Sustainable Supply Chain Management - Assignment Example

Supply management Task The aspect of logistics remains one of the most crucial elements for the success of an organization. Lack of crucial and well-planned logistics is likely to have detrimental effects to the future of the organization. It is a role that cannot simply be assumed, but has to be approached with maximum care. Logistics deals with the aspects of implementing, and controlling the operations and transportation aspects of the firm. It ensures that the process of ordering, purchase, transportation and storage of the goods is effective to prevent any harm or theft. It works to bring an aspect of accountability and clear trends and flow of goods from one source to another. The goods purchased have to reach the customer while they are still in order. It strives to achieve one key factor: timely delivery. In the management, late delivery is equal to failure to deliver. Therefore, one must focus on the aspect of keeping time. It brings up the whole aspect of in-depth logistics (Cetinkaya, pg. 57). In in-depth logistics, the following are the core activities that do occur in the department. The functions are interdependence for the sake of success. In-depth analysis deals with the actual need for money, work force, materials or the services that are in need to complete a certain program. The manager will then identify all the activities that may necessitate the ideal provision of logistics support. It deals with the integration of all the actions required for the safe delivery of goods. a) It ensures that the ideal procedures are followed in the ordering process. The company has the act that dictates the right methods. It also has the indicators that indicate the ordering time. b) Warehousing, which entails the process of ensuring that all the materials ordered are received, inspected for quality and quantity, stores in the right place, packaged for redistribution, and well balanced in the inventory books. c) Inventory management will entail the aspects of maintaining the store records, updating the few records and files. It monitors when the orders and the current stock will be replenished and the necessary time for ordering the same stock. d) Packaging entails the aspect of ensuring that the packaging of the products well so that the consumer can appreciate the value of the goods. e) In transportation purposes, goods must be moved from one place to another after ordering. Linkage should be established. The cheapest mode of transport and system must be used, and the cheapest model must be looked for the sake of economic aspects. f) Order processing procedure also entails in-depth logistics. g) Resource management entails ensuring that all the necessary protocols are followed for the sake of ensuring that there are right personnel for the right activity. h) Procurement i) Customer service Transportation involves movement of goods from one place to another within the supply chain. The basics of transportation involve methods such as roads, railways, motor carriers, water carriers or trucks. Prior to choosing a method of transport, one should consider the cost, transit speed, capability, dependability, accessibility, and the scheduling. Consider the advantages and disadvantages, and then select the best option. Warehousing will encompass two processes: storage warehouses and distribution warehousing. The store warehouses, the goods, come to rest for some time while in distribution warehouse; the goods are stored before they are distributed to various places for supply. Such distribution centers enable the firm to hold off their stocks prior to sorting and consolidation. Furthermore, they do act as sales offices for the manufactures, as well as the order processing units. Making an order occurs through several steps. Failure at any one-step may lead to the wrong goods being ordered. It affects the customer in a negative way. The customer may transmit an order with the use of internet or electronic message. The order is entered in the right database and sent to the manufacturer. Task 2 Inbound logistics involves receiving, storage and dissemination of goods for the sake of accountability and future use. The goods come into the firm and are stored for later distribution. It aims at ensuring that the materials receive are processed and availed to the storage and distribution departments. It also ensures the goods are accurate in quantity and the right quality. Inbound logistics strive stop verify that only the ordered items reach the hands of the firm. Those goods were ordered accurately. The goods are safeguarded, and the rejects returned promptly. It also ensures that there is safe working environment for the hazardous materials that are ordered. The received goods are safeguarded from any harm or theft for the sake of accountability. All the goods are fully documented and stored. Outbound logistics entails the movement of materials associated with storage and transportation for the sake of distribution to the target customers and consumers. In the distribution cycle, there are aspects of order processing, order transmission, order selection, transportation and delivery. It tends to meet the customers’ needs at the perfect time while at the same time balancing the concepts of supply and demand. It ensures that there is clear storage and retrieval of goods from the warehouse. It acts to ensure that the goods are paid for through the automated inventory process. Task 3 The process of supply chain management entails overseeing the management of finances, materials and information in the organization, during the process of distribution of goods from the supplier, manufacturer, retailer and consumer. All the processes are put in close integration system among all the departments that are involved. The critical goal of a good supply management is inventory reduction, taking consideration that all the good are available when the consumers’ needs them. For a successful system of supply chain, the firm utilized good technology using sophisticated equipment. Such applications ensure that there is accountability and tracking of the financial records. The supply management chain is divided into three elements consisting of product flow, informational flow, and financial flow. Product flow ensures that the goods are at the dispensation of moving from the supplier to the target customer. The flow of information entails orders transmission and delivery status updates. Aspects of financial management entail use of credit terms, the schedules of payment, consignment delivery and titles ownership. Consistent flow of information should be availed for a healthy business environment, despite the evolving complexity of the supply chain. Managers ought to have clear communication. There should be good technology utility, clear hiring policies, and effective information transfer. The suppliers, producers of goods, consumers and the marketers ought to have the ideal information at all times. In essence, communication remains the backbone to the success of the organizational activities. Such proactive communication ensures that one is treating the suppliers and the consumers as partners to the business (Hugos, pg. 77). Good communication will ensure that the procurement process is clear and accountable, the consumers are receiving goods ordered in good time and the ideal standards of performance are maintained, in addition to that, it enhances the interpersonal skills among those who are in the supply chain. In essence, ideal communication acts as a basic tool of tracking the performance of the firm. There is a sense of ownership that is perceived, which leads to a general rise in the performance of the firm. Task 4 The supply chain management and globalization The current advances in business technological aspects have led to the formation of a global environment. Such an environment is at the dispensation of forcing companies to compete competitively in the market. In essence, it is not possible for a firm to isolate itself from the rest of the world businesses. It has to work hand in hand with other firms. It is not possible to ignore factors such as external aspects such as economic trends, innovations or competition in other countries. In the last decades, the globalization has taken a huge rise in the manufacturing and supply environment. The conceptual framework of globalization process rotates around four factors such as the global market forces, technological factors, global cost factors and political and economic angles. The tremendous growth potential in the foreign markets has given rise to the competition in all firms. Most supply-chain firms are considering the act of expanding internationally to establish a global network for business operations. The tasks of a manager are more intensified when a business adopts the international marketing model. Manufacturers have a role of introducing the products in the global market, for utilizing the latest technology. In summation, the aspect of globalization rotates around the use of technology in supply management logistics; most firms are using the latest technology in the process of delivering their tasks. The process of ordering the products can occur through the internet. Delivering of the commodities is fast since the modern methods of transport are utilized. Communication, which is the backbone of effective supply management, can occur instantly through the internet and emails. It eases the work and the management process. Globalization has led to geographical integration, functional integration and the sectorial integration. The world remains a fast moving place where the activities are not divided into compartments. The logistics and operations manager has to coordinate the flow of the working the right orders, reflecting the production, development, distribution and marketing roles. The work has to flow in the right manner. All the functions of the whole supply firm must be organized in such a way that there exists no single department delaying another function. With reference to geographical, most countries are eliminating the aspect of heavy taxation at the borders, hence enhancing the physical flow of goods. It also enhances the aspects of data processing trends and communication technologies. Goods and information can be delivered within the minimum time possible. Multi-sectorial integration is necessary to ensure that there is conjoined logistics and operations. Firms are extending their boundaries to the entire world. The economy is gaining an aspect of being borderless, with the supply chains integrating their activities into common systems. Task 5 Raw materials are transported to the manufacturers. The manufacturer manufactures the goods, and distributes them to the suppliers and the regional distributors until they reach to the end use. Task 6 In the chain describes all the activities will be integrated for the sake of future profits and success of the firm. However, the core areas to lay the concentration on will be the outbound logistics. However, it is not independent but has to rely on the rest of the sale operations. Task 7 The final decision of the means of transport to be used to carry the goods on transit entirely lies on the hands of the supply chain manager. He has to establish the pros and cons of each method of transport, with close reference to various factors that are likely to have inferential impacts on the overall functions and performance of the business. The consignee or the party that is sending the goods also has a role to play, as they have to utilize the most available means. In the case study in description, the managers are at dilemma of utilizing either the air or water as the best means of goods transportation. In the scenario above, the best method to use is the ocean. First, the method is cheaper and easily accessible. One can carry immense goods using the ships. Even though, it is not as fast as air, it outdoes it in many angles such as in the bulkiness of the goods and the costs. Carrying goods in bulk always ensures that they do not run out of stock, hence readily available at all times. Concisely, it is due to the immense number of products that are brought in place at a go. In arriving to the best method of transporting the goods, several factors were put into consideration. Such factors include the cost, dependability, accessibility and scheduling. Utilization of water is relatively cheap compared to use of air. In addition to that, it can carry many bulky goods at a go. The use of water is also readily available and accessible. They are also easier to schedule with the utility of the best routes, in comparison with air, which is fixed. Task 8 For such a firm producing the electronic products, the best model to utilize would be built to order model.in that scenario, the firm can assemble the order of the clients immediately it reaches them. Each customer will hence receive a personalized product in a timely manner. The approach is useful as the firm can make predictions when the demand of the products is high. Sometimes the management team can combine various approaches in coming up with the goods and services response demand, and that is referred to as a hybrid system. The model is good as the client gets access to the right goods that are ordered. Even the specifications are the ideal lot. The customers are at the verge of receiving not only the quality, but also specifications of the goods ordered. However, the manufacturer is at the dispensation of experiencing the fluctuating needs of the people due to the unstable market. In counteracting such, there should be a well-dictated system regulating the demand and supply curves. It is evident that the producers in the modern firms are shifting their ideology from mass production to mass customization. For a model success, it has to portray agility in its operations. It has to focus on total customization and production. The inventory records have to receive in-depth updates. They also have to find ways in which they can respond to the huge number of orders in the shortest time possible. In addition to that, the firm should collaborate with its counter branch in the other countries, and work as a team, depending on the area where the order has been requested. Work cited Cetinkaya, Balkan. Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Practical Ideas for Moving Towards Best Practice. Berlin: Springer, 2010. Print. Hugos, Michael H. Essentials of Supply Chain Management. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley, 2011. Internet resource. Read More