Introductory note mls ipscm july 07[2]

Buying into Competitiveness Help to make your company more competititive… competititive…

HOW? …by improving YOUR

Supply Chains!

Note on the Development of Training Capacities in the area of International Purchasing & Supply Chain Management (IPSCM) This note is intended for current or future users of ITC’s Modular Learning System (MLS) on IPSCM or for institutions participating in ITC’s IPSCM projects.

1. Background - ITC Creates a Global Network of IPSCM Training Providers Being competitive means meeting customers’ needs by offering them the right product at the right time at the right price… and at the lowest possible cost to your company so that it makes a fair profit. Enterprises – which typically spend around 60% of their revenue on covering their purchasing & supply costs – can greatly enhance their competitiveness and delivery performance through improved supply chain management.

This often involves one or more of the following: • • •

A mindset change by top management as well as at the operational level in terms of new ways of dealing with both suppliers and customers.

A focus on more strategic and long-term approaches.

An investment in training to enable managers & staff to make use of best practices.

Buying into Competitiveness is an ITC-led initiative that answers enterprises’ rapidly growing need to develop skills in this key area. It involves working with national partner organisations to provide quality training in purchasing & supply chain management to their countries’ business communities.

Under this initiative, ITC makes available to these institutions – through special agreements – its portfolio of generic training materials and tools in this area, and trains their trainers to use these effectively. Participating institutions must ensure that the training services that they offer are delivered in a highly professional manner and are accessible and affordable to their business communities.

ITC’s Modular Learning System (MLS) in International Purchasing and Supply Chain Management (IPSCM) consists of a series of training packs first introduced in 2000. All key aspects of purchasing and supply chain management are addressed in a practical and structured manner.

The Modular Learning System is the most important generic training tool offered by ITC in this area. It helps enterprises to improve all aspects of managing their supply chains through its 12 core and several supplementary modules. The training it supports can lead enterprises to become more competitive by:

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Ensuring their continuity of supply.

Reducing supply lead-times.

Optimising the quality of their supply of inputs.

Promoting supply innovation.

Reducing supply and inventory costs.

The basic MLS-IPSCM pack consists of the 12 core Modules shown in this figure. A series of additional modules on selected topics such as e-procurement, environmental procurement, group purchasing, CRM and Operations Management are also being available to users, All the MLS-IPSCM materials are updated regularly. The MLSIPSCM is available in Spanish and Chinese, in addition to the original English version.

ITC’s ITC’s Modular Modular Learning Learning System System (MLS) (MLS) on International Purchasing & Supply Management Specifying Evaluating requirements supply & planning performsupply Analysing Managing ance supply Inventory markets

12

2

10

Managing the supply contract

“Buying into Competitiveness”

Understanding the Corporate Environment

9

5

1 8

7

Developing supply strategies

4

6

Appraising & shortlisting suppliers

Preparing Obtaining & the selecting contract Negotiating offers

CRM

Environmental Procurement

3

11

Managing int´l logistics

Group purchasing

Supplementary modules

E -procurement

Operations Management

& others…

Each Module training pack consists of: • • • •

A Coursebook for the participants – in full colour – containing text materials and figures.

A Workbook, also for the participants, with various levels of exercises and learning checks.

An Answerbook to these exercises and learning checks, for trainers.

A PowerPoint presentation on CD-Rom, also for trainers.

Why Why MLS? MLS?

Learning should be useful as well as enjoyable!!!

Comprehensive & structured Complete training packs User-friendly User User-friendly Practical Regularly updated Additional Modules are being developed based on demand Supplemented by numerous exercises, cases & additional training tools

The MLS-IPSCM uses an interactive and participative approach to support group training as well as individually based open learning. The MLSIPSCM is also complemented by additional materials and training tools, including cases, exercises, business games and simulations. This full set of materials is intended to make it easy to deliver training that is practical, impacting and enjoyable.

The MLS-IPSCM is aimed specifically at staff responsible for managing purchasing and supply chain operations in enterprises. It builds upon ITC’s extensive field experience with its partner countries, and responds to an expressed need for a comprehensive set of training support materials in this area.

The Global Network The MLS-IPSCM is available to institutions that have signed a special agreement to this effect with ITC. All new applicant institutions are carefully screened in order to maintain the high quality of the training providers. Institutions acquiring the MLS-IPSCM will shortly be able to also access a range of additional training materials and technical support through IPSCM LearningNet, an ITC website exclusively for MLS-IPSCM network members.

More than 130 institutions in 50 countries have signed agreements with ITC to use the MLS-IPSCM. Through regional and national projects, ITC helps to train qualified trainers at many of these institutions, and provides support in developing local materials such as cases and country-specific Modules.

Int. Certs & Diploma in IPSCM

ITC 11 10

12 2

MLS 1

9 8

7

3 4 5

Advice & training of trainers

6

Additions & feedback

New & upgraded materials

Link to Internat.

Network

Use in local training programmes 11 10

12 2

MLS 1

9 8

7

3 4 5

6

Additional & country specific materials

The MLS-IPSCM is used exclusively by qualified ITC partner institutions such as management training institutes, universities, business sector organisations, purchasing and supply management associations and others.

These institutions express their commitment to providing highly effective training in purchasing and supply chain management to their countries' business communities by offering them the unique, user-friendly and practical approach of the MLS-IPSCM delivered by their teams of practitioner-trainers - who receive guidance and training from ITC on how to build the MLS-IPSCM into their training programmes.

International Exams leading to an International Certificate, Advanced Certificate and Diploma in Purchasing & Supply Chain Management based on the MLS-IPSCM are now also available for institutions wishing to participate. Since 2002 exams have been organised every 6 months in English.

Exams in Spanish started in 2005 and a first exam in Chinese was offered in 2006.

Exams are always taken in the home country and all local arrangements are made by the MLS-IPSCM network partner institutions. The exams themselves are developed and marked by the programme’s International Examination Panel consisting of high level academics from all continents. In 2006, an online version of the international exams was piloted and will soon be made

2

Certificate

=

Advanced certificate

=

6 modules

Diploma

Certificate Module s 2,5,6, 7,8 & 9

Advanced Certificate

Plus Plus 2/3 2/3 supplesupple menta mentary ryModules Modules & a written Plus Mo dule s 1, assignmen t 3,4,10,11 & 12

Climb the ladder of success

GOAL

12 modules

Diploma

= 15 modules + project report

Exams twice/year + online

Delivered by: network of institutions accredited & supported by ITC

available. Paper-based exams will continue to be organised twice per year.

Institutions in more than 30 countries are offering or are preparing to offer courses leading to these exams and it is expected that increasing numbers of participants as well as institutions will join.

2. Assistance offered by ITC in the context of Projects A number of institutions are using the MLS-IPSCM materials without any direct assistance from ITC. However, ITC is regularly implementing projects (involving a series of activities over 3-5 years) in order to assist interested institutions having acquired the MLS-IPSCM materials in getting started.

This assistance normally includes some or all of the following: Training of trainers Development of courses and curricula Development of local complementary materials Assistance in launching and promotion events Training of consultants Networking amongst institutions and specialists (trainers & consultants) 2.1 Training of trainers: These workshops are normally organised in the country concerned. Generally, 1-3 workshops, each of a duration of 3-7 days (depending on needs and availability of the trainers) are organised for groups of 15-20 trainers attached to an MLS-IPSCM network member institution. The dates, duration and details of each workshop are determined jointly with ITC. At the end of these workshops, participants are expected to be ready to successfully start delivering training based on the MLS-IPSCM materials.

All local costs (i.e. venue, equipment, refreshments, stationary, etc.) are normally covered by the local institution. All costs related to the trainer and the training materials are covered by ITC. The topics covered in these national workshops include the following: Understanding the MLS-IPSCM materials How to be a good trainer How to use different training methods (presentations, role plays, cases, games, group exercises, brainstorming and more) How to identify suitable target groups for the programmes in the country concerned, How to be customer focused (understanding needs and problems of specific target groups and addressing these in the training) How to set realistic and achievable learning objectives How to design impacting programmes How to make training enjoyable and motivating How to deal with difficult participants How to monitor and evaluate learning for continuous improvement How to prepare professional training aids How to see every opportunity to train as an opportunity for personal improvement

A trainer...

1. Technical Skills 2. Training Skills

ŠITC/IPSM S/MF

Selection of participants (the future MLS-IPSCM trainers) The MLS-IPSCM network member institutions normally select the participants in these workshops. It is recommended that all or at least most of the future trainers have practical experience in the area of IPSCM. The higher and the longer the experience, the better.

Ideally, the trainers should also come from enterprises or organisations that are frontrunners in the area of supply chain management, or at least from institutions that are efficient and successful. This is important in order for the trainers to be respected and also to enable then to train others who may already have considerable experience.

Preparing for the workshops Working copies of the MLS-IPSCM Modules are sent some time before the workshop. It is important that participants read through the materials in order to be fully familiar with these before the workshops start. In the first workshop, each participant will also be asked to make a 20 minute overview presentation of a module as part of the process of internalising the materials.

3

Technical regional workshops From time to time, ITC organises regional technical events for trainers on issues of particular relevance. In such cases, small numbers of trainers attached to network member institutions will be invited to participate with the clear understanding that they commit themselves to transferring their knowledge and skills to the complete team of trainers once they return. In these cases, travel and accommodation costs would be covered by ITC. Certificates All trainers having participated as required in events organised by ITC will receive a certificate. Trainers having participated in ITC workshops and wishing to take the exams aimed at obtaining the international certificate or diploma may also do so free of charge under certain conditions (and in case of project funding) for a limited period of time.

2.2 Development of courses and curricula The MLS-IPSCM materials can be used in many different manners – as short courses, as academic specialisations or in other ways. Each institution decides how it wishes to use the materials and ITC’s role is to support its decision.

A discussion on how to use the materials is built into the training of trainers’ workshops, unless this has already been decided beforehand.

ITC offers assistance on how to design different types of programmes for specific target groups or sectors, during and after the workshops.

How the MLS can be used…

11 10

12 2

MLS 1

9 8

3 4 5

7 6

+

Certificates & Diploma in International Purchasing & Supply Chain Management

1

For short independent courses/semina rs for the business communi ty

2

For distance learning

3

For inin - house training in-house

4

As inputs or specialisa tions for academic progra mmes

5

As a complete professional certificate/diploma progra mme recognised today in 15 coun tries… countries… and the number nu mber is growing!

2.3 Development of local complementary materials ITC offers national case writing workshops (3-5 days) for trainers wishing to develop local cases on a continuing basis, as needed. All participants in these workshops commit to writing one short case and an accompanying training note during and after the workshop. They receive online coaching and other assistance after the workshop on how to complete their cases.

Together Everyone Achieves More

ITC can also offer contracts to local experts aimed at developing other local materials. Examples of such materials include a module on SCM and the national environment (which brings up all country-specific issues related to SCM, which are covered in the MLS-IPSCM modules in a generic manner) and a short module on how to negotiate with people from one’s own country (covering the culture-specific dimensions of negotiations) and other relevant materials and training tools.

ITC assists in the final layout of these materials and also ensures that they become part of the MLS-IPSCM network library of materials, to be accessed by institutions belonging to the global MLS-IPSCM network. The MLS-IPSCM network materials exchange allows institutions that contribute materials to also download materials contributed by others (and ITC) for free.

2.4 Participation in events aimed at launching & promoting national MLS-IPSCM-based programmes ITC specialists may assist in launching and promotion events (at no cost), as their time and travel schedule permits.

2.5 Training of Consultants This training is aimed at helping SCM specialists to help local firms as consultants. Participants are expected to be fully familiar with the subject of SCM as the training will focus on the consulting process and not on SCM itself.

Topics covered in this training generally include: Consulting and change Consulting and culture Professionalism and ethics in consulting Entry phase of the consulting assignment Diagnosis phase of the consulting assignment Action planning phase of the consulting assignment

4

Implementation phase of the consulting assignment Termination phase of the consulting assignment Managing a consulting unit This training can be offered either at national or regional level through one 7-day workshop followed by individual coaching/assistance while carrying out a pilot consulting assignment.

In the case of a national workshop, the network member institution is once again expected to cover all local costs. In the case of regional events, travel and accommodation of participants may be covered by ITC projects.

2.6 Networking amongst institutions and specialists (trainers and consultants) Networking is achieved through regional events and also with the help of LearningNet (a global website for the MLS-IPSCM programme). This website allows network member institutions to know more about each other and facilitate the sharing of experts and materials.

ITC also occasionally organises events for MLS-IPSCM trainers and institutional representatives from all countries, independently of projects.

3. How to use the MLS-IPSCM if your country is not currently covered by any ITC project Institutions having acquired the MLS-IPSCM materials may use these materials without any further assistance from ITC, and many institutions actually do so.

Preparatory workshops entirely funded by local institutions can also be organised. In these cases, the costs of travel and stay of the ITC trainer as well as of the training materials would have to be covered by the local institution.

A third option would be to request project assistance from ITC. In such cases, an official letter requesting assistance should be sent to ITC by the institution concerned. ITC follows up on all such requests but there is however no guarantee that the necessary funding can be secured.

For more information, please contact: IPSCM Secretariat, IPSMS Section, International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO, Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 730 0301 - Fax: +41 22 730 0328 - E-mail: ipscm@intracen.org Further information, including summary brochures, the detailed course outline, sample pages and our standard agreement on the MLS-IPSCM Programme can also be found at: http://www.ipscm-learningnet.net (under MLSIPSCM Information” and “PSCM Diploma Programme”) Information on other ITC products and programmes can be found at: http://www.intracen.org

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