Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management-BUS 5023- Field Group Assignment

The assignment is worth 100 marks and constitutes 20% of the semester grade. It will be evaluated as follows:

• Select a company / logistics functions to conduct your investigation – Pizza Pizza
• Length: Approximately 11-12 pages, 12-point font, 1.0-1.5 spacing (Excluding: Cover Page, Content Page, Appendices)

Investigate the logistics functions of a business Visit the business (few times), face to face, or online interviews, data collection, observations and other means. This assignment is not an Internet research.

Logistics functions include (but not limited) the following:

• Purchasing / Buying
• Operations / Manufacturing
• Quality Management (ISO, quality systems)
• Warehousing / Distribution Centres
• Inventory Management
• Transportation
• Information Technology and Information Systems of logistics

It is not necessary that the business you investigate has all the above logistics functions.

All the answers should relate to the local business that you visit, or communicate online. Not the national/international head office). Describe and evaluate the following aspects / question (In sequence 1-9):   (86 marks)

1. Draw and briefly explain the organizational structure of the specific company with all its functions / departments. Mention the rough number of employees in each function. List names of key position holders.

Draw a rough layout of the area that you investigate (Storage area, working area, office,)

1. Draw and explain the broader supply chain of its products (Or one main product), from the very initial raw material to the very final customer (This includes a number of few other companies, upstream and/or downstream to your company). Mention specific names of related companies.
2. Draw and explain the internal supply chain within the specific business you investigate. That is the sequential step-by-step process within the specific company (Receiving from suppliers – Delivering to customers).
3. Describe in detail each of the logistics functions/areas, and the main tasks / activities of the logistics personnel (Drivers, buyers, inventory, operations, quality, schedulers, schedule of employees, etc.).
4. Quantitative information about Logistics, such as procurement cost (Local, overseas), number of suppliers, lead times, inventory levels, Inventory turns, Sales-Inventory ratio, number of warehouses, cycle times, revenue, other. In this section, you may add quantitative information (Figures), which you did not mention in other sections of the assignment.
5. The current information system of the company, which includes computers and manual elements. Comment on the following: Forecasting (Units, $, No. of customers), IT activities used (Software and Hardware), manual activities, procedures, communication with customers, communication with suppliers, methods, Internet, other. Provide samples of forms/procedures as an appendix.
6. Objectives, Performance Measurements, Key Success Factors. List actual numbers/figures that are recorded in the company. You could add available Financials (figures or ratios).
7. Competition, comparisons with similar businesses, other relevant issues. Use a comparison table, and / or strength / Weaknesses table (Use the Internet, other sources).
8. Future trends regarding the business. Environmental issues (current and future) regarding the business.

The above sections (Except maybe for Point 1) may include two parts:

• A brief theoretical part (Textbook, library, Interne, other).
• Practical part- the actual situation at the specific business.

The main focus is on the practical part. Discuss more the theoretical part, when you can not find sufficient practical information about the business you investigate.

Examples: In Point 2, include also a general/theoretical explanation of a supply chain. In Point 4, describe also the common logistics functions of a business. In Point 7, explain the meaning of performance measures and the meaning of key success factors (Search for these meanings).

Each of the above 9 aspects (Points) is worth 9 marks. Additional marks, between 0-5, will be awarded according to my assessment of the content and format quality, clarity and the effort invested in it.

Research ethics and particularly confidentiality of information is paramount at all stages, both during and after the completion of the assignment. Each student should sign the Letter of Confidentiality (1) and hand it to me. Information Letter (2) should be handed to the business, and the Consent Form (3) signed by the business should be handed to me

Report structure:                                                                           (8 marks)

• Cover Page, including students’ names in last name order, and the name of the business.
• Executive Summary. List the name, address and product/service of the business. Write 1-2 sentences, or bullet points on each on the nine aspects (questions). Mention findings and conclusions. (2 marks)
• Content Page, correct sequence of answers and numbering, (1, 2, -9), titles, clarity
• Body of report, look, frequent paragraphs, drawing diagram and charts with computer,
• Appendices. Refer to appendices in the body of the report
• References (Name, address and telephone number of the business you investigated, List of people and job titles you spoke with, Books/Magazines/Internet, other references)
• Pictures (2-3) of the business visited, with all group members (2 marks)