4 Assignments

Assignment 1 

Briefly address each of the following bullets:

• As suggested in the lecture pages for this week, there is a significant difference in measuring the performance of a supply chain from the perspective of the customer and from the perspective of the shipper. Describe the differences between these two perspectives in supply chain design. In other words, how could shippers and customers differ in what they considered a successful supply chain transaction?
• How could supply chain partners measure (quantify) the performance of a supply chain? Explain why each measurement suggested is relevant to at least one of the supply chain partners.
• Give an example of two or more companies that participate in a single supply chain. Describe which company (or companies) would want to require each measurement that you have proposed. Explain why there would be resistance from at least one of the companies to any suggestion to eliminate each of the supply chain measurements that you have proposed. 

The final paragraph (three or four sentences) of your initial post should summarize the one or two key points that you are making in your initial response.

Your posting should be about 1 page (400 to 500 words) in length.

Assignment 2-Starbucks analysis 

Complete the following tasks:

• Analyze the company's decisions and strategy regarding site selection, outsourcing, and offshoring operations.
• Evaluate the impacts of offshoring or outsourcing on quality and the supply chain.

Prepare the deliverables for this week to provide information on the following aspects of the company:

• Locations
• Offshoring
• Outsourcing

Submission Details:

• Submit your report in a three- to four-page Word document, using APA style. 
• Submit it to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.
• Name your document SUO_MBA6012_W4_ LastName_FirstInitial

Assignment 3

Forecast Determination

A company is considering what forecasting method to use for coming time periods. The company has used something of a qualitative (consensus-based) forecasting method in the past, and wants to know if a more formal, quantitative forecasting method would be appropriate for them. Consider the following data from recent time periods:

   

Time Period

Forecast

Actual Demand

 

Three quarters ago

225

230

 

Two quarters ago

240

270

 

Last quarter

275

295

 

This quarter

You will determine

?

Briefly address each of the following bullets:

• Discuss what method of forecasting you view to be most appropriate given the data given above. Explain why you believe your chosen forecasting method to be the most appropriate. 
• Select an appropriate value for alpha, and calculate an exponential smoothing forecast for this quarter. Discuss the relationship between the alpha value that you selected and the forecast value that you calculated. In other words, if you had selected a lower value for alpha, how would the calculated value be different, and if you had selected a higher value for alpha, how would the calculated value be different? 
• Assume that, at the end of this quarter, we could report that the demand for this quarter was actually 275 (just like last quarter). Would this information cause you to rethink the alpha value that you selected? If so, how would it impact the value that you would have selected for alpha?

Assignment 4-Starbucks analysis 

Procurement/Supply Chain

This week, focus your analysis on the procurement or acquisition practices of the company you selected for the final project and the types of materials that the company uses. Also, analyze where those materials are sourced, how they are delivered, and what the overall supply chain operations of the company are.

Submit a report detailing the following:

• Coordination of acquisition practices with actual product demand
• Procurement practices
• Inventory management (including whether the use of MRP would be appropriate)
• Scheduling of production or service provision
• Supply chain operations

Submission Details:

• Submit your report in a two- to three-page Word document, using APA style. 
• Submit it to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.
• Name your documents SU_MBA6012_W5_LastName_FirstInitial.docx