Purchasing and Supply - Essay Example

This paper explores purchasing and supply at Wal-Mart stores. Effective supply and purchasing management plays a crucial role in ensuring organizational success. The Line of Business, Mission, and Goals of the Organization Wal-Mart is a multinational corporation that operates in the retail industry. The mission statement of the company is "Saving people money so they can live better"(Pradhan, 2007, P. 111). However, the company does not have a written vision, but relies on five fundamental values to guide its operations.

These values include integrity, opportunity, purpose, family and community as well as accountability. Integrity focuses on doing things in the right way. Opportunity as a core value is oriented towards employee growth and development. The company engages in different ways to improve living standards in communities in which it operates and makes its customers to feel part of it. Purpose as a core value of the company enables it to focus on supplying customers with cheap, but quality products while demonstrating responsibility, which is the fifth fundamental value that guides the operations of the company.

The Description of Job Functions and Job Responsibilities, Educational Background, Professional Experiences, Personal Challenges, Job Achievement, and Fulfillment The respondent in the interview was a replenishment manager, consumer healthcare at Wal-Mart. From the information obtained from the interview, his job responsibilities include creation of customer level forecast and to partner with customers in the development of an established customer level projection, scrutinizes inventory levels and the movement of products at customer level, creates relevant analyses for probable returns or cost-saving prospects resulting from replenishment strategies.

The replenishment leader also shares forecast information with sales team to help them review forecasts, strategies, promotions as well as other necessary information. He is charged with the responsibility of developing general customer level inventory planning and also partners with clients to perform in accordance with the strategy. He is also supposed to portray effective use of inventory within customer supply chain. He reports frequently on a scorecard based on agreed metrics and implements action plans to ensure improvement in areas that need to be improved.

He co-operates with the Replenishment CEO to craft techniques and processes aimed at improving forecasting and replenishment process. He provides replenishment input into the Headquarter regarding supply and operation process as may be necessary. Finally, he is expected to assume any other responsibility and reporting that may support the business as may be demanded by the top management. The respondent revealed to be a holder of Master degree in business logistic with seven years of experience of supply chain management.

He is also proficient with relevant computer skills such as excel, word as well as some application software for supply logistic management. The greatest job achievement discovered in the interview was gaining experience on how to develop effective supply and logistic strategies at customer level. Some of the main challenges mentioned include the expanding scope of customer needs, insufficient funds to support all the requirements of the department and the complexity of the supply chain. The Operational and Strategic Objectives of the Supply and Purchasing