If you haven't been living under a rock for the past two-three years, you probably have seen / heard about many of the problems that technology surge has created for companies across the board - from small to mid-sized business to large corporates. Those of us who work in the 'digital field' - though most if not all fields tend to be digital(ized) these days and those of us who are active on business networks, busy with reading, discussing and attending digital conferences have already become pretty worn down by terms of 'transformation', 'digitization', 'digital brand', 'eCommerce' etc. However, the sad truth is that for majority of companies, especially global brands and large companies there's still a huge digital capability gap size of a Grand Canyon between the available digital technology possibilities and their (not so digital) internal realities. For that reason it's still worth writing, discussing and advancing knowledge around digital - changes it implies and advances it can bring.

The sad truth is that for majority of companies, especially global brands and large companies there's still a huge digital capability gap size of a Grand Canyon between the available digital technology possibilities and their (not so digital) internal realities.

As my field of interest and expertise evolves around digital and brands, this time I wanted to pick up on my Digital Brand Discussion Article Series and talk about a very specific perspective that basically touches upon anybody involved in creative, marketing, brand, eCommerce, strategy, or management functions - the Supply Chain of Digital Brand Content.

If you work in a global organisation or multinational company the concept of a supply chain is probably more less familiar to you - it's those 'non-sexy' departments (presuming marketing and brand departments are sexy) that make sure that the product gets from point A to point B - most likely and overall from far East (production) to far West (consumers). "A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer." (Wikipedia).

Some supply chains are simple, some are complex - most complex supply chains tend to be in automotive industry - imagine how many parts and how many different suppliers need to be aligned and synchronised so you would get your new car on time. Also, imagine IKEA's supply chain - thousands of products and parts sourced from suppliers across the world to points across the world. Worth mentioning one of main company strategic market and competitive advantages are exactly the value chain capabilities. Any waste of time, leads to significant costs in real terms but also in terms of lost market opportunities. No wonder that Supply Chain as a Function is rigorously systematised and subject to continuous improvement practices - continuous measurement of process performance and improvement of steps that bring faster, cheaper and smarter ways of delivering value to customers.

"One of main company strategic market and competitive advantages are exactly the supply chain capabilities"

As the understanding that basically any product or service that reaches the end customer is a cumulative effort of multiple organisations and that the value is created and enhanced bylooking beyond "four walls" of a single or individual organisation but rather across them, the concept and the need for active management of chain of activities and links between them arose - taking a shape of Supply Chain Management (SCM) as concept, practice and field of research. The organisations that make up the supply chain are “linked” together through physical flows and information flows. Supply chain management (SCM) is the active management of supply chain activities to maximize customer value and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Management of chain of activities with aim of maximising return on efforts and maximising customer value while reducing costs across the entire chain of activities and organisations rests on the use of two core perspectives - the existence of Physical and Information flows.

Physical flows involve the transformation, movement, and storage of goods and materials. They are the most visible piece of the supply chain. But just as important are information flows. Information flows allow the various supply chain partners to coordinate their long-term plans, and to control the day-to-day flow of goods and materials up and down the supply chain.

Kaizen and Supply Chain Management (SCM)

Integral part of management of the supply chain is it's continuous improvement. Fast changing and highly competitive market environment requires continuous improvement of strategic capabilities and among others the supply chain capabilities. Continuous Improvement also known as "Kaizen" is a long-term approach to work that systematically seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency and quality. To achieve continuous competitive advantage in creating and delivering value to customers one must actively manage and continuously improve the value supply chain - chain of activities across organisations (departments) that take shape of both upstream and downstream physical and information flows. Kaizen in Supply Chain Management takes form in never-ending effort to expose and eliminate root causes of problems and waste within and across participants of value chain activities.

To achieve continuous competitive advantage in creating and delivering value to customers one must actively manage and continuously improve the value supply chain - chain of activities across organisations (departments) that take shape of both upstream and downstream physical and information flows.

Key terms highlighted intentionally in above paragraphs on Supply Chains and Supply Chain Management are : System, People, Activities, Information, Resources, Moving a Product or Service, and From and To, Value Chain, Strategic Competitive Advantage, Waste of Time, Waste of Market Opportunities, Cumulative Effort, Organizations Linked Together, Information flows, Physical Flows, Coordination, Value Chain, Looking Beyond "4 walls". Together, they shape a perspective of Supply Chain Management I want to offer when looking at Global Brands and Global Branding.

Global Branding and Global Branding Paradox

Global brand as a marketing strategy is built around the idea of creation of a single global strategy that can be replicated in local markets. One story that can be literally and figuratively translated in multiple languages so that it will resonate and engage consumers around the globe. Branding operations in global organizations that implement global brand as a marketing strategy are an example of a global value chain - geographically dispersed corporate value adding process. To execute global brand strategies in local markets within a common framework and to reach economies of scale and scope in communication, production of materials, campaign management and execution, many wish to standardize their branding operations.

"A true global branding campaign execution is a highly complex organisational endeavour which brings together countries, vendors and partners working as virtual teams that span both geographical and time zones in intense time sensitive coordination and communication tasks."