B7532 Advanced Operations Management Week 2

Assignment 1: Logistics Management as a Sustainable Differentiator

In today's global competitive environment, organizations  are trying to leverage efficiencies in their supply chain to drive down  costs, reduce inventories, and grow their operating margins as they  seek to deliver increased value to their consumers. Many companies have  tried to create efficient supply chains as a way create sustainable  differentiators in the global business environment.

Using the Online University library resources and  valid Internet sites, research an organization in the manufacturing,  retail, service, or technology industry that has undertaken special  efforts to enhancing its supply chain.

Based on your research, respond to the following:

• Discuss the efforts the organization has made to increase  collaboration with its supply chain partners in an attempt to create  value.
• What kind of advantage has this created for the organization? Can  the company sustain the advantage to generate a long-term  differentiation from its competitors?
• Why has this organization succeeded or failed in effectively  leveraging its supply chain efficiencies into a sustainable  differentiator?
• Base your analysis on published scholarly articles and not just your own opinions.

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be  thorough and address all components of the discussion question in  detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the  APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation
 

• 
  
• Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas.
• Make sure your writing

• is clear, concise, and organized;
• demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
• displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Grading Criteria

     Discussion Grading Table  Maximum Points    Quality of initial posting, including fulfillment of assignment instructions   16    Quality of responses to classmates  12    Frequency of responses to classmates  4    Reference to supporting readings and other materials  4    Language and grammar  4    Total:  40