Here is a report addressing the assessment brief questions in detail with citations and references in Harvard format: **Cover Page** **Global Expansion Strategy Report** Name Student ID Date **Table of Contents** 1. Benefits and Limitations of International Logistics 2. Advantages of Tiering for Globalization 3. SWOT Analysis of Risks in Global Supply Chains 4. Corporate Social Responsibility in International Logistics **1. Benefits and Limitations of International Logistics** International logistics provides several benefits but also has some limitations that must be considered (Rushton et al., 2017). Key benefits include accessing cheaper manufacturing and labor costs overseas, particularly in Asia. For example, sourcing apparel from manufacturers in Bangladesh can be 50% less than domestic production (Christopher, 2016). This allows companies to reduce costs and offer more competitive pricing. However, the main limitation is increased lead times and shipping costs associated with long distance transport from overseas suppliers. Sourcing from Asia can take over 30 days for ocean shipping while domestic lead times may be 1-2 days (Rushton et al., 2017). This results in a time versus cost trade-off decision. With the current 2023/2024 cost-of-living crisis, businesses may shift more sourcing closer to domestic markets to improve responsiveness despite higher costs. Nearshoring to Europe or Latin America could provide a balance between costs and lead times (Christopher, 2016). Faster replenishment is crucial to avoiding stock outs amid volatile demand. **References** Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & Supply Chain Management. 5th ed. Pearson UK. Rushton, A., Croucher, P. and Baker, P., 2017. The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Management. 6th ed. Kogan Page. **2. Advantages of Tiering for Globalization** Tiering provides major advantages for globalization through outsourcing and focused factories (Christopher, 2016). Outsourcing non-core activities to specialists allows companies to focus on their core competencies. For example, many firms outsource logistics to 3PLs with expertise in warehousing, transport, and distribution. Tiering also facilitates the use of focused factories in low cost regions which concentrate on efficiently producing a limited product range. Contract manufacturers in Asia have expertise and scale for electronics assembly versus trying to manufacture everything in-house. Other benefits of tiering include shared risk, access to innovations, and flexibility. Suppliers have incentive to innovate to stay competitive. Firms can scale production up or down by adjusting orders. Overall, tiering enables access to world-class capabilities through global outsourcing and focused factories (Meixell and Gargeya, 2005). **References** Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & Supply Chain Management. 5rd ed. Pearson UK. Meixell, M.J. and Gargeya, V.B., 2005. Global supply chain design: A literature review and critique. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 41(6), pp.531-550. **3. SWOT Analysis of Risks in Global Supply Chains** | Strengths | Weaknesses | |-|-| | Cost benefits of overseas sourcing | Long lead times from distant suppliers | | Access to low cost labor | Complexity of global logistics | | Economies of scale | Lack of visibility across supply chain tiers | | Opportunities | Threats | |-|-| | Expand to new overseas markets | Port congestion and delays | | New technologies to improve visibility | Geopolitical risks like trade wars | | Collaboration with suppliers | Natural disasters disrupting operations | *Port Congestion Countermeasure*: Improve demand forecasting to prevent capacity shortages and equilibrium inventory levels to mitigate delays. *Natural Disaster Countermeasure*: Diversify supplier and factory locations to mitigate region-specific risks. **4. Corporate Social Responsibility in International Logistics** Corporate social res