Question

MGMT5018 Individual Assignment 1

Week 3 MGMT 5018 Individual Assignment # 1, Due in Week 4 - 15% of Overall Mark
You are the appointed Supply Chain Manager for a company that manufactures and sells its products to retailers and to end consumers. The company uses its own trucks to deliver to retailers and UPS for its online orders to deliver to end consumers.
Apply your understanding of the 5 components of Supply Chain by explaining to me as your CEO how are you going to successfully plan, source material & equipment, manufacture, deliver and handle returned items. Give examples and elaborate as necessary.
Remember the 5 basic components are:
1. Planning
2. Sourcing
3. Making
4. Delivering
5. Returning

Note to students: the exercise is meant to be individual and unique to every student. That is why the assignment is not limited to a specific brand or product.
Grading Criteria - Rubric

This assignment will be graded out of 15 marks as follows:

Presentation 3 marks

Cover page, organization, neatness

Word processed, spelling, grammar, medium, quality of in class presentation, clarity, interest, understanding.

Note: Proper citation of references is required (MLA or APA format)

It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the proper procedure for maintaining academic honesty. You can also seek assistance from Student Services in understanding the policy and procedures for Academic Honesty.

Content 6 marks

Demonstrated understanding of the subject matter (i.e.. not simply cutting and pasting content from websites)

Analysis 6 marks

Logic, methodology, originality, creativity

Answer 1

Let's detail the five elements of supply chain as below.

1) Planning --- Planning is required for every thing we do. With out a proper planning our activities will never be directed towards its destination. In other words planning is the fundamental key for the succes of any activity. How important is planning for a commercial activity may be well assumed with the fact that its forms the base for the succes of any activity. Therefore let's consider each component of planning for a production activity.

a) Accountability -- Through analysis of a product accountability or demand at the market has to be analyzed before planning for the production of a product. This is because letting a product which has a low demand at market means failure of the product and loss for the organization.

b) Costing --- A through or very close to actual estimation of production cost has to be made as a part of planning. Its because the cost of production should fall well with in the budget made such that optimum of anticipated profits pertaining to the product can be made.

c) Time line-- A relevant time line is to be made as part of planning a product . Its because production time plays very important role in profit making relating a product. Its like any undesired affect of fluctuations such as material price, market demand etc will adversely effect the profit margin if it takes unduly long time for completion. This is because the flucations specified above cannot be controlled. So the time line has to kept as short as possible and planned to be as adjustable as possible to counter act the fluctuations specified above.

2) Sourcing ---- Sourcing is vital for any activity to be commended. With out a source, nothing can begin. Therefore for a production of product, it requires certain sources. Some of them are

a) Raw Materials--- Raw materials is the Key factor for any product. Therefore as a part of sourcing, the right kind of suppliers, the right cost of materials and right kind of storage facilities is required to procure Raw materials as a part of sourcing.

Finance---Fund is required to undertake any activity in the modern world. If there is no fund, nothing in the world can be commenced commercially. Therefore proper sourcing of fund required to comply with production budget is mandatory as a part of sourcing.

3)Making--- This is a very important aspect . As making or production brings a product into existence. The point of production is arrived after due consideration and commencement of two factors specified above. The first strategy as a part of production should be to ensure that all factors decided as a part of planning and sourcing are in line of compliance. Other wise the production may not be guided well towards the goal, as sourcing, procurement and time line is not in compliance. Therefore the fact to be ensured primarily that decisions made earlier has to brought into practice. The next thing to consider is the general working conditions of the machine used, as it may be well understood that no machinery, no production. So it is to be ensured that the machines are in proper conditions to be worked as per the plan. The next element to consider is receiving and storing of goods, or warehousing as it may be said generally. Its because if warehousing related to production is not facilitated well, it will certainly impact negatively at the production plan. So keen care has to taken to ensure that raw materials are correctly received and stored for the purposes of production.

4) Delivering---This may be considered as back bone of a production activity by an entity . Its because it is the result of this activity which brings the revenue to the entity for its sustsintment. In other words it is the main operation that forms the very existence of the business. In other words, no delivery, no income . The importance of delivery needs no elongation beyond this. Therefore the delivery had to be scheduled in such a way that all the requirements of its consumer is satisfied to the optimum. Its because it is customer satisfaction which judges the succes of a product . Therefore the elemts to mainly consider for delivery is the time line and means of transportstion which provides minimal damage of product during transportation.

5)Returning ----- A goods are returned due to non satisfaction of the consumer for any reason in majority of the cases. The reasons may be irrelevant supply with respect to purchase order, quantity variation , damage etc. The returning had to be handled as importantly as delivery. Its because the returning occurs as a result of consumer dissatisfaction . Considering importance of customer satisfaction for an existence of the business, it need no explation as to it should be handled with importance. The elements such a timing, means of transport , warehousing and proper attention to enquirers relating to product issues are to be addressed well. This is very important when handling returns as this is the primary step to eliminate consumer dissatisfaction. The early the customers are back to satisfaction, more are the commercial benefits for the business. So the returning had to be appropriately handled as per the details.

So in order to explain his or her plan the C.E.O in consern need to present his view points a lining with details above. It is very important to do so, as any flaw in compliance with above details would lead to commercial loss with relevant magnitude.