Introduction
Speaker’s Credentials and Expertise
How To Fix Broken Supply Chains is a TED talk presentation performed by Dustin Burke. The presentation is based on the knowledge and experience Burke accumulated from working as a managing director and a senior partner in one of the largest consulting companies in the world, Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In BCG, Burke fulfills the role of the leading specialist in the discussion of manufacturing and supply chain topics with global shipping and logistics companies.
Primary Topic and Focus
Burke’s TED talk presentation was originally delivered in September of 2021 when economic hardships caused by COVID-19 disrupted the work of supply chains all around the world. Thus, the primary topic of the presentation is the discussion of ways manufacturers can avoid supply shortages in the future.
Speaker’s Tone and Approach
The speaker’s interest in the topic is evident from his ability to present the material in an accessible form, effectively capturing the public’s attention. Furthermore, the presentation maintains a calm tone, emphasizing the speakers’ professional angle in approaching the topic. While the presentation has an informative purpose, it also includes an important message about Burke’s hope to achieve transparency in supply chains.
Engagement and Introduction Strategy
The introduction of the topic that refers to the shared memory of toilet paper shortages in the first weeks of the pandemic also allows the speaker to capture the public’s attention. Overall, Burke’s TED talk effectively conveys the idea about the importance of innovative approaches to supply management to the audience and viewers.
Evidence: Support for the Thesis
Types of Evidence Used
Conducting a more detailed evaluation of Burke’s speech shows how specific elements of the presentation contribute to the gradual development of the audience’s understanding of the topic’s importance. Firstly, the presentation incorporates a strong evidence base in the form of examples and facts about supply chains. For example, the presentation describes in detail how the growth in demand for consumer electronics resulted in supply shortages in automotive companies to demonstrate the implicit connection in supply chains across different industries (Burke, 2021).
Furthermore, to emphasize the need to solve supply chain problems, Burke utilizes an unusual evidence format, where he provides a description of a recent crisis and connects it with historical examples of product shortages. In the first use of the distinguished evidence format structure, the presenter described the toilet paper shortage crisis at the beginning of the pandemic. The public was surprised to learn that all this time, Burke was describing the situation from 1973, where a joke on a live show caused a spike in demand for toilet paper (Burke, 2021). Later, Burke used the same structure to highlight the similarities between the COVID-19 pandemic and the H1N1 flu outbreak.
Evaluation of Evidence
Furthermore, considering the presentation topic’s relevancy in the post-pandemic world, it is expected that the evidence used by Burke in his speech is timely and relevant. Moreover, the evidence base used in the presentation is sourced from Burke’s 14-year experience working on supply chain improvements in different companies, which points to the evidence’s credibility (Burke, 2021).
sHowever, Burke carefully manages the balance between describing the current situation in global supply management and using the information to provide recommendations for future development of the field. Thus, the presentation avoids overly focusing on the negative aspects of the current situation and past mistakes in supply chain management and prioritizes discussing possible solutions.
Presentation Choices and Delivery Techniques
Lastly, it is important to acknowledge how Burke’s presentation choices contribute to his effective delivery of the core message. Throughout the presentation, several images and diagrams are shown to the audience. While the images and diagrams are simple in content and do not carry additional meaning to the presenter’s speech, they ease information processing for the audience members by reducing the need to use their imagination. For example, when Burke illustrates the complexity of supply chains, the diagram of a typical supply chain is opposed to an image of a hand reaching out directly to a single strawberry. Thus, the contrast between the images shortens the train of thought that individuals should take to determine the importance of supply chain management for the production of consumer goods.
In addition, it is important to point out that Burke does not interrupt his speech to draw the audience’s attention to visual aids to maintain his connection with the audience. Therefore, in combination with the presenter’s calm vocal tone and professionally limited use of body language, the presentation’s continuity contributes to the creation of a holistic learning experience for the audience.
Conclusion
Effectiveness of the Speaker’s Conclusion
The TED talk presentation is concluded in an effective and memorable way, with Burke pointing to the audience members’ role in pushing the businesses and government to transparency in supply chains. The conclusion is effective because, in addition to emphasizing the role of transparency in the future of supply chain management, it also establishes the audience’s role in the change and instills a sense of unity.
Final Judgment on the Argument’s Quality
In my opinion, Burke’s speech presents a significant example of a case where the argument’s quality reduces the presenter’s need to use a specific format or technique to attract the public’s attention. Considering that the speaker is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of supply chain management, the presentation is organized in a way that promotes the audience’s learning. Moreover, the fact that Burke’s evidence base prioritizes the discussion of possible solutions to the relevant issues faced in the post-pandemic world further improves the quality of the presentation.
Reference
Burke, D. (2021). How to fix broken supply chains [Video]. TED. Web.
Loading...
