Supply Chain Management Strategy/Design and Management

Supply Chain Management Strategy/Design and Management

KU Consulting has been asked to bid on a large consulting job with Albatross
Anchor. In order to win the contract for this consulting job a well written, logical
and highly organized proposal must be written. It is your task/challenge to write
the proposal for re-vamping Albatross Anchors Operations systems so that KU
Consulting may win the $ 50,000 contract.
The proposal is separated into three sections but covers the same scenario/case
study. You will work on and prepare the proposal in Units three, six, and eight.
Using the mandatory template (found in DocSharing) prepare your proposal by
answering (in detail) all of the questions posed below.
Your answers must demonstrate your
understanding of the concepts and
principles identified within the textbook,
course information and activities, but also
from independent academic quality
research to solve these challenges.
While it is acceptable to use the textbook
as foundational material you must
conduct independent research, as well,
using the Kaplan virtual library and the
Internet to find information that supports
your findings and conclusions. A
minimum of three academic
resources, in addition to the
textbook, is required for each section of
the proposal.
Please note: Quotations should make up no more than 10% of your proposal.
Requirements for successful completion of each section of the proposal
include:
o Prepared using the mandatory template for each section of the proposal
(the templates for each section can be found in Doc Sharing of this virtual
KU Consulting
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classroom). Failure to use the mandatory template will result in an
automatic reduction of one grade level.
o Proposal Cover page.
o APA style reference page.
o The body of the paper must be between six and eight pages long (this does
not include the cover or reference pages).
o Body of the paper must be double-spaced (this includes spacing between
paragraphs and before/after headings).
o One inch margins on all four sides of the page.
o Times New Roman 12-font only.
o Indent the first sentence of each new paragraph ½ inch (this is already set in
MS Word as the first “Tab” setting”)
o Grammatically and mechanically sound.
o Introductory and concluding paragraph(s).
o A minimum of three academic quality research sources in addition to the
textbook).
o Citations, within the body of the paper, identifying source materials and in
APA format are required along with corresponding reference page listings.
The following documents are in doc sharing.
(01) Unit three written assignment template (use of the template is
mandatory)
(02) Directions for completing the unit three written assignment template
(03) Unit three written assignment directions
Albatross Anchor Case Study (Note: This is not a real company)
Introduction
Albatross Anchor is a small family owned business that began in 1976 with four
family members. Albatross anchor has grown exponentially and now employs one
hundred and thirty people. This one location/facility is situated on twelve acres
located in a rural suburb of Smalltown, USA (Please note* the building and facilities
for Albatross Anchor are landlocked).
The plant* and the administrative offices are located in the same building.
(*Note: The plant includes: manufacturing, the shipping department, the receiving department, raw
materials storage, finished product storage, and the foundry).
The administrative offices are in the front of the building and the plant is located
directly behind the administrative offices (see diagram). The administrative offices
have issues because they are somewhat shabby, disorganized, and run inefficiently.
The plant is antiquated, worn, dirty, technology-deprived and it no longer meets all
US safety and environmental standards.
The owners of this small business have added on various processes as needs arose;
within the limited space of the plant. When Albatross Anchor first opened its doors
their expertise was in the manufacture of bell/mushroom anchors (using a foundry
process). In 1989, in response to international competition, the owners of Albatross
Anchor made the decision to expand the product line to include fabricated snag
hook anchors.
Customers
Albatross Anchor is a manufacturing factory that sells only at the wholesale level.
Albatross Anchors sells their products in two ways:
(01) Distributors that act as the middleman. The distributor accepts bulk
delivery of anchors at their large distribution centers. At the distribution
center the bulk shipment of anchors is broken up into smaller batches and
shipped to individual retail locations.
(02) OEM customers that purchase anchors in large batches to be used as a
component in the manufacture of boats.
Albatross Anchor does not sell retail. They are strictly a wholesale organization.
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Products
The bell anchor is manufactured primarily through a foundry process in which ore is
transformed into a liquid state and then poured into molds as part of the production
process. The bell anchor is used primarily by fresh water marine craft.
The snag hook anchor is fabricated through the bending and welding of iron rods
and flat iron into a hook design. The hook design is best when used in saltwater.
This hook design snags bedrock and seaweed which holds the marine craft at
anchor. The snag hook anchor is used primarily for small to medium sized saltwater
marine craft.
Each anchor is produced in multiple sizes to accommodate the type of watercraft,
the size of the watercraft and the place where the anchor will be used (salt water or
fresh water).
Manufacturing
Each anchor type requires its own unique equipment and manufacturing process.
Yet, both manufacturing areas share the same shipping area, receiving area,
warehouse area, and administration offices.
The manufacturing area of the plant has had to change to accommodate the
manufacture of the two separate types of anchors. As each anchor requires its own
manufacturing challenges the manufacturing line must be completely changed over
each time the anchor type is changed. The time to switch over from one
manufacturing process/operation to the other manufacturing process/operation is
36 hours.
The plant space is at a premium and warehousing space for raw materials and
finished product is limited and located at the far south end of the building.
Plant antiquation and safety issues result in small batch production only. As a
result of this limitation, lead time for exceptionally large bulk orders is three to four
weeks.
Costs
Current manufacturing costs are $8.00 per pound for mushroom/bell anchors and
$11.00 per pound for snag hook anchors. Albatross Anchor charges the same per
unit as their competitors. However, the profit margin can sometimes be as much as
35% less (on some of the anchors) because of operations inefficiencies.
Shipping challenges
Outgoing freight
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Product size, bulk, and weight and maximum load limits require that the anchors be
shipped by large truck, rail, or large ocean-going freighter. Domestic orders are
usually shipped by large truck. International orders are shipped by rail and
ultimately by large ocean-going freighters. These are the only two methods of
product shipment.
Incoming freight
Receipt of raw materials is by rail. Prior to the sale of anchors into the international
market all shipments of finished product went out completely by truck and
therefore all shipping activities were limited to the east side of the building.
Now, because of the limitation of shipping product into the international
marketplace, all product shipments for international delivery go out of the receiving
dock for the initial leg of shipment by rail and then onto ocean-going freighters.
Prior to expansion into the international marketplace shipping had been limited to
the shipping department and receiving was limited to the receiving area. However,
with this change in international shipping the receiving area must now do double
duty – shipping of international orders as well as receipt of all incoming raw
materials.
Please view the below representation of the current building/facility set up.
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Unit six Project Questions
Question One
Refer back to the answers you provided in your Unit 3 Assignment and rereview
the assignment scenario/case study. Based on the limited
information in the scenario/case study along with your answers to questions
one and two, identify at least three direct and specific long-term and three
direct and specific short-term operations changes that Albatross Anchor
must make to gain a clear and sustainable competitive advantage. Provide
supporting information to validate and substantiate each recommended
change (be detailed in your justification for each).
Question Two
From the list below, select four operational issues and for each issue
chosen explain how it will help Albatross Anchor to improve:
1) Job retention
2) Employee morale
3) Employee dedication
Your explanation for each of the four selected issues must cover all three of
the items listed above.
Listing of Operational issues
(a) Work design
(b) Cross training
(c) Gainsharing and profit sharing
(d) Job design
(e) Task analysis
(f) Worker analysis
(g) Environmental analysis
(h) Ergonomics
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(i) Technology and automation
(j) Job analysis
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DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING THE UNIT SIX WRITTEN
ASSIGNMENT TEMPLATE
Unit six Written Assignment
KU Consulting Proposal for Albatross Anchor
Your name
MT435 Operations Management
Kaplan University
Date
Erase the words
Your name
and
type in your
name
Erase the
word Date
and type in
the date.
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Introduction
Type the introduction to the paper here.
Question One
Carefully review the assignment scenario/case study. From the limited information in the
scenario/case study, along with your answers to the unit three written assignment, identify at
least three direct and specific long-term and three direct and specific short term operations
changes that Albatross Anchor must make to gain a clear and sustainable competitive advantage
(provide detailed information to validate and support each recommended change)
Long-Term Operational Changes
(01)
Type the answer here
(02)
Type the answer here.
(03)
Type the answer here.
Short-Term Operational Changes
(01)
Type the answer here
(02)
Type the answer here
(03)
Type the answer here
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Question Two
From the list of ten operational issues in the Unit 6 assignment instructions select four
operational issues. For each of the four operational issues explain in detail that operational
issue will help Albatross Anchor improve; 1) job retention, 2) employee morale, and 3)
employee dedication.
Operational Issue One:
Type the answer here
Operational Issue Two:
Type the answer here
Operational Issue Three:
Type the answer here
Operational Issue Four:
Type the answer here.
Conclusion
Type the conclusion to the paper here.
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References
Type the references here.

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