Key Assignment: The Assignment Must Be A Completed Paper

Key Assignmentthe Assignment Must Be A Completed Paper With Apa Forma

Key Assignmentthe Assignment Must Be A Completed Paper With APA Forma

Key Assignment The assignment must be a completed paper, with APA formatting, all sections complete (using Roman numerals of each section per the outline), references, and good grammar. Assignment will have deliverables over the course of two weeks. Final paper will be due at the end of the Unit 4. In this course, you will complete one individual project made up of two parts. IP 1A will be due in Unit 3 (this week), while IP 1B will be due in Unit 4.

For this part (IP 1A), you are working for a company that produces small and medium-sized coolers. Typical application is for outdoor picnics. Currently, all the production and distribution happen out of a facility on the East Coast. Your company has had challenges reaching the customers on the West Coast as a result of the high freight rates, due to low density of the product. The marketing manager tried to mitigate this competitive disadvantage by freight equalization; so that end customers would pay the same amount of shipping costs as the West Coast competition charged, regardless of where they were located.

This met with some insignificant success because timeliness of delivery was another important issue. However, this did affect the margins negatively since the company now is taking the hit for the less-than-truckload shipments to West Coast customers. The CEO of the company asked you to assess 3 options and give your recommendation on the way the company should progress: Keep the current setup, continue shipping products from the East Coast facility and distribution center westward; contract a distribution facility on the West Coast to ship full truck loads from the factory there, thus distributing to the final customers using less-than-truckloads; or establish both a production facility and a distribution facility on the West Coast. One complication is that all raw materials still come from the East Coast.

Unit 3 Deliverables: Section I: Introduction (200 words) State the problem at hand and alternatives. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of distributing products from multiple locations based on your research? Section II: Manufacturing operations flows (words) Discuss the product flows in the manufacturing environment. What are the steps involved in producing the order and shipping it to the customer. List the activities and rough timelines. What are some of the risks behind not completing certain activities on time (think of the customer impact)? Section III: Metrics to Assess Success (words) What are some of the reasons to measure the performance metrics (KPIs)? List at least 3 specific metrics to assess success, be as specific as possible. How would the metrics be measured? Do you believe they should be shared with employees? Provide citations and references to support your information.

Paper For Above instruction

The current distribution strategy of a company producing small and medium-sized coolers faces several logistical challenges, especially when extending operations to the West Coast. The company’s reliance on a single East Coast facility for production and distribution has led to high freight costs and delays in reaching West Coast customers. To address these issues, three strategic options are under consideration: maintaining the status quo by shipping from the East Coast, establishing a West Coast distribution center, or creating both a manufacturing and distribution facility on the West Coast. Each option presents distinct advantages and disadvantages that need thorough evaluation to optimize service levels, costs, and operational efficiency.

Distributing products from multiple locations offers improved regional service and reduced transportation costs but involves complex coordination and increased capital expenditure. The advantages include shorter delivery times, lower transportation costs, and the potential for greater market responsiveness (Christopher, 2016). However, disadvantages encompass increased inventory management complexity, higher operational costs, and challenges in maintaining quality control across sites. The decision to decentralize operations should weigh these trade-offs carefully within the context of the company's strategic goals and supply chain capabilities.

In manufacturing operations, product flow involves several key steps. Initially, raw materials are procured mainly from the East Coast, assembled in the production facility, and then prepared for shipment. If a West Coast manufacturing facility is established, raw materials might need to be transported there, or alternative local sourcing strategies employed. The finished product undergoes quality checks before being staged for outbound logistics. Shipping timelines depend on order volume and transportation modes but generally span from 1 to 4 days within regional facilities, with additional lead times for raw material procurement, usually 2-4 days. Delays in fabricating or shipping products can critically affect customer satisfaction and lead to lost sales, emphasizing the importance of timely operations (Chopra & Meindl, 2016).

Performance metrics are vital for measuring success in supply chain management as they provide insights into operational efficiencies, customer satisfaction, and financial outcomes. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as delivery lead times, order accuracy, and transportation costs enable the company to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement (Ballou, 2018). Delivery lead time measures the elapsed time from order placement to receipt, serving as an indicator of responsiveness. Order accuracy evaluates the correctness of shipments, directly impacting customer satisfaction. Transportation costs monitor expenses per unit shipped, revealing cost efficiency in logistics. These metrics can be measured through tracking systems, customer feedback, and financial analysis.

Sharing KPIs with employees fosters transparency and encourages continuous improvement, aligning staff efforts with organizational goals. When employees understand how their performance impacts overall operations, they are more likely to contribute proactively to efficiency enhancements (Simatupang & Sridharan, 2005). Transparency also boosts morale and accountability, essential for sustaining long-term improvements. Therefore, while performance data should be shared regularly within the organization, sensitivity to confidentiality and strategic advantage must be maintained.

References

• Ballou, R. H. (2018). Business logistics/supply chain management. Pearson Education.
• Chopra, S., & Meindl, P. (2016). Supply chain management: Strategy, planning, and operation. Pearson.
• Christopher, M. (2016). Logistics & supply chain management. Pearson UK.
• Simatupang, T. M., & Sridharan, R. (2005). "The Collaboration Index: A Measure for Supply Chain Collaboration." International Journal of Logistics Management, 16(2), 57-78.
• Ferreira, G. M., & Proth, J. M. (2019). "Regional Supply Chain Optimization for Consumer Goods." Journal of Business Logistics, 40(3), 180-197.
• Kumar, S., & Saini, R. (2020). "Impact of Regional Distribution Centers on Supply Chain Performance." International Journal of Production Research, 58(9), 2678-2690.
• Hopp, W. J., & Spearman, M. L. (2011). Factory physics. Waveland Press.
• Mentzer, J. T. (2004). Fundamentals of supply chain management. Sage Publications.
• Rushton, A., Croucher, P., & Baker, P. (2014). The handbook of logistics and supply chain management. Kogan Page Publishers.
• Van Hoek, R. (2019). "The Impact of Supply Chain Integration on Performance in Manufacturing." Supply Chain Management Review, 23(4), 34-41.