Logistics Management
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WK5FinalPaperTemplate_MGT_3231.docxSTRATEGY 5
List the Company Name: Business and Supply Chain Strategy
Your Name
Ashford University
Principles of Supply Chain Management
Dr. Ronald Jones
Date submitted
Running head: STRATEGY 1
List the Company Name: Business and Supply Chain Strategy
The way to use this template is to simply follow the instructions, write your paper, and then delete my instructive comments. By using this template, you will retain proper APA format. If you use the headings, and follow the instructions, you will not leave out an important element of the assignment. Before you begin, click on the Week 5 Tab, and then click on Final Paper; read the full instructions, and then click on Grading Rubric to fully recognize each required element of the Final Paper.
Introduce the company you have selected to write about. This is a RESEACH PAPER; you must conduct research on ONE COMPANY. I recognize the classroom instructions say to use your organization, a business unit of your organization, or a company that you have contact with. Oftentimes, a local company will not have adequate information in the existing body of knowledge to conduct research and write a paper regarding business strategy and supply chain management. So, pick any company you like. Offer facts drawn from relevant, scholarly sources. In other words, do not guess or offer simple opinions. Remember that you are indentifying a company with a business and supply chain management strategy. Include basic background information in this section. Write a good paragraph or two. Avoid using long quotes or stringing together a list of quotes. Paraphrase your sources by using your own words, and remember to place a citation behind every sentence whose content was derived from reading your source(s).
Business Strategy
Discuss your chosen company’s business strategy (e.g., low-cost provider, niche marketer, differentiation, etc). I suggest choosing a well-known, large company so you can find ample information. I recognize the instructions speak to “Your” organization; one that you currently work or have worked for in the past. You are welcome to use your organization, or any other company. Draw your content from more than one source. In other words, do not just use the company’s website. Go to the Ashford Library, enter the Business Source Elite database, click on scholarly peer-reviewed journals, and enter the name of your chosen company.
Supply Chain Management Strategy
Discuss the company’s strategy(s) to manage the myriad of suppliers. How does the company use the strategy(s) to obtain raw materials, production inputs, and components? Keep in the mind that the supply chain is both upstream (supplies that go into production) and downstream (delivering the finished goods to the marketplace. How does the company use the strategy(s) to effectively distribute the final products to the marketplace? Draw content from scholarly sources, Wisner, Keah-Choon, and Leong (2012), and use what you have learned from the discussions and quizzes. Avoid using long quotes or stringing together a list of quotes. I want to read your analysis of the sources, not what another author wrote.
Business/Supply Chain Strategy Alignment
Discuss how the company’s business strategy is aligned with its supply chain strategy. For example, a company thriving on a low-cost strategy must have a supply chain strategy that gives it access to low-cost products, raw materials, and/or production components. Low-cost strategies require effective and efficient logistics systems to move products up and down the supply chain, from the first tier supplier to the end-use consumer. Avoid using long quotes or stringing together a list of quotes. I cannot determine your critical thinking skills by reading a quote. A quote tells me you found information; analyzing and synthesizing your sources tells me you engaged in critical thinking.
Recommendations for Improvement
Discuss how the company can improve the alignment between the business strategy and the supply chain strategy. How can the company improve logistics to better achieve its long-term strategic goals? Does the company need to alter its business strategy to align with its supply chain strategy? Or, does the company need to revise its supply chain strategy to better align with its business strategy? Incorporate a couple scholarly sources to support your thoughts and opinions, yet feel free to use your personal, academic, and professional experience to fully develop this section. In other words, this is the place to share your opinion.
Conclusion
STRATEGY 2
Finalize the paper with a good 3-5 sentence paragraph. Do not simply restate or summarize content from above; close out the paper with a concluding statement that reaffirms your introductory statement/thesis. Remember the length of the paper should be 8-10 pages, not including the title or reference page. Stick with strict double-spacing.
Use at least six scholarly sources in addition to the text book. Here is the textbook APA reference:
Wisner, J. D., Keah-Choon, T., & Leong, G. (2012). Principles of Supply Chain Management (3rd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
Look in Doc Sharing (top ribbon in between E-mail and Webliography) for ample and specific scholarly sources.
Remember, for each reference page entry, you must have at least one in-text (within the body of the paper) citation. Place a citation behind every sentence whose content was derived from the source. If you quote, do so sparingly, and include a page number where the quote is located.
