...ASCM 629 SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT MID-TERM EXAMINATION Each essay answer for questions 1 through 10 is worth ten points. Please use a between 150 and 300 words per answer. Your answer may include content from text or readings, conference discussions, or relevant workplace examples. These must not be merely cut-and-pasted from other sources. Please do not contact a UMUC Reference Specialist in developing any answer, as discussed in the syllabus. The answer for question 11 covering the SCM Globe Simulation should be at least 500 words and will take as long as required to discuss and document your learnings during Weeks 1 through 6. This answer is worth 100 points and represents ten percent of your course grade. Please save the examination with answers as a Microsoft Word document under a new filename the includes your last name, section (either 9040 or 9041) and “midterm.” An example is \scheer9040midterm.doc . Please include your name and section number at the heading inside the document. Answers should appear in order, from one through ten. Please make sure you have an answer for each question before submitting it for grading. Completed exams are to be submitted in the mid-term examination assignments folder. These are due before Saturday, March 24, at 11:59 PM ET. Note that your assignments folder is locked after this time and the exam cannot be submitted. The test represents 30 percent of your total class grade, so please spend quality time in preparing answers. I estimate...
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...1. Why can the current movement toward supply chains be characterized as a revolution? Traditionally firms felt the need to cooperate with their supply chain partners. However the association was limited to an acknowledged dependency and institutional specialization. There was a lack of commitment primarily due to lack of high quality information. However during the last decade, rapid advancements have taken place in the area of information technology. This has enhanced the speed of obtaining and sharing of information between the supply chain partners and consequently increased the level of collaboration within the traditional distribution channel. This process was accelerated with the Internet and worldwide web explosion. With this arrangement, managers were able to reduce non-value-added services, duplication, and redundancy between the consecutive stages of order fulfillment process. Moreover the managers began to believe that such sharing could beneficial for the partners. These efforts to extend and leverage the operating range of the individual firms have propelled the manifestation of collaborative supply chains. This transformation has been so rapid and abrupt that it could be labeled as a revolution. 2. Compare the concept of a modern supply chain with more traditional distribution channels. Be specific regarding similarities and differences. Traditional distribution channels typically had an order fulfillment time of 15-30 days. But if something went wrong, this...
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...1. Why can the current movement toward supply chains be characterized as a revolution? Traditionally firms felt the need to cooperate with their supply chain partners. However the association was limited to an acknowledged dependency and institutional specialization. There was a lack of commitment primarily due to lack of high quality information. However during the last decade, rapid advancements have taken place in the area of information technology. This has enhanced the speed of obtaining and sharing of information between the supply chain partners and consequently increased the level of collaboration within the traditional distribution channel. This process was accelerated with the Internet and worldwide web explosion. With this arrangement, managers were able to reduce non-value-added services, duplication, and redundancy between the consecutive stages of order fulfillment process. Moreover the managers began to believe that such sharing could beneficial for the partners. These efforts to extend and leverage the operating range of the individual firms have propelled the manifestation of collaborative supply chains. This transformation has been so rapid and abrupt that it could be labeled as a revolution. 2. Compare the concept of a modern supply chain with more traditional distribution channels. Be specific regarding similarities and differences. Traditional distribution channels typically had an order fulfillment time of 15-30 days. But if something went wrong, this...
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...work in an Anticipatory Model is done in anticipation of future events, which made the model highly risky for businesses. The Responsive Business Model however seeks to get away from the idea of relying on forecasts, and rely on planning and exchanging information among companies in the supply chain. This Responsive Model has a different sequence of events that move business. For example, the Responsive Model has selling as the first task where the Anticipatory Model has forecasting as the first task. One of the main differences as to why the Responsive Model is so popular among supply chain strategy is the ability it offers for customers to customize products on smaller orders. In traditional models like the Anticipatory Model, the customer had no choice or power and only had the option of buying or not buying. The Responsive Model gives more power to the customer, because it is allowing them to make decisions. 2.) The similarity between procurement, manufacturing support, and customer accommodation is all three make up the logistical operations of a business. These three components are the combined logistical support units of an enterprise. However, each of these three parts to logistical operations has a different objective for the company. Procurement is basically purchasing and arranging the materials or finished inventory into plants, warehouse, or retail stores. The primary objective of procurement is to support manufacturing or organizations by purchasing at the lowest...
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...11.1 Logistics In both vertical and horizontal marketing systems, systematised information contributes to the efficient flow of goods and services from the point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption. This process of regulation begins with customer service and extends to the procurement, handling, and processing of resources aimed at delivering customer satisfaction. All ways in which resources are procured, handled, and processed fall within a set of activities known as logistics. Logistics is a process of systematising information to facilitate the efficient and cost-effective flows of goods and services to produce customer satisfaction. Each member in the supply chain must be involved in logistics activities. Logistics flows may begin with the supplier/manufacturer relationship, but efficient logistics activities are needed throughout the marketing channel. Relationship marketing epitomises the interac-tive process necessary to achieve customer satisfaction by maintaining a participative exchange of information with all of a firm’s channel partners. In addition, develop-ments in electronic retailing are now aimed at making this whole process more effective and efficient. The Council of Logistics Management defines logistics management as: ‘The process of planning, implementing and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow and storage of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods, and related information from point-of-origin to point-of-consumption for...
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...in a supply chain it faces many risks. Discuss the potential strategies that a dominant distributor might implement to a) retain its position of dominance and b) benefit the total supply chain. Supply Chain Management – Distributor’s risk and strategies to retain dominance whilst value adding to the total supply chain Introduction The supply chain is made up of many key players; from the top we have the suppliers which provide raw materials (or finished parts) to the manufacturers who carry out required assembly to produce the products the market demands. The distributor collects these finished products from the manufacture and provides a logistical link to the retailers who sells at the local market and provide convenience to the consumers. At every stage of the supply chain the each player carries out activities that add values to the product until it reaches the end user (Porter, 1985). The key players are linked together and are interdependent on each other (both upstream and downstream) as they rely on each other not just for profit but to achieve the overall effect of the supply chain to meet consumer demands. However the level of an organisation’s dependency on one another varies from relationship to relationship within the supply chain. As a result dominant players within a supply chain can greatly influence the other players to achieve perpetual dominance and/or mutually benefit all players, (Maloni et al. 2000). This paper will examine the supply chain...
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...A Case Study of Wal-Mart’s “Green” Supply Chain Management Adam Heying Whitney Sanzero MGT 520 Operations Management Professor Jim Constand May 4, 2009 Summary Supply chain management has been the cornerstone to Wal-Mart’s success and remains their primary competitive advantage in the retail/department store industry. Their distribution system is generally regarded as the most efficient and they have an approach to supply chain management that has long emphasized visibility through the sharing of information with their suppliers. Although there are hundreds of logistical functions which allow Wal-Mart to be the price and logistics leader, the focus will be primarily on the company’s newly adopted strategy of making logistical processes “green” and more environmentally conscious. According to the Supply Chain Management Review, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott committed the company to three ambitious goals: to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy; to create zero waste; and to sell products that sustain Wal-Mart’s resources and the environment. Wal-Mart’s 14 Sustainable Value Networks, the Network’s structure, new “green” logistics technologies, and additional future initiatives will be considered along with counter arguments which suggest that Wal-Mart’s green initiative is simply unsustainable. The main sticking point seems to be the same one that has long held back the adoption of better light bulbs...
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...development for the strategic management of supply chains (Chan and Qi, 2003; Gunasekaran et al., 2001; Coyle et al., 2003). The concept of process maturity derives from the understanding that processes have life cycles or developmental stages that can be clearly defined, managed, measured and controlled throughout time. A higher level of maturity, in any business process, results in: (1) better control of the results; (2) more accurate forecast of goals, costs and performance; (3) higher effectiveness in reaching defined goals and the management ability to propose new and higher targets for performance (Lockamy and McCormack, 2004; Poirier and Quinn, 2004; McCormack et al., 2008). In order to meet the performance levels desired by customers in terms of quantitative and qualitative flexibility of service in demand fulfillment, deadlines consistency and reduction of lead times related to fulfilling orders, firms have developed repertoires of abilities and knowledge that are used in their organizational process (Day, 1994 apud Lockamy and McCormack, 2004; Trkman, 2010). In two past decades, management of supply chain processes has evolved, also because of these new demands, from a departmental perspective, extremely functional and vertical, to an organic arrangement of integrated processes, horizontal and definitely oriented to providing value to intermediate and final costumers (Mentzer et al., 2001). This new pattern of logistical process management had lead towards the...
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...The Role of Transport Management Systems in Logistical Efficiency Name: William Date: 19/11/2013 The Role of Transport Management Systems in Logistical Efficiency Over the years the importance of logistical operations has grown to cover virtually all operations associated with supply chain management for any typical organization. In addition, the use of information and communication (ICT) systems is quickly gaining popularity with any organization which aims at improving its productivity and service delivery. Consequently, logistical functions and specifically transportation management systems (TMSs) are consistently under strain to demonstrate significant contribution towards accomplishment of organizational objectives (Vanselous, 2013). Furthermore, with the current digitization of organizational operations, TMSs as well as corresponding logistical systems are quickly becoming the norm for organizational logistical efficiency. In this regard, in order to thoroughly understand the role of TMSs it is imperative to conduct further investigations on their impact on overall logistical efficiency. In order to understand the role of transportation management systems, first, it is important to understand the difference between logistical efficiency and logistical effectiveness. According to Fugate, Mentzer and Stank (2010), logistical efficiency refers to organizational processes that involve the actual movement of products and services from one location to another within...
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...to determine if the company’s supply chain can be moved from a push model to a pull model. The pull model is also called localization as the local managers gain greater influence over the items that are shipped to their stores. This is opposite to Wal-Mart’s push model where the store managers have little or no influence over what is shipped to the store. In preparation for a meeting with Ken Claudel, Vice-President of Logistics and Supply Chain, identify the issues, look for alternatives on which to make recommendations and formulate an implementation plan. Specifically, you need to consider the following aspects: • The benefits of localization to the North West Company’s (NWC) suppliers and their customers. • The potential risks of localization to NWC’s suppliers, NWC and their customers. • An implementation plan that takes the necessary steps to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the risks. The challenge for NWC is to move to a supply chain strategy based on localization that involves the devolution of responsibilities from corporate headquarters to the store’s management. As such, consider the following aspects when forming your implementation plan: • Interorganizational information systems • Cycle time reduction strategies • Supply chain relationship development, and • Social responsibility issues Executive Summary Issues Identification Several key issues have been identified in North West’s current organizational supply chain. The first issue is the long...
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...Supply Chain Logistics Systems Memo Laniece Seamon University of Phoenix ISCOM 352 January 21, 2013 The increased rate of change within the economy was driven by a number of large level forces, due to empowered consumers, technology, globalization, shifts in economic power, and regulations. All of these elements of change raised the importance of supply chain management as a strategic move to gain a competitive advantage. Supply chain management involves integrating three key components across the board within a company’s supply chain; they are information, product or materials, and cash flow. The order processing pertains to the flow of information within the logistics system, which includes several operations. Customers may be required to fill out an order form for requested products. The order is then transmitted and checked. The customer’s items are checked to see if it is in stock and then payment is verified. Next, the items are retrieved from the inventory, packaged and delivered along with their shipping documents. Lastly, the customer must be informed about the status of their order. Inventory management is an important role within logistics system operations and planning. Inventories are stockpiles of products or goods waiting to be transported, manufactured, or sold. Logistics management is a balancing act between minimizing costs and ensuring the availability of goals. Appropriate decisions must be made between key elements such as inventory turnover...
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...Dell’s Supply Chain Management Strategy Build-to-order model, Dell, Direct model, PC Manufacturing, SCM, Supply Chain Case Study Abstract The focus of this case study is the supply chain management practices of Dell. Dell has been following its unique ‘direct build-to-order’ sales model for more than 20 years. Customers can plan their own configuration and place orders directly with the company via the phone or its Web site. Over the years, Dell’s supply chain efficiencies and direct sales gave it a competitive advantage. Can Dell regain its market leader position from HP? In 2006 however, Dell faced several problems. Many customers complained about long delays in supplies. Recall of Sony battery cells in its laptops brought undesirable media hype to the company. Increasing discontent of customers led to a slowdown in sales. Consequently, Dell lost its market leadership to Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP). Industry analysts felt that, with Dell’s competitors also improving their supply chains and matching Dell’s direct model, the company had been losing its competitive edge. Dell will have to bear additional costs with its foray into retail distribution thereby minimizing its cost advantage. Besides, profit margins of Dell will drop further since it will have to offer incentives to compete with HP in retail stores. Though Dell spruced up its product design and range but Apple is clearly far ahead of it. Many experts feel that such new initiatives will only distract Dell from its...
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...Introduction: In his paper, Professor Christopher, examines a number of arguments in an aim to come up with unique essential characteristics of an effective supply chain. He has discussed matching of pipelines to the market place needs under conditions of demand volatility and price pressure and thus discovers that the scenario of “one size fits all” does not apply to pipe line design, implementation and control. In his analysis of various researches from other authors, he suggests appropriate supply chain strategies that can be developed upon existing contingent market characteristics to achieve high level of customer responsiveness at a less total cost to the supply chain as a whole. He considers three key dimensions that may lead to a taxonomic approach to selection of the appropriate strategy with in a supply chain as: • Product characteristics • Demand characteristics • Replenishment lead time He marries together particular combinations of lean/agile operations and develops a taxonomy suitable for matching pipelines to meet market requirements based on demand(Predictable/volatile), Product(standard/special) and lead times( short/long). Arguments for effective logistics: Logistics is an important component of supply chain management (Stank et al., 2005). Logistics management may be defined as “that part of Supply Chain Management that...
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...Study Questions 1. For supply chain leaders to focus more on maximizing firm sustainability rather than minimizing total cost the leaders must evaluate the entire firm as a whole and pick apart every aspect that could re veal flaws. The leaders must evaluate their financial status and their security and protection as a whole. However, those three categories fall only into the economic dimension. The three dimensions that supply chain leaders are supposed to consider when trying to improve overall sustainability are environmental, ethical, and economic. 2. The marketing and supply chain risks related to high product complexity consist of a higher total cost, lost sales, lowered ability to change or innovate, higher quality and reliability problems, less ability for adequate forecasting, and more extensive training for customer support. The benefits of high product complexity consist of increased revenue which may improve profitability and asset utilization. 3. Firms should always be adhering to public policy changes related to environmental initiatives because essentially one of the largest contributors to company sustainability is environmental compatibility. However, a company that is trying to minimalize cost could only follow the minimal requirement of certain environmental aspects such as recycling in certain places in the world. This factor alone could save companies expenses. 4. The roles that logistics and supply chain management should take to ensure the...
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...Supply Chain Paper Supply Chain Paper Supply chain logistics is a fundamental component of the global economic system. Goods can change hands from a variety of different global companies, which some form of value being added at each stage. The supply chain can be best described as "the complete set of firms and facilities and logistic activities that are involved in producing materials, transforming them into intermediate or finished products, and distributing them to customers” (Perreault, 2011). In the context of marketing, the following paper will map the supply chain of the solar panel industry. Solar panel is a growing industry that has seen a massive amount of growth over the last 10 years. Each major piece of the supply chain is outlined in detail, which includes the manufacturer, distributor, and retailer. Manufacturer Solar panels are an alternative energy source that is used for a variety of applications in commercial and residential settings (First Solar, 2014). The majority of panels are manufactured overseas where companies can take advantage of lower labor costs. Under the direction of U.S. based firms, the typical supply chain of a solar panel company may include the following roles. * Designs the technical layout and schematics of the solar panel. * Plans the product mix and materials * Tests safety of technology before wide release. * Sources raw materials, such as aluminum and silicon diodes. * Creates branding to back-up the...
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