The Critical Path PDF

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what is the critical path...

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Buying & Merchandising

1/02/21

The Critical Path Definition: A schedule of key dates for product development and manufacturing.! Known as critical path because it is critical the dates are met for product ranges to be launched in time.! Ensure buyers and merchandisers know exactly what stage of the buying cycle each product is up to and can monitor its progress and ensure it's running on time.! It is planned in reverse order, starting with launch date. Makes it easier to know when to begin each stage.! Critical path deals with all lead times of each of the stages of production.! Lead time - amount of time rake for the planning, purchasing, and production steps to be implemented before the item is available to be sold.! Each item in a product range has its own critical path.! Lead times will depend on classification of product and factory’s size and location and how busy it is. As well as whether it outsources.! Creating a critical path: Key dates and deadlines are set by senior management, such a s buying directors.! Buyers and mercy can then start planning product ranges and key sign-off meetings, as well as book meetings with different departments such as design and marketing and trips to suppliers at key times.! The staff that work on key stages will have weekly meeting to keep up with the different products.! Some dates can be changed but some stages take specific amounts of time, such as shopping of garments, therefore they cannot be changed.! Sampling can be sped up as well as fabric testing, trade shows and negotiating.! Buyer needs to be aware of suppliers lead time to estimate times for approvals and resubmissions.! Estimations can be made on suppliers previous lead times.! Extra time is usually added into critical path for rejections, remakes and general delays.! Cultural and religious days need to be taken into account, such as Christmas, ramadan etc.! Monitoring the critical path is one of the buyers major responsibilities.! Critical path starts from the moment you place the order.! Importance of critical path: Laugh date is carefully calculated to be optimum time to capitalise on consumer demand, therefore the critical path is crucial.! Sales can be lost and opportunity to maximise sales if product is late.! Late products also result in incomplete ranges, diminishes overall affect of range causing it to look unbalanced.! A late product may look random if the rest of range has sold out.! Causes gaps in store layout.! Products will go into sale because of space, loss of profits.! Responsibility of buyer,merch,supplier and garment tech.!...