Supply Chain Digitalisation, Blockchain and Electronic Documentation (VIRTUAL) - SCDB

Supply Chain Digitalisation, Blockchain and Electronic Documentation (VIRTUAL) - SCDB

Course Summary

In a world where international business continues to evolve and develop within ever transient environments and where competitive advantage often proves fleeting, many organisations have examined efficiency measures in the operations and methodology of how they conduct their business. Technological acceleration and the rate of change driven by this is increasingly turning the paper transaction digital, for example, the advent of "˜Smart Contracts' suggests that the days of the intermediate, or broker, might well be done. Blockchain and the concept of distributed ledger technology continues to grow and evolve within global business transactions. Organisations seek efficiency and streamlining in key performance parameters such as speed; cost and quality throughout their supply chains "“ the leveraging of creditworthiness and factors such as reverse factoring and dynamic discounting all contribute to the supply chain of the future "“ which will be digital. This course has been specifically developed to provide the delegate with a comprehensive understanding of the factors of supply chain digitalization and common electronic documentation such as the Electronic Bill of Lading (EBOL). The course provides an immersive experience for delegates who will acquire new knowledge and ideas that can be immediately put into practice and implemented post course.

What Will You Learn?

• Know what the significant differences are between data; information and knowledge and why this is important to digital supply chains
• Be able to articulate to stakeholders the ramifications of digitalisation
• Understand how digitalization will drive a corporate competitive advantage
• Grasp what the key challenges are for successful supply chain digitalization
• Gain an understanding of what Blockchain is and why it is important to digitalisation
• Comprehend the mechanics of ?Smart Contracts' and understand why these are so vitally important for the digital supply chain
• Acquire an insight into how the financial side of the supply chain operates
• Become familiar with Letters of Credit and Bank Guarantees and understand their differences
• Understand the importance of the Electronic Bill of Lading and what this means for international trade

Course Content

Topic 1: Understanding the relationship between Data; Information and Knowledge

• What is Data, Information and Knowledge?
• An overview of data management
• Data mining and data leverage
• Data security "“ the key issue?
• The relevance of SMART information criteria
• The value of information in decision making processes
• The importance of Knowledge Management
• The concept of "˜Shelf-life' "“ how important is it to understand this?
• "˜Digital disruption'- what does this mean for your existing supply chain

Topic 2: What is a "˜Digital Supply Chain?'

• Big Data analytics
• Dealing with complexity "“ the need to "˜rethink and redesign'
• The key benefits "“ speed, cost, agility and customization (products and services)
• Enhanced integration "“ products and money flows Creating visibility "“ "˜real time' abilities "“ streamlining the interface ((i.e. sales/procurement/marketing/logistics/warehousing)
• The impact of digitalization on stakeholders
• Class exercise

Topic 3: Digitalisation and competitive advantage

• Assessing the organisation's capabilities
• Class exercise
• Removing fragmentation from the SC
• Streamlining and optimization strategies
• The role of negative feedback loops
• The role of positive, self-amplifying feedback loops
• Dealing with emergent opportunities
• Model: Creating a Sustainable Competitive advantage

Topic 4: Key challenges to effective supply chain digitalization:

• Collaboration and information sharing "“ lack of efficiency
• Insufficient/developing infrastructure
• Rapidly expanding/growing global market in scale and scope
• Level of "˜tech integration' (reluctance to change)
• Undefined strategy/poor tactical implementation and planning
• Slow decision making "“ negative impact on working capital management
• Poor data handling/streamlining
• The Total Cost of Ownership
• Wide range of terms utilized in payments and receivables
• Varying levels of institutional creditworthiness
• Oligopolistic market controlled by banks and financial institutions with specialist knowledge
• Impact of developing markets
• Impact of domestic markets (reducing cross-border transaction volumes (trade flows))

Topic 5: Blockchain Technology

• What is "˜Blockchain?'
• The 2 principle problems of digital assets "“ proof or authenticity and the "˜double-spend'
• Key features of Blockchain
• Permissioned Blockchain applications "“ Consortium blockchains and fully private blockchains
• Case study "“ the "˜TradeLens' platform  

Topic 6: Smart Contracts

• What is a "˜Smart Contract?'
• Key differences between a "˜smart' contract and a "˜normal' contract
• The mechanics of Smart Contracts- immutability; distribution; transparency
• Advantages of Smart Contracts "“ streamlining "“ removal of "˜data silo's;' enhanced security protocols (less exposure to loss and fraud; backup copies); removal of intermediaries; automatic enforcement of contract terms; precision (less human interaction "“ less scope for mistakes)
• Disadvantages "“ hacking; changes in the "˜real world' (i.e. a material event that would void a traditional transaction); regulation issues

Topic 7: Supply Chain Finance

• What is SCF? "“ the buyer/seller dynamic explored
• Advantages of SCF
• The choice of platform
• Reverse Factoring explained
• Dynamic Discounting explained
• Inventory Financing explained

Topic 8: Letters of Credit (LOC) vs. Bank Guarantees (BG's)

• The differences between these financial instruments
• The key attributes of LOC's and BG's "“ why they are utilised
• Main variations of LOC's
• Dealing with discrepancies in LOC's
• Main variations of BG's

Topic 9: Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits 600 (UCP 600)

• Created by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) "“ govern scope of financial institutions (FI) obligations and reflect standard customs and practice
• Art 4 "“ LOC a "˜standalone contract' (banks concerned with this contract NOT the underlying commercial contract)
• Art 5 "“ finance is raised on documents not delivery
• Art 14 (c) "“ presentation of docs to confirming or issuing bank within stipulated time limits and within 21 days post shipment date
• Art 14 (d) "“ no conflict between meaning of wording/information across different documentation
• Art 16 "“ discrepancy in documents; waivers and notice
• Art 17 "“ must be original documents
• Art 18 "“ description of goods in commercial invoice must correspond with that in LOC
• Must be expressly incorporated into contract (i.e., box 40E SWIFT MT700)

Topic 10: Bills of Lading (BOL) and the evolution of the Electronic Bill of Lading (EBOL):

• The four main roles of a BOL
• Two key legal issues of EBOL's "“ validity and replication; producing a "˜hard copy'
• Major problems of EBOL'S
• Advantages of EBOL's
• The possible effect on Capital Adequacy Regulations
• The 2008 adoption of the "˜Rotterdam Rules' by the UN
• EBOL's a solution to the Letters of Indemnity (LOI) dilemma?
• An overview of UNCITRAL MELETR (Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records)