MODULE 3 - MILESTONE 1

QSO 330 Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric

Overview: The final project for this course is the creation of a supply chain evaluation. Supply chain management (SCM) is a holistic view of a company’s efforts to source, procure, receive, store, and deliver products. These products can be raw materials for a manufacturing process, consumer goods for a retail chain, or a collection of items that will be joined in some way before ultimate delivery to the customer. In today’s global economic environment, SCM takes on an increasing level of complexity as companies attempt to reduce costs, drive efficiency, and remain compliant with the corporate social responsibilities that today’s consumers demand.

Prompt: For this milestone, you will submit an assessment of the supply and demand of Walmart and its product flow, as discussed in the Walmart China: Supply Chain Transportation case study. You will also evaluate the network sourcing strategy of Walmart to identify areas that may be in need of improvement and will leave room for future expansion.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

II. Demand Forecasting: In this section, first assess the supply and demand side of Walmart’s product flow, including the customer’s needs and the supplier’s capabilities, in order to then identify potential alignments that will keep cost and waste at a minimum.

A. Evaluation 1. Analyze Walmart’s suppliers in terms of their abilities to meet the demand of customers during steady‐state and peak operations. How

effective are each supplier’s inventory reorder points and economic order quantities? Support your analysis with quantitative examples. 2. Additionally, describe demand‐forecasting constraints that exist within the supply chain. For example, consider the distance of the stores

and the compatibility of the products in terms of shipping, storage, and so on.

III. Sourcing: In this section, first evaluate the network sourcing strategy of Walmart in order to then identify possible areas in need of improvement that will leave room for future expansion.

A. Evaluation: Assess the current network sourcing strategy and determine whether or not the number and quality of suppliers is the optimal mix for the operation. To what extent do the current suppliers meet steady‐state and peak demand? Are they consistently providing products that meet or exceed Walmart’s quality standards? Defend your assessment with examples.

B. Recommendations 1. Recommend a strategy to optimize the sourcing network that takes into account current operations and leaves room for future

expansion. Be sure to consider any alternative sources of materials available to the organization in your response.

Note: For this milestone, you will complete critical elements II.A, III.A, and III.B.1. As a reminder, you will need to complete additional critical elements (II.B and III.B.2–3) for this part of the final submission of your final project. Keep those elements in mind as you work through this milestone.

Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Your paper should be a 3‐ to 4‐page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12‐point Times New Roman font, one‐inch margins, and at least three sources cited in APA format.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Demand Forecasting: Evaluation: Suppliers

Accurately analyzes suppliers’ abilities to meet customer demand during steady‐state and peak operations using valid supporting quantitative evidence

Discusses the suppliers’ abilities to meet various customer demands, but there are gaps in necessary detail, accuracy, or the quantitative evidence

Does not discuss the suppliers’ abilities to meet various customer demands

22

Demand Forecasting: Evaluation: Constraints

Describes all relevant demand forecasting constraints of the supply chain using specific details

Discusses demand forecasting constraints but fails to consider all relevant constraints or cite specific details

Does not discuss demand forecasting constraints

22

Sourcing: Evaluation Assesses the current network strategy to determine how optimal the supplier mix is for the operation, citing specific supporting evidence

Discusses the current network strategy in terms of the supplier mix, but there are logical gaps in the assessment, or the assessment is not sufficiently supported with specific evidence

Does not discuss the current network strategy

22

Sourcing: Recommendation:

Strategy to Optimize

Recommends an effective strategy for optimizing the sourcing network that takes into account current operations and leaves room for future expansion

Discusses a strategy for optimizing the sourcing network but fails to propose a fully effective strategy that takes into account current operations and potential future expansion

Does not discuss a strategy for optimizing the sourcing network

22

Articulation of Response

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

12

Total 100%