There are three questions you must answer on your selected supply chain. It is recommended that each question is answered separately within your report and that you give approximately 400 words to each answer, leaving 300 to be split between the introduction and conclusion.
Word count (maximum 1500)
Mark as done
The assignment is a maximum of 1500 words
- Excludes the title page and contents list (but there is no obligation to have either of these)
- Excludes the reference list
- Includes all text in headings, paragraphs, tables and diagrams
- Includes appendices (but it is not expected that you will need appendices)
Some suggestions on how to use your word count
150 words Introduction – Present your case selected, briefly outline and clarify what supply chain(s) you are focussing on
400 words per section on Fundamental performance, Value added, Fulfillment and Relationships. Keep the word counts even on each section – DO NOT over allocate to one and under provide to the other
150 words Summary/Conclusion – Summarise the whole case briefly to show how the supply chain achives its objectives
References required
To obtain a high mark it is necessary to make appropriate use of business and academic articles, books and reports that are available through the university library. A guideline is to cite in the region of 10 to 15 sources but it could be beneficial to cite more.
Use Harvard APA 7th Edition
Questions to answer:
- Which particular structural and/or infrastructural aspects of the supply chain contribute significantly to the good (or bad) business performance of the supply chain and why?
- Identify key areas where value is added within the supply chain. Give specific examples of how value could be improved within this supply chain.
- Which is the dominant order fulfillment strategy and are there any current or emerging market, product or production factors that could cause the strategy to change?
Use information about the supply chain and its business performance, along with knowledge and understanding from academic and business sources, to answer the question:
- Question 1
- Which particular structural and/or infrastructural aspects of the supply chain contribute significantly to the good (or bad) business performance of the supply chain and why?
Guidance
To begin, you should increase your understanding of the meaning of supply chain structure and infrastructure. Search the library and here are a couple of articles to get you started:
- Espino-Rodríguez, T. F., & Gil-Padilla, A. M. (2015). The structural and infrastructural decisions of operations management in the hotel sector and their impact on organizational performance. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 15(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358414553866
- Garrido, E. D., Martin-Peña, M. L., & Garcia-Muiña, F. (2007). Structural and infrastructural practices as elements of content operations strategy. the effect on a firm’s competitiveness. International Journal of Production Research, 45(9), 2119–2140. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207540600735480
To answer the question you should gather information about the structural and infrastructural aspects of the supply chain. Possible information sources include company reports, news articles, broadcast programmes. Search for academic articles about the business as there might have been studies of the business and supply chain.
You also need to become familiar with the business performance of the supply chain. Company reports and news articles in the financial / business press will be useful.
Business performance has several dimensions. You may find that a structural or infrastructural aspect of the supply chain contributes positively to one dimension but negatively to another dimension.
To answer the question it may be helpful to compare the supply chain and its performance to its competitors. This may give clues as to whether a specific aspect of the supply chain is a source of advantage or disadvantage.
There are many structural and infrastructural aspects to a supply chain, but you have about 400 words only. You should focus on one, two or perhaps three key aspects.
Avoid using the bulk of your text to describe the structural / infrastructural aspects of the supply chain. Most of your text should be explaining why these contribute to performanc
Use information about how and where value is created in the supply chain you have selected, along with knowledge and understanding from academic and business sources, to answer the question:
- Question 2
- Identify key areas where value is added within the supply chain. Give specific examples of how value could be improved within this supply chain.
Guidance
To answer this question identify, the consumer value within the supply chain and what the supply chain goals and objectives are. Are they aiming to be low cost or fast for example?
You will then need to identify the value added within each stage of the supply chain – what does each stage do to support that consumer value? Essentially you need to identify how each stage plays the role it is required for within the chain.
The second half of the question asks about how the supply chain can improve value. This must be specific to your case and consider potential innovation that could be used to improve value for example or identify where a part of the supply chain is not ‘pulling its weight’ and could improve to add value.
It may also help to look at the prime move or dominat part of the supply chain – and ask the question are risks shared fairly in the supply chain or do the weaker and more vulnerable members of the supply chain benefit less – this could be useful to consider if farmers are less powerful than the retail for example.
You will need to look at the whole of your supply chain – therefore clearly idenify your market to market parameters be aware of the ‘line of visability’ or natural break point in supply and do consider right the way down tothe end consumer.
Notes on Marking
Marking will take into account:
- Depth of understanding of value and where it is created in the case
- how well information from business and academic sources is used
- the calibre and quality of information resources that are used
- how well the document is presented including conformance to APA 7th edition for citations and references
References
Busse, C., Schleper, M.C., Weilenmann, J. and Wagner, S.M. (2017), “Extending the supply chain visibility boundary: Utilizing stakeholders for identifying supply chain sustainability risks”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 47 No. 1, pp. 18-40.
Question 3
Use information about the supply chain and its business performance, along with knowledge and understanding from academic and business sources, to answer the question:
- Which is the dominant order fulfillment strategy and are there any current or emerging market, product or production factors that could cause the strategy to change?
Guidance
To begin, you should review the course material on order fulfilment strategies and re-read the article by Jan Olhager:
- Olhager, J. (2003). Strategic positioning of the order penetration point. International Journal of Production Economics, 85(3), 319–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-5273(03)00119-1
You may find it helpful to read another of his articles:
- Olhager, J. (2010). The role of the customer order decoupling point in production and supply chain management. Computers in Industry, 61(9), 863–868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2010.07.011
You should gather information about the supply chain. Possible information sources include company reports, news articles, broadcast programmes. Search for academic articles about the business as there might have been studies of the business and supply chain.
Based on your knowledge of the supply chain, systematically review the market, product and production factors described in Olhager (2003). Make a judgement as to whether each is pushing toward a produce-to-order strategy or to the make-to-stock strategy.
Reflect on how technological, societal and commercial emerging trends could strengthen/weaken/reverse the influence of the factors.
There are a large number of market, product and production factors, but you have about 400 words only. You should focus on the significant factors.
Do not just list the factor or factors that you believe could cause the strategy to change. You must explain why you believe it/they will do so.
You might conclude there are no factors that could cause the strategy to change. In this case, explain why you believe there are no factors.
APA
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