company and Freudenberg & Co. In addition, he spent one year as a Visiting Scholar in Operations Research at Waseda University in Tokyo.

Anna Timonina-Farkas

Anna Timonina-Farkas is a scientific researcher in the field of Operations Research and Operations Management at TOM EPFL. Her focus is on theory and data-driven solution methods in multi-stage optimization under model and decision-dependent uncertainties. Before joining EPFL, she served as a Research Scholar at the Risk, Policy and Vulnerability program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (Vienna, Austria), developing optimal governmental strategies for natural disaster risk-managem

Richard Markoff

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Business

Supply chain: Supply chain management

Related concepts (26)

Lego

Lego (ˈlɛɡoʊ , ˈle̝ːko; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously colored interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene that accompany an array of gears, figurines called minifigures, and various other parts. Lego pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways to construct objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots.

Inventory management software

Inventory management software is a software system for tracking inventory levels, orders, sales and deliveries. It can also be used in the manufacturing industry to create a work order, bill of materials and other production-related documents. Companies use inventory management software to avoid product overstock and outages. It is a tool for organizing inventory data that before was generally stored in hard-copy form or in spreadsheets.

Inventory

Inventory (American English) or stock (British English) refers to the goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate goal of resale, production or utilisation. Inventory management is a discipline primarily about specifying the shape and placement of stocked goods. It is required at different locations within a facility or within many locations of a supply network to precede the regular and planned course of production and stock of materials.

Inventory control

Inventory control or stock control can be broadly defined as "the activity of checking a shop's stock". It is the process of ensuring that the right amount of supply is available within a business. However, a more focused definition takes into account the more science-based, methodical practice of not only verifying a business's inventory but also maximising the amount of profit from the least amount of inventory investment without affecting customer satisfaction.

Supply chain

A supply chain, sometimes expressed as a "supply-chain", is a complex logistics system that consists of facilities that convert raw materials into finished products and distribute them to end consumers or end customers. Meanwhile, supply chain management deals with the flow of goods within the supply chain in the most efficient manner. In sophisticated supply chain systems, used products may re-enter the supply chain at any point where residual value is recyclable. Supply chains link value chains.

Related lectures (52)

Supply Management: Planning Strategies

Covers the basics of supply management and different aggregate planning strategies.

Production Planning & Capacity Management

Covers production planning, capacity management, demand disruptions, and aggregate planning strategies in the context of global supply chains.

Material Requirement Planning (MRP)

Covers the main objectives and process of Material Requirement Planning (MRP).

Forecast and Demand Analysis

Explores models for prediction, collaborative Sales and Operations Planning, supply chain management, and inventory optimization.

Production Management: Overview and Value Chain