Supply Chain And Operations Management Assignment Sample

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Task 1: Essay

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Introduction

The notion of “SC” and “operational management” are invariably crucial to a business organisation as these ensure the optimal condition of business from the initiation of the work to its end process. However, in this, study, a UK company named “Mango Logistics” has been taken for effective exploration of these aspects in contributing development to the organisation. This company offers courier services in considering “B2C” and “B2B” for their business operations. They also provide advanced technology in providing solutions with enhanced logistics services for any kind of business. However, it is known that with their leading technology, they are integrating with real-time “shopping and sales” for multiple platforms of enterprises.

Significance of Supply Chain (SC) and Operational Management (OM)

It needs to be understood that both the notions of “SC” and “operational management” are intricately linked with each other in providing successive growth for the company. However, both these come under the umbrella term of “SC management or SCM”, that is defined as the process of effective management with respect to the movement and manufacture of goods from suppliers to respective customers (Bag et al. 2020). This management is essential as proper deliverance of goods is crucial to its respective target customers and their satisfaction rate. However, maintaining SCM is necessary for contributing value to the organisation leading to creating its reputation and uniqueness within the market arena. In SCM, the logistics of an organisation is vital and it is predominantly handled by the “SC managers” and any kind of disruption with this seamless connection for the movement of goods is first detected by them.

The ultimate target through SCM is gaining of enhanced satisfaction rate of respective target customers in Mango Logistics. More to this, it also adds up to the conducting of business at a considerably lower cost. However, this condition is only achieved when the notion of costs is controlled and is effectively reduced on the basis of favorable situations (Frederico et al. 2019). The costs associated with operation go down when there occurs a reduction in the price of “raw materials and production” of the respective goods and services. In the year 2022, the company in order to push growth has initiated a “street stream” and they have also committed around at least 85% of the fleet that is complete to green (Mangologisticsgroup, 2022). However, in order to provide, maximised elevated experiences to target customers this company is implementing high technological support 24*7.

Relationship between SCM and business functions

SCM is interlinked with the varied business functions that occur within a business organisation and in a company like Mango Logistics, which specialises in providing courier services to the target customers, SCM is vital. The company applies B2B as well as B2C functions that are invariably associated with the business functions respective to the organisation (Khan and Wisner, 2019). However, the main function of SCM is to provide effective production of goods and its quick and efficient distribution processes. The functions that are associated with SCM includes, “purchase”, “workflow of information”, “logistics” and lastly, “management of resources”. SCM maintains the balance among the supply and demand and that caters to the activities from the materials procurements and their conversion to finished products with the right time delivery to its target customers in Mango Logistics. “Purchasing” is the first function that relates to the procurement of raw materials as well as other resources that are necessary for the manufacturing and production of products (Rezaei et al. 2018). Coordination is essential in this step with the suppliers in delivering materials on time without any delays.

However, activities associated with purchasing create impacts on the aspects of sales and profitability of a company within its market arena. Followed by the next step called operations, teams actively engage in “planning as well as forecasting” leading to “inventory management” (Rezaei et al. 2018). This further takes the task of products and their shipping, and these are considered the most essential to the functioning of the business. “Logistics” is also considered as important as it determines the immense levels of coordination from the packing of the finished products to its delivery (Swift et al. 2019). This stage is followed by the management of resources relating to “time, labour, raw materials and technology”. Lastly, the most important stage is “information workflow” which supports the effective sharing as well as distribution of information from all throughout the SC (Mukhamedjanova, 2020). This is crucial in keeping notice of all the activities that are followed through the SC.

Key factors in developing an integrated SC

Integrated SC is effective in enhancing the interconnection between the customers and the suppliers of the company. However, this can be done by implementing several techniques of management, leading to the optimisation and support by collective performances and on-time distributions (Saragih et al. 2020). The key factors leading to the optimisation of SC within the organisation of Mango Logistics conducting B2B and B2C services include, “resource and target market”, “sizes of the respective firm”, “attitude of management towards risks”, “geographical location”, “suppliers and competitors”, “structure of the firm”, target customers (Büyüközkan and Göçer, 2018). However, all these factors are relatable in taking up proper decisions, as taking up decisions without consideration of these factors may lead to the downfall of the organisation. For example, from a distant supplier, raw materials are effectively supplied to the company; however, the risk may occur in the aspect of supply and delivery as it is affected by the regulations of the government and a system of transportation. More to this the factors associated with the economy and politics can also be held responsible for creating a risk in Mango Logistics.

Factors and strategies driving Supplier Relationship (SR)

The relationship of the supplier to the company is essential to the profitability aspects within the market arena, with considerable growth in the notion of sales. However, in driving success, the notions such as, “segmentation”, “quotient of trust”, “risk quotient”, “innovation”, “consensus of stakeholders” and lastly, “policy frameworks” (Abdel-Basset et al. 2018). The notion of segmentation is quite important as this segregation is associated with the concentration of the market, associated with “risk and value” and therefore supports in customisation of programs based on specific needs. “Mitigation of risks” can be implemented with the proper contribution of “resilience” and “reliability”. Implementation of innovative technologies results in providing the company with sustainability aspects as it is quite impossible for any business firm to have all abilities as well as intelligence.

However, having intelligence tends to create opportunities for utilizing the talents leading to the profitability of the company. “Collaborative approach and trust quotient” is necessary as it provides equivalent value and responsibility associated with the company leading to enhancing the prospect of relationship between suppliers and the firm (Kamble et al. 2020). “Consensus of stakeholders” and managerial support are key factors that influence SR, as earlier it was evidenced that the SRM used to follow the unilateral way without negotiating with the internal stakeholders. Therefore, adding up this support will lead to efficiency in business aspects leading to a proper strategic direction (Dubey et al. 2018). Lastly, the “policy framework” is of immense importance as it supports the determination of roles and responsibilities leading to enhancing the programs of SCM of Mango Logistics. Policy not only states “roles and responsibilities” but also states the “timeliness”, “scope”, “criteria”, and “measurement of metrics”.

Application of information technology in SR

The notion of “application technology” in SR, is prime as it improves the system of connection between the supplier and with the respective company. This is commonly acknowledged that with better communication processes, the objectives and the goals of the company have been effectively met. This will not only support understanding the market better but as well provides the upcoming situations to optimise the entire SC within the market arena (Sepasgozar. and Davis, 2018). This as well support SR in better comprehending the risks and the situation associated with them.

The stability aspect is provided to both the supplier and the company in maintaining a better relationship aspect. In today’s high competitive market arena, Mango Logistics have faced several issues that may provide a risk to its connection with its suppliers. Another fact is that the presence of massive and huge companies may lead to initiate risk if they may fail to provide enhanced quality that is required by their target customers (Amirthakumar et al. 2020). However, in this company advanced technology has been applied to provide customers with the maximum benefits leading to gaining a high market value together with maintaining a good relationship with the respective suppliers. It is evidenced that in this logistics company they are amssively using “3PL services” with “class-leading technologies” that are successively integrating the entire SC.

However, the technologies such as management of data, tracking of invoices, and communication with suppliers as well enhance the status of relationships by mitigating the gap that was noticed within the SCs (Aung et al. 2021). It is noticed that suppliers tend to lack their farsightedness and therefore lead to delays in the progression of the invoices. Therefore with technological support, this lack can be easily mitigated. On boarding of the suppliers, “tracking of PO”, and “intuitive supplier catalogue” are essential in the company of Mango logistics. More to this, improvement of processes, “strategy creation” and exhibiting governance are crucial in determining elevation in the core business of the company.

Recommendations of Supplier Relations Systems (SRS)

The “Supplier Relations Systems (SRS)” commonly known to be SRM provides a systematic approach that supports conducting a proper evaluation of vendors that are responsible for supplying goods (Cleaver et al. 2018). However, they also supply materials and services to the respective organisations. However, it is noticed that Mango Logistics initiated massive improvements in the recent scenario and has stated to be providing “100 %” “carbon neutral” by 2025. However, with the effective implementation of SRS, the company will gain massive advantages in the maintenance of a healthy relationship status (Caracciolo, 2020). This also adds value to the entire business organisation and therefore extends its reputation to the target market. Maintaining a better relationship status with them will not only provide dedicated services towards the business organisation but also provide the advantage of “preferential pricing” (Junger et al. 2022). More to this company will also gain advantages in “special terms” and with this will benefit in maintaining the trust, which is quite essential in the “field of marketing”.

Analysis of factors in the development of strategies

Several factors are there, that lead to the betterment of the SC through the development of strategies. However, the factors that affect SCM include, the uncertainty of environmental aspects, the notion of manufacturing, “information technology”, and performance noticed in the SCM. In addition to these, the satisfaction of customers is also considered a vital aspect in contributing to better development of strategies. In relation to SC, the notion of manufacturing and “management of the business” is equally vital to the development of strategies that will enhance the SCM (Ortega-Jimenez et al. 2020). However, it is easily noticed that the “demand and supply graph” associated with the products and services offered by the company depends highly on the rate of customer satisfaction. If the company produces a better quality of services and products for the market, engaging programmes that will elevate the experience of the customers, then the company can maximise its profit arena. Therefore, it is understood that better strategies for “inventory control policies”, “effective structure of the supply chain”, and “lead time and review period length” may lead to immense growth for the company.

Planning of various SC strategies

Planning SC strategies is not quite an easy task and it requires a detailed analysis of the company is required, as planning SC requires transparency in goals, objectives, and visions that are associated with the company (Mönch et al. 2018). However, planning needs to be done in such a way that it can be easily communicated with, priorities with the integrated actions. Although within a company, “CSCOs or Chief supply chain officers” are responsible for such actions as they tend to have capabilities as well as better handling of the resources. However, there are five essential SC capabilities that are necessary for conducting planning that include, “supply sense”, “responses to demands”, “supply responses”, “demand sense” and lastly, “decision and commitments” (Torabi et al. 2018). “Supply sense” relates to the understanding of what capability the company has in its supply chain and responses in supply determine the operations that are to be taken. However, “decisions and commitments” are crucial within a company as they take care of the entire SC of the company. More to this, demand sense and responses are determined by the effective monitoring of the market arena and based on that fulfilling the demands of the target customers.

Justifying the choice of SCS or “Supply Chain Strategies”

Based on the SCS, there are four major strategies found such as “customer-centricity”, “predictive maintenance”, “automation” and “visibility” (Alzoubi et al. 2020). However, taking into consideration the Mango logistics, all these SCS are essential in their applications as they not only will tend to boost the profitability aspects of the company but also will support in meeting the demands. The choice behind these SCS is justified as all these support maintaining the four necessary notions of, “feasibility”, “acceptability”, “performance benefits”, and “suitability”.