Supply Chain College Essays Samples For Students

IKEA is a global company that retails home products such as furniture, kitchen items, consumer goods, bathroom items, and other accessories. Ingka BV is wholly owned firm by Stichting Ingka Foundation, the parent company of IKEA group of companies. The Komprad family owns the foundation. As at December 2013, the group managed to have operations in 43 countries across Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. The headquarters of the firm is in Delft, Netherlands and employs 135,000 people Baraldi (99). During the financial year that ended on December 2013, the group managed to have revenues totaling 28, 506 million ...

1. Please list two goals that you have for yourself right now.

The reason why I want to study supply chain management is not only because this program is ranked at number one position in the US but also because this is the field that I really want to work in. It is my aim to excel in the supply management field. Time management is the key to success in all fields today. The firm that ships materials on time or better even before time gets the edge. For some people who are not familiar with SCM, they ...

Management

Supplier relationship management (SRM) is a subject that is used to plan strategically and manage interactions involving third party firms that supply products in order to make good use of the interactions. It involves collaborating with suppliers to reduce risks and uncover new value. It is a wide assessment for suppliers’ abilities to offer their services in order to decide which activities to engage with the suppliers. It helps in developing a relationship that is two-way to benefit both.

SRM helps in attaining greater levels of innovation, as well as a competitive advantage for the companies. Just as businesses develop customer relations, they ...

Gambling is an old practice that people have used to make money by either betting on cash, cars or other forms of property. Earlier, the practice was considered illegal until recently when some states decided to make it legal after observing how profitable the business was. Whether gambling on life or one’s dollar, participants in a gambling session display their undoubted nature to take risks. Casinos make use of this instinct, the dinging and buzzing slot machines with glitzy décor and table games that create the impression of one’s transfer into a new place coupled with a peculiar experience. ...

1. Are there climate change and environmental pollution problems in the world?

Environmental pollution and climate change have become a pressing problem for all the nations in the world. Global environmental pollution problems are critical problems that affect the entire planet Earth. One of the most serious effects of global pollution is global climate change and calls for the cooperation of all countries. Global climate change is the sum of all pollution combined with natural changes in climate. Global problems are also problems where solutions may not be immediate and involve complex political, social, and economic components. Most people might ...

Small Business Marketing Concept

Marketing role for small business can be defined as offering customers products or services they need at an appropriate price and in the right place. The numerous functions of small business marketing, according to Longenecker et al. (2009), include: determination of demand, providing balance of demand, orientation of marketing activities towards developing demand in the right direction; sales motivation, trade development, increasing employment of the population; determining correlation between production recourses and distributing products and services. In addition, marketing aims at establishing, strengthening, and maintaining desired exchange between target customers, and obtaining personal or mutual benefits.

The marketing concept ...

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the most prolonged economic recession, which started in 2007 in the United States, has been over since June 2009. Nevertheless, American people are still experiencing its damaging consequences. Ordinary people are far more concerned with their family economics, and are in the midst of a struggle for their well-being. As Barack Obama claimed, for millions of unemployed people, for those who have trouble paying their bills from day to day, recession is still very real.
After the official end of Great Recession, real GDP has increased only by 2.9%, U.S household ...

Summary

Introduction
The current paper relates Porter’s Five Forces analysis of two companies – Starbucks and Nordstrom. Starbucks is the global company involved in selling coffee beans. Nordstrom is an American upscale retailer selling clothing, handbags, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, and fragrances.

Starbucks
Bargaining power of suppliers of Starbucks is low because coffee beans are a commodity. The price on coffee beans is affected by multiple factors including weather, natural disasters, political factor, inventory levels, and economic conditions. Besides, Starbucks is pressurized by the international community to be responsible for fair trade and ethical sourcing of the final products. These ...

CHAPTER 12

Abstract
Randal C. Archibald in his article Vast Web Hides Mexican Drug Profits in Plain Sights, U. S. Authorities Say, published on March 26, 2014 in The New York Times goes into one very important part of the drug business the drug profits and their realization in recent times. He describes the behavior of Hugo Cuellar Hurdado heading one of the biggest Mexico’s drug cartels Sinaloa replacing the captured leader Joaquin Guzman Loera. It took thirteen years broad cooperation work between U. S. and Mexican authorities. The time necessary to reveal the money – laundry web is vastly ...

Logistics refers to the process whereby a firm plans, executes, and controls the mobility of its assets, which includes goods and people, in order to achieve the set objectives. On the other hand, supply chain management (SCM) refers to the process of controlling the supply-side of the business with the aim of remaining competitive in the market and, to maximize on customer value.
Supply chain management originated from the logistics concept. However, it is different from logistics in numerous ways. Logistics puts more emphasis on individual business. Through external and internal control and planning, it ensures that the firm ...

I always store commodities such as toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, water bottles, etc. in places like drawers, baskets, shelves, etc. I make sure to check the storage twice a month to make sure there is enough of each product. If there is a need, I plan to buy the required products online or from retail stores. I always take care of the expiry date of the products before buying as some of the items have a lead time for several days. Or, when I buy earlier than expiry of existing products, it causes over stocking and exhaustion of space. For efficient management ...

Successful Implementation of TQM in the Engineering Company

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a concept that evolves in the 1950s and has increasingly become popular in this century (Chase, 2012). Total Quality is an explanation of the culture, attitude, and organization of a company that provides goods and services that satisfy customers.
Cheruiyot & Maru (2013) summarizes TQM as a management system with customer focus by involving all the members of the organization to assist in continual improvement. TQM uses strategy, data, and networking to integrate a disciplined culture that observes quality in the organization.
The concept of quality has undergone a revolution in its meaning in the early 20th century, ...

Supply chain management is one of the processes that control the flow of goods and services. It entails the storage and movement of work-in-progress inventory, raw materials, as well as finished goods from production to consumption level. It is worth nothing that supply chain management incorporates a lot of networks, businesses and channels. Supply chain management focuses on supply management and purchasing operations. There are key purchasing operations and supply management issues. In identifying the key purchasing operations and supply management issues, it is crucial to comprehend the fact that the entire activities are a process (Cetinkaya, 2010). Supply chain management ...

Warehousing is a process that involves the storage of wares or merchandise in large scale, in an orderly and systematic manner, for the sole purpose of making them suitably available when they are needed. Ideally, it involves a preservation process of goods in bulk from the moment of purchase or manufacture up to the time when their need arises. Warehousing is one crucial component of trade that demands great mastery and dedication if trade is to be successful (Nelson, 2000). This is because it creates utility of time by providing an over pass between manufacture and final use of any good. ...

Marks & Spencers (M&S) Strategic Issue and Options

Marks & Spencers (M&S) is one of the largest multi-channel retailers in the world with over 120 years history. The company operates in 50 countries, including Western and Eastern Europe, Asia and Southeast Asia regions and employs over 82, 000 individuals worldwide. The company has been experiencing fast growth in all three segments, food, clothes and home products, based on its core strategic directions of organic growth in the UK and other European markets. Current strategy of the organization is based on five pillars: values, quality, service, innovation and trust (M&S, 2013). These founding values build on the organizational mission ...

Nestlé’s Role in the global food system & its decision to partner with competitors and suppliers
The supply chain is a combination of processes that are needed to convert the product form a raw state to final and finished form. Although, this sounds easy, it takes a co-ordinated effort and proper logistics support to achieve this. In today’s global scenario, Nestle is promoting the global movement of developing sustainable agriculture for the entire food industry. The company’s role in the future global food system is going to be very important, and it can be a game changer for the coffee ...

A common belief in business states‘ the structural decision items of an operation's strategy are a reflection of the hardware components of the firm, while the infrastructure decision consequently, represents the firm’s software’. This is an analogy borrowed from computers that reflect on how important structural decisions are to the firm. Hardware is the backbone without which software would have nothing to run. There are heavy investment decisions that cannot be changed without incurring significant losses. They demand deliberate considerations about operations spread in different countries and demographics (Kayne, 2009). They include facilities decisions, process technology, capacity management and ...

A selection criterion for vendors and suppliers is required to lower the cost of conducting business to unnecessary levels. As the expenses of operation increase, margins of profit shrink, and force the business to either raise prices or lower profits, and none of these options is appealing. Selection criteria are needed to control cost, maintain prices within competitive levels, and sustain desirable profit (Wang & Liu, 2009).

Recommended Selection Criteria for Vendors and Suppliers

Documenting Organization’s Needs
Before any form of selection of the prospective vendors and suppliers to offer the service of supplying office supplies and equipment maintenance, a detailed documentation must be done. The ...

Supply chain management is very vital in the oil and gas industry. The Global Supply Chain Forum outlined that supply chain management would be incorporating major business processes in all the value chains ranging from the original raw material suppliers to the end consumers of the products manufactured. The stakeholders of the supply chain gain value owing to the top notch products, information and services created by the processes (Lambert & Cooper, 2000). The supply chain is ever changing. This modern era brings in some challenges that need to be considered in order to coordinate the system effectively. In this ...

Management

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrates both internal and external information flow that is used in an organization. It incorporates different systems that are used by the organization in managing the basic commercial functions in the business which includes planning, inventory and material management, purchasing, manufacturing, finance among others.
The first benefit of the enterprise resource planning is that it drives the flow of information in all material functions of the business while also maintaining and managing the connection with the stakeholders. This is done due its capability of running a variety of the computer hardware and network configuration.
...

The scandal affected many parties that were either directly or indirectly involved in the meat supply and retail. The involved parties include Tesco supplies, the supermarkets, Ireland food standard officials, liffey Meats and Silvercrest Meats suppliers and customers. Tesco supplies, as a business, have to be careful of the products they sell to customers. They are partially responsible for the pig and horse in the burgers. The Irish officials also have to explain why supply of wrong type of meat passed their attention. The meat suppliers would have to explain where the pig and the horse meat came from in ...

Business

Apple’s Current Position on Company’s Ethical and Social Responsibilities
Valentine and Fleischman (2008) stated that attention to ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is essential because recent scandals suggest that the business values of a certain company are declining. In the case of Apple Inc., the new CEO in the person of Mr. Tim Cook is confronted with a major ethical dilemma in Wuhan, China where some of their workers threatened to commit suicide as a form of protest for the inhumane working conditions at Foxconn. Foxconn is a company that is based in Taiwan and it is one of ...

Abstract

Increasingly complex international business environment calls attention for sustainable practices not only within internal landscape of the companies, but across various elements of its supply chain. Shared value and integrated supply chain take more and more space in strategic planning and long-term investment portfolio of large multinational corporations. Aircraft manufacturing is in the heart of these challenges. With that in mind, the document focuses on the analysis and evaluation of general challenges of Supply Chain optimization by looking at six elements of Boeing BBJ division supply chain: supply chain management and sustainability, strategic capacity management, global sourcing and procurement, ...

Companies and enterprises that have been successful in different countries all over the world do not happen overnight. They have been vigorous, competitive, and principled. They have adapted to various countries they do business with. What is most strategic and encouraged to be heavily invested on is the supply chain management (Peleg-Gillai et al, 2006, p.5). As local and domestic business owners very well know, the supply chain is the life blood of their operations. But to expand it into the global scale is an all-together different arena – wider, more varied, and more complicated in colossally tremendous proportions. Be ...

Quality performance in a global supply chain

A supply chain is required to be one of the most effective departments in any organisation if the organisation is to meet its objectives. However, from time to time, there are issues that emerge which hinder the smooth and the effective performance of the supply chain. These problems are quite detrimental in that they reduce the quality of the supply chain (Adobor and McMullen, 2007). The rationale of this paper is to fully examine some of these weak leaks in the supply chain and identify their causes. In addition, focus will be put on the ways in which the ...

The Rise of Modern Logistics

Third Party Logistic Companies (3PL Companies) has served as an important link of businesses worldwide. Modern 3PL Companies can be traced back to Malcolm McLean, an American trucker, who was the first to conceptualize and put into practice the modern intermodal container. Being an owner of a small trucking firm, McLean has a first-hand experience with logistics. Accordingly, he observed that he had to wait for days before their cargo gets loaded and his trucks have to spend more time in the port than they are on the road. Similarly, the cargo ships are also experiencing the same predicament. Before the ...

Question 1

- Describe the different types of costs associated with inventory.
Inventory costs can be divided into three main categories, namely purchase costs (the cost of procurement), storage costs (maintenance) and costs related to the lack of goods (shrinkage). Purchase costs (also called as the costs of order preparation, especially when it comes to production), or restocking are economic consequences caused by direct orders, that is, costs that arise every time the company place customer’s order. These costs can be divided into two parts: the costs directly for the placement of the order (they can be persistent and ...

During Christmas season every year the pressure or retailers to deliver goods right today or the next day increases many folds. The case is no different for the apparel industry where the seasonal demands as well as changing fashions make it mandatory for the retailers like Marks & Spenser (M&S) to have extremely robust warehousing arrangements through out the supply chain. Most retailers particularly those who are online, depend on the strength of their supply chain network and warehousing, like logistics, in a vital part of the overall business model. In this note we will delve deeper into application of warehouses ...

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- Introduction
Supply Chain Management (SCM) has gained a significant presence in the industry and influences the success of an organization giving it a competitive advantage. All manufacturing companies irrespective of size, manufacturing process or the product need a controlled flow of products and services from suppliers to manufacturing and then distribution to the final customer. There are different dimensions of SCM that include customer relationship, strategic partnerships, and information sharing. An important model for SCM monitoring is SCOR or Supply Chain Operations model. Most leading companies ...

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About Costco

Costco is a warehouses chain operator, involved in the sales of a diverse range of products to its members. The firm operates nearly 663 warehouse in countries like USA, UK, Canada, and Japan to name a few (Costco a, 2014).

Porter’s five forces model analysis

An analysis of the external environment Costco is operating in is performed using the Porter’s five forces model (Porter, 1998).
Bargaining power of buyers or customers is weak. Costco, especially in Northern America has a wider presence. There are numerous consumers buying products in relatively small quantities (Costco b, 2014). There is no one single ...

Executive Summary,

Today becoming a multinational company has its own demands and complications. Becoming multinational means entering new markets and entering a new market especially in another country is a challenge with so many barriers, such as cultural values, consumers’ preferences, and other issues. One of the essential necessities to overcome these barriers is an adapted supply chain, which can not be accomplished without having adequate knowledge and understanding of the new market.
So in this study the challenges related to the design of a new supply chain in a new market will be identified. Here the factors such as IBV and RBV which are ...

Order#212758050

Business
Supply Chain Description
The supply chain for many companies can be interrupted by different things such as weather, seasons and high demands. One main example that has affected supply chain is the weather. For instance, last Christmas, deliveries were delayed to customers because of extreme weather conditions and snow storms that affected transportation. Amazon, BestBuy and other business are not to be blamed, but the couriers. Distributors use different shipping couriers such as UPS, USPS, FedEx and others. Ground shipping is commonly used because it is easier and more affordable. During Christmas, consumers shop for gifts ...

Avnet INC.

History
The Avnet INC. is a Distributor Company founded by a Russian immigrant called Charles Avnet. Charles started by purchasing parts of the radio and selling the parts to different individuals, especially in the port cities of the United States. With time, he transformed his distribution platform by selling the surplus parts to dealers and manufacturers. Charles Avnet shifted his operations during the Great depression by focusing more on wholesaling. Between 1920 and 1930, Avnet transformed his business by branching out and diversifying by dealing with radio kits in cars and assembly kits in the automobiles.
The incorporation of ...

Law governs many different areas of business. The study of business law also involves acquainting oneself in ethics applied in decision making. Moral minimum is standard for ethical business behaviour and means compliance with the stipulated law. The law does not evolve simultaneously with global advancement and for these reasons; we have grey areas in the law. This area is when the law is quiet on the legality of an action. Many diverse laws affect a single business transaction. Organizations and service providers owe a set of ethical duties to shareholders, suppliers, community, employees and most importantly its customers. When these ...

The bullwhip effect is an event in the supply chain where there is variance between the orders sent to the suppliers and the sales made to the customers (AAL, 2012). The variance between the sales and the orders affect the supply chain process. It leads to underestimation of demand for the product due to the irregular orders.
One of the impacts of the bullwhip effect is the distortion of the product demand along the supply chain (AAL, 2012). An example is where the customer demand for a product is 15 units, and then the retailer orders 20 units of ...

Introduction

Supply Chain
In management and microeconomics, a vertical integration refers to a case where the company owns the supply chain. It follows that each unit in the supply chain usually produce or market a specific product or service (Michael, 2011). In the end, this products and services combine to satisfy a common need. It has long been perceived as a plan that not only brings the supply chain under one ownership but also into one corporation. Our scenario calls for common ownership of the Power Tools Company clearly achieved via the vertical integration. Further, we can classify a company as a composite tool oriented where ...

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TERM PAPER.

For a grocery store using e-commerce will increase the customer base as with the development of technology most people conduct their businesses online. E-commerce will lead to operation cost reduction as the number of personnel, for example inventory managers, marketers, and billing personnel, among others, will be reduced. However, most products in a grocery are perishable, and delivery of such products to customers may take a while meaning that the goods may reach to their destination while rotten. This compromises on the quality and efficiency of the business (Barnes, and Hunt 2001, pp 8).

Benefits of CRM to a hotel manager.

The most significant benefit of ...

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Part 1.
E-commerce will increases on sales. It will provide information to customers on product availability. However, most customers may find it insecure from the provision of confidential information on their accounts, and probability of internet fraudsters.

Part 2.

CRM will assist the business in recognizing the value of its clients, and in capitalizing on their needs (Kracklauer 2004, pp. 21). It will boost relations with existing customers that lead to increased sales as a result of optimized timing of customer’s needs, cross-selling of related products by highlighting alternatives to customers, identifying customer’s needs and requirements ...

Other than the classroom learning, expos provide learners with an opportunity to gain insight into the practical aspects of the classroom content. It is noteworthy that the Connect Hospitality Expo in Vancouver was an opportunity that made learning more practical and meaningful. The Expo highlighted a number or concepts from a practical perspective. As such, this paper seeks to compare and contrast various concepts of the lessons in Leading Edge Hospitality throughout the term with what suppliers and consultants are promoting and selling at the Expo. In a more precise way, the paper focuses on comparing and contrasting aspects of management tools ...

Today, the Kellogg company is the world’s largest manufacturer of cereal. Two brothers, the Kelloggs, started the company in a sanitarium they worked in while trying to find the most nutritious way to cook cereal. (businesscasestudeies.co.uk) The two eventually left the medical field to start the Kellogg cereal company, which has since grown into the giant it is today. But, how, exactly, is their product produced? Where do their supplies come from? What are the steps in the supply chain that brings it from farm to table?
Kellogg is essentially a second-sector business. It does not produce the goods ...

Business

Personal Profile
Please list three goals that you have for yourself right now.
First, I want to study supply chain management not only because the program is ranked highly ranked in the United States, but also because I am passionate about this field of study and I believe this I can create a career from it. Some people who are not familiar with SCM may think it is simply shipping something to some place, but actually it is way more complex than it sounds. SCM not only requires basic packaging skills, but it also needs people who have ...

The supplier has excellent reputation for the treatment of its workers. It abides by international supplier standards. The company is local-based hence creating jobs for the locals. With a good reputation, Alpha Supply Company is well-placed to help Abbott meet its values of integrity, compliance, employee safety, consumer satisfaction and sustainability. By choosing this company, the production unit will receive high-quality supplies. Quality supplies will lead to better products that can easily be sold to consumers who are expected to show satisfaction with the products. This would improve Abbott’s reputation.

Beta Manufacturers

This is an American-based company but employs locals for ...

Introduction

Executing business activities on a global platform demands a well-planned strategy that is vibrant and competent of handling risk and the different challenges of international trade. Business organisations that aspire to take their products or services beyond the domestic market are dealing with the challenge of making the appropriate sourcing decisions, being practical to constant changes in the global world, linking trade conformity with business requirements, offering free trade agreements, lowering duty and hindrances and remaining ahead of the competition (Ruan, 2007).
This process also requires the cost of managing in-house resources to remain competitive in the constant changing compliance ...

There is a notable and prevalent wastage and embezzlement of funds in the organization. The problem cuts across all the departments in the organization but it is most prevalent in the cash office department and the supply chain management section. These two departments are the worst it as there are numerous loopholes in the two sections. The wastage and embezzlement of the cash and cash equivalents in the organization is a problem to the organization as huge chunks of funds are being lost to greedy officials who are in charge of the two sections. The immediate cause of the problem can ...

Strategic problem

Chipotle faces a strategic challenge in introducing integrity in the overall supply chain system. For Chipotle to achieve its food with integrity mission, it should prepare food using the best ingredients. Chipotle faces a strategic problem in engaging effectively with the vast network of the supply chain partners. Chipotle has failed to develop comprehensive relationships with the local farmers, and this has hindered it from integrating integrity into its global supply chain networks. Chipotle experiences a lack of suppliers because many suppliers do not meet Chipotle’s standards on the quality of required ingredients. The shortage of suppliers hinders Chipotle from achieving ...

Procurement means an acquisition of goods, works or services from the external sources. It is necessary that the goods, works or services are suitable and that they have a best price to satisfy the requirements of the buyer regarding the quality and quantity, location and time. And this is the basic task of the purchasing management.

Evolution of the Supply Management in the Recent Years

As any other branch of management, supply management is a constantly developing process. “During the last 90 years, political, economic, technological and social evolutions have influenced operating models, leadership styles and technical skills necessary for supply management colleagues to succeed.
Before 1914, supply management, ...

- A retail clothing manufacturer can use several methods to pay for its supplies. For local purchases online bank transfer is the most feasible option. It can also pay for the supplies using mobile banking or mobile apps where the funds are transferred directly to a cell phone number. This would ensure fast and quick transaction for the office supplier without any worry, delay. It would be expensive, but since infrequent payments will be required, the peace of mind and other benefits will outweigh the costs.
- It would be cheap and the funds will be transferred in no ...

IKEA’s Global Strategy:

Summary of the background and facts
IKEA, a furniture manufacturer and retailer, is nowadays known in almost the entire world.It was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad as a small furniture store that served local consumers who were looking for good quality and low prices. From the very beginning IKEA contracted with independent furniture manufacturers who were not allowed to sell to other stores. The goal was to design furniture that could be easily assembled at the consumers’ home while keeping quality high and costs low. Inventories were held high and furniture was standardized in order to benefit from economy ...

Business Management

(City, State)

In the United Kingdom, housing is shaped by the demand and supply of the commodity (Connerly, 2014, Toussaint et al. 2014). As a rule, an increase in supply of a commodity results in a decrease in prices of that commodity. When supply of a commodity is limited, prices go down. In UK, the limited supply of houses means that the price of houses is high.
The UK suppliers immensely contribute to the housing industry. One of the advantages is that they provide a platform for the economy to be boosted. This is achieved through providing premises where entrepreneurs can invest, boosting ...

H&M sympathizes the victims, the affected and the Bangladesh Community following the deadly collapse that occurred. H&M realizes that it has a mandate to work harder in ensuring that such calamities never happen again. As an organization, we realized that our internal and external customers work and operate under strict observations of the occupational health and safety act. The H&M supply chain seeks to use its influence to ensure promotion of good practices as well as raising awareness for every person at every stage of the supply chain. Positive difference is possible through collaborating and participation of all parties. For ...

Production team is the heart of any company aiming to produce goods for sell in order to make profits. Therefore, it is important if much awareness is made to them on importance of carrying out monitoring of results. The notion stands for a corrective action to be done before letting inferior goods to the market as this could lower the reputation of the company and consequently lead to loss. Monitoring of outcomes is also the key to gradual improvement of the performance of the company.
Importance of Monitoring of outcomes cannot be underrated. The routine and systematic collection of ...

Introduction

The debate as to whether imposing taxes to goods and services is healthy is well-documented and argued among economists. Economic efficiency seeks to understand how nations make maximum use of the available economic resources. Traditional, some of the economic resources included labor, capital and land. Among various economies, the economy’s efficient operation is a major issue for discussion. There is a believe by the post-Keynesians that discretionary policies control the economy. This opinion is not taken well by classical economists who are keen to see the economy dictate its operations. For the purposes of this paper, my position is that ...

6) Lummus et. al concludes that trade promotion are usually used by the manufacturer to stimulate the demand of FMCG and other goods. This creates irregularities in the supply chain because the retailers usually do not foresee a increase in demand from result trade promotion activities and buy too less. This creates supply chain problems for the manufacturers. This creates a bullwhip effect in the entire supply chain. Same thing happen as a result of price fluctuation with retailers trying to buy at frequent intervals rather than purchasing large order at once. A company that is not prepared for it usually is ...

Dick’s Sporting Goods is a well-established department for sporting goods with more than 5oo stores across the country. I paid a visit to one of the stores owned by the renowned retailer and I was impressed by what the store offers its customers. The store is Denver, within the Park Meadows mall. In Saudi Arabia, such stores do not exist in many places. In fact, most of them are in large cities and towns spread in various parts of the region. It is not easy to locate them, and they are not as large as the Dick’s store I ...

1. Examine Apple’s current position on the company’s ethical and social responsibilities, and determine whether or not the company has met these responsibilities. Provide two (2) examples that support your position.
In contemporary and competitive business environment, corporate social responsibility becomes integrated part of the companies’ marketing strategy. Companies across the world are emphasizing on corporate social responsibility to gain competitive advantage and to develop positive image. Apple is also fulfilling its economic, legal, social and ethical responsibilities by adopting contemporary processes and implementing strict standards. Apple was established in the year 1976 by Steve Jobs, ...

Introduction

Multinational corporations face numerous challenges in their efforts to strike a balance between corporate performance and human rights. These challenges occur because of non-existence of clear international standards and rules. Questions arise as to what action should be taken as well as who should implement the action to ensure the basic human rights. Despite the absence of clearly defined international standards for regulating the behavior of multinational companies, consequences of violating basic human rights have in the past adversely affected these companies (Sutherland, 2012). They have now become cautious when dealing with the stakeholders to ensure that they meet the ...

Intermodal Transport System as a Solution to Dynamic Supply Chain Demands

Intermodal transportation is one of the prime trends of supply chains impacting the contemporary transportation industry. In the recent past, higher demand, greater government oversight, higher fuel costs, and driver shortages have all squeezed capacity in the transportation industry (“Vielhaber” n.p.). All of these situations have multiple implications on everything ranging from timing of cargo to pricing. Therefore, executives on the other hand are seeking for a solution to achieve and maintain a supply chain that is cost-effective. One solution that they have found is intermodal transportation (“Vielhaber” n.p.). In the modern global community, it has become outdated for carriers to ...

Business

McDonalds’ Supply Chain Profitability
McDonald’s is one of the leading when it comes to food service. The company has 35,000 branches that serve almost 70 million customers throughout 100 countries each day (aboutmcdonalds.com). Such success may not be possible without well-managed supply chain strategies.
The effectiveness of the company’s supply chain management (SCM) strategy is the reason that it has been in operation since 1955 as an international company. In fact, its SCM ranked #2 last year (usfranonline.com). Since McDonalds do not own any distribution centers or factories, it tracks each and every supply ...

When Keith Oliver, a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, used the term "supply chain management" it entered the public domain for the first time in 1982 (Brigham, 2014). Common and accepted definitions of supply chain management are managing the upstream and downstream flow of materials, finished goods or related information among supplier, manufacturer, reseller and final consumer is supply chain management. Another definition is “Supply chain management is the systematic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions and the tactics across these business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the ...

Millions of people who are using i-phone gadgets on a daily basis, but they have never known what the employees of i-phone company go through to produce those gadgets. Young men and women spend their 12 and more hours shift, six days a week in the process of preparing the gadgets ready for the market. These workers are exposed to toxic chemicals that are never disclosed to them by their employer (sumofus.org). Recent reports have exposed these unethical working conditions in apple’s Chinese supply chain (CNNmoney).
In a recent CNN segment, a worker of Foxconn a key iphone supplier, complained of the ...