Logistics and Supply Chain Operations
Overview
In Unit 1, you selected a product- and service-based Fortune 1000 company. You will analyze and evaluate this one company in four related assignments. Each assignment applies different aspects of theory and practice to the selected company’s approach to GSCM. This assignment is the second of the four related assignments:
Unit 3 – Logistics and Supply Chain Context (Units 1–3).
Unit 6 – Logistics and Supply Chain Operations (Units 4–6).
Purpose: Analyze and evaluate the supply chain operations of a selected company to make recommendations that improve quality, lower costs, and increase sustainability.
Unit 9 – Supply Chain Designs (Units 7–9).
Unit 10 – Executive Presentation (Unit 10).
Each assignment builds on the work you did in preceding units. You are welcome to reuse your previous work as you draft each assignment.
Instructions
Write a research paper that analyzes and evaluates the supply chain operations of your selected company to make recommendations that improve quality, lower costs, and increase sustainability.
Use the following outline to structure the headings and content for your research paper:
Introduction.
State the purpose of the paper.
Describe the structure of the paper.
Transportation and Security.
Analyze the transportation cost structures, modes, and distribution centers, inventory control systems, and inventory costs reduction strategies of the selected company.
Explain the relationships between freight rates and consignment weight.
Identify some of the many issues (including the effect of supply chain strategies) that can impact the efficiency of transport services used by the selected company.
Analyze the impact of relevant security initiatives, logistics and transportation risks, and transport security technical systems for the selected company.
Explain criteria that could be used to evaluate the impacts of those factors.
Procurement and Inventory Management.
Evaluate the sourcing and procurement strategies as well as potential sustainability and environmental issues for the selected company.
Evaluate the inventory control systems used by the selected company.
Evaluate inventory costs reduction strategies used by the selected company.
Technology and Information Management.
Explain the logistics automation and logistic systems costs of the selected company’s supply chain.
Evaluate data capture methods used in the selected company.
Evaluate data flows in the supply chain.
Global Risk Factors.
Assess the effectiveness of the selected company’s approach to GSCM.
Apply Part 2 of the Supply Chain Risk Assessment Survey to your assessment.
Consider in particular levels of current and projected future vulnerability, risk, and anticipated resilience strategies, as you apply Part 2 of the survey to the supply chain of your selected company.
Select 5–7 risk factors listed in Part 2 of the survey and provide a short assessment of each for your selected company.
How effective is the selected company’s approach?
How will you overcome or prepare for these risks to mitigate losses that can occur if these issues arise?
How would you suggest the company improves the strategy? Why?
Optional: Explanatory Videos.
Consider embedding explanatory videos that support your observations.
Conclusion.
Revisit key points and important takeaways.
Discuss information gaps and questions for additional research.
Additional Requirements
Your assignment should meet the following requirements:
Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA format: Follow current APA guidelines for style and format, including a cover page, headings, references, and citations.
References: Correlate your responses to assigned articles and integrate at least four references from scholar-practitioner sources that you locate.
Length: A minimum of 1,800 words, not counting the title page, or references section.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
