Find a problem in managing international operations supply chain from the real business ?world (from your own work experience or from any business articles/cases) ? Identify specific

MGMT 6367

Individual Project Final Report Instructions

Note: The project report will be submitted to Turnitin to avoid plagiarism and ensure academic

integrity. The submission link will be posted under “Assignments” on the course website.

Students must check out the originality report generated by Turnitin after submitting the project

reports. Project reports with a similarity level of 30% or higher to existing sources will not be

accepted for grading. A project report that was previously submitted and graded in another class

will not be accepted for grading in this class.

The purpose of this assignment is to identify and apply IOSCM (International Operations Supply

Chain Management) concepts/tools to solve problems in managing international operations. To

this purpose, you should find an interesting IOSCM problem from the real business world and

think about how you can apply the IOSCM concepts/tools that you learned in this course to solve

the problem.

More specifically, each individual should:

• Find a problem in managing international operations supply chain from the real business

world (from your own work experience or from any business articles/cases)

• Identify specific IOSCM concepts/tools that can be applied to the problem

• Apply at least two operation supply chain concepts/tools to propose a solution to the

problem

• Analyze the expected results that may be obtained when the solution is implemented.

The table in the appendix below will serve as the grading rubric for this assignment.

The report should be 10-15 pages in length including the cover and appendices, with 1” margins

on all sides, double-spacing, and 12 point font. The cover of the report should include title,

class code and name, section number, your full name, and date of completion.

The report MUST follow the outline below:

1. Abstract (150 words maximum)

• Summarize the entire report, including problem statement, IOSCM concepts/tools that

have been applied to the problem, and expected results of the proposed solution.

2. Background information

• Clearly state whether the problem is from your own work or from business articles/cases.

If it is from business articles/cases, provide its source (title, author, name of the journal,

date published).

• Briefly introduce the company background (e.g., name, products, business size, location,

internal/external interesting facts, etc).

3. Problem Description

• Describe the problem clearly and specifically.

o You should focus on a single problem, although you can introduce several other

issues for informational purposes.

o The problem may involve either operational decision-making, process

improvement, or supply chain strategies in managing international operations and

supply chain.

• This section must include a problem statement starting with, e.g., “This paper considers

the problem of determining …”, “The main problem of the firm is how to …”, etc, either

in the beginning or at the end of the section.

4. IOSCM concepts/tools that can be applied

• Describe what specific IOSCM concepts/tools can be applied to the problem and why

they are appropriate to the problem. This section should make it clear that you understand

the concepts/tools you are about to use. Since section 5 need to apply two or more

IOSCM concepts, at least two IOSCM concepts need to be identified in this section.

5. Application of IOSCM concepts/tools

• Choose two or more IOSCM concepts/tools among the ones provided in section 4 and

apply it to propose a solution to the problem.

• This section should include your supportive evidence/calculations in details to show how

you have applied the IOSCM concept/tool(s) to develop the solution.

6. Analysis of expected results

• Analyze the expected results of the proposed solution.

• The expected results may include cost/revenue impact and/or improvement of operational

performance. You must be specific to receive full credit.

• Discuss the pros and cons of the suggested solution.

7. Conclusion

• Conclusion about the problem, IOSCM tools, analysis, and results.

• Compare what’s the difference between domestic and global operation supply chain

management in your case.

You are highly encouraged to find a problem from your own work if you work for a

multinational company, so that you may apply to your work the concepts/tools that you learned

from this course. However, if you want to find a problem from business articles/cases, you can

find one from any journals/newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes,

Harvard Business Review, and so on. Or you can surf the Internet to find an interesting

article/case.

The meaning of a problem in managing international operations will become clearer as you study

this course. As you can see in the textbook contents and course schedule, an IOSCM problem

may involve but not limited to global operations strategy, global sourcing, global supply chain

management, logistics network design for global operations, risk management in global

operations, information management for global operations, process design and improvement for

global operations, etc.

Examples of the IOSCM concepts/tools that can be applied to your problem include but not

limited to Strategic Importance and Criticality Matrix, third-party logistics, criteria for backward

vertical integration versus development of local suppliers, framework for supply chain structures,

three approaches for the orientation of facility networks, operational flexibility for minimizing

operating exposure, ERP/SCM systems, etc.

Appendix: Expectations for the Individual Project

Below Expectations Meet Expectations Exceed Expectations

1. Identification of

problem in

managing

international

operation and

supply chain

Lack of understanding

about what problems are

faced when managing

international operations

and supply chain. Problem

description may be vague.

Accurately identifies

problems in managing

international operation

and supply chain but

may omit issues of

minor significance.

Accurately identifies

problems in managing

international operation

and supply chain and

describes the problems

clearly and specifically.

2. Identification of

appropriate

IOSCM

concepts/tools

Fails to identify

appropriate IOM

concepts/tools that can be

applied to the identified

problem or selects

inappropriate IOSCM

concepts/tools.

Identifies appropriate

IOSCM concepts/tools

that can be applied to

the identified problem.

concepts/tools that can

be applied to the

identified problem.

Identifies a novel

approach that combines

multiple IOSCM

concepts/tools that can

be applied to the

identified problem.

3. Application of

IOSCM

concepts/tools

Inappropriately applies the

selected IOSCM

concepts/tools to the

identified problem.

Appropriately applies

the selected IOSCM

concept/tools to the

identified problem

although the application

may lack some depth.

Applies the selected

IOSCM concepts/tools

expertly in detail and in

depth to the identified

problem.

4. Analysis of

results

Superficial or absence of

analysis. May analyze

results that are not directly

related to the solution.

Provides some analysis

of results related to the

solution. May omit

discussion of some

results.

Provides some analysis

of results related to the

solution. May omit

discussion of some

results.

5. Discussion of

implementation

issues

Limited discussion of

possible action plan(s).

Discusses specific

action plan(s) relevant

to the solution.

Provides specific action

plan(s) and in-depth

discussion of possible

implementation issues.