The Fourth in the Game-Changers Series of University of Tennessee Supply Chain Management White PapersExecutive Summary: Best Practices for Managing Global Supply ChainsUsing the EPIC Framework to Evaluate Global RegionsSummary of Key Themes From the EPIC AssessmentBest PracticesSCND—Global Sourcing Analysis and Decision MakingBest Practices for Managing a Complex, Global Supply ChainSourcesIntroduction: Global Supply ChainBack to the FutureWhere It All started: The (Re)emerging Power of AsiaIt Is “All About” the Shifting Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)Execution Is More Important Than CostGlobal Supply Chains Present Risk for CompaniesWhat Does All of This Mean for Global Supply Chains?The Need for a Global Supply Chain Management StrategyEPIC Framework to Evaluate Global RegionsAssessing Supply Chain Readiness Across Regions of the GlobeHow the EPIC Framework WorksEconomyPoliticsInfrastructureCompetenceThe Regional AssessmentsEPIC Framework and the Supply Chain Network Design (SCND) ModelSummary of Key Themes From the EPIC AssessmentBest PracticesSCND—Global Sourcing Analysis and Decision Making1. Strategy drivenExamples2. ScaleExamples3. Analysis Mastery4. TCO/NPV BasedExamples5. Holistic Product DesignExamplesBest Practices for Managing a Complex, Global Supply Chain1. Global Sales & Operations PlanningExamples2. Process to Manage ComplexityExamples3. Supplier Partnerships (Materials, Equipment)Examples4. Talented, “On-the-Ground” TeamExamples5. Rapid Response (Supply Chain Visibility)Visibility of VisibilityControl TowersSummaryTransition: Global Supply Chains to Managing Risk in the Global Supply Chain