QSO 330 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a supply chain evaluation. Supply chain management (SCM) is a holistic view of a company’s efforts to source, procure, receive, store, and deliver products. These products can be raw materials for a manufacturing process, consumer goods for a retail chain, or a collection of items that will be joined in some way before ultimate delivery to the customer. In today’s global economic environment, SCM takes on an increasing level of complexity as companies attempt to reduce costs, drive efficiency, and remain compliant with the corporate social responsibilities that today’s consumers demand.
For this project, you will act as the lead consultant to Walmart as it attempts to improve its overall supply chain. The ultimate recommendation you make will be based upon your analysis of the current SCM and your insight on how to improve demand forecasting, sourcing, transportation, and warehousing options to optimize the overall operation. This project will showcase your ability to balance the competing requirements of reducing cost and increasing efficiency while remaining at the forefront of sustainable operations for the industry. Your analysis and recommendations will be formatted into a supply chain evaluation for Walmart’s executive team to use to optimize their supply chain management in this very demanding environment.
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final product will be submitted in Module Seven.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Analyze operational and logistical issues related to supply chain management using appropriate quantitative and qualitative methodologies
Determine pertinent issues and potential constraints for problem solving regarding supply chain management
Develop distribution solutions based on supply chain management principles that address network inefficiencies
Recommend appropriate cost-saving strategies and risk mitigation plans for supply chain implementation
Prompt
Using the provided Walmart China case study, create a supply chain evaluation in which you assess Walmart in terms of its demand forecasting, sourcing, transportation, and warehousing processes in order to develop SCM recommendations that will reduce costs and risks to the business operation. It is strongly recommended that you thoroughly review the prompt below before you read the case study, and you should continue to refer to the prompt as you read. You should format your analysis and recommendations as if you were a consultant hired by Walmart.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Executive Summary: In this section, explain the purpose of your brief and highlight key information and findings that will aid the understanding of the more in-depth analysis and recommendations to follow.
II. Demand Forecasting: In this section, first assess the supply and demand side of Walmart’s product flow, including the customer’s needs and the supplier’s capabilities, in order to then identify potential alignments that will keep cost and waste at aminimum.
A. Evaluation
1. Analyze Walmart’s suppliers in terms of their abilities to meet the demand of customers during steady-state and peak operations. How effective are each supplier’s inventory reorder points and economic order quantities? Support your analysis with quantitativeexamples.
2. Additionally, describe demand-forecasting constraints that exist within the supply chain. For example, consider the distance of the stores and the compatibility of the products in terms of shipping, storage, and so on.
B. Recommendations: Based on your evaluation, recommend strategies for better aligning the supply and demand side of Walmart’s product flow that will keep cost and waste at a minimum.
III. Sourcing: In this section, first evaluate the network sourcing strategy of Walmart in order to then identify possible areas in need of improvement that will leave room for future expansion.
A. Evaluation: Assess the current network sourcing strategy and determine whether or not the number and quality of suppliers is the optimal mix for the operation. To what extent do the current suppliers meet steady-state and peak demand? Are they consistently providing products that meet or exceed Walmart’s quality standards? Defend your assessment with examples.
B. Recommendations
1. Recommend a strategy to optimize the sourcing network that takes into account current operations and leaves room for future expansion. Be sure to consider any alternative sources of materials available to the organization in yourresponse.
2. Recommend a standard procedure for vetting suppliers to ensure that they are compliant with the corporate social responsibility guidelines of Walmart.
3. Make sure that you have recommended the best sourcing practices for Walmart using appropriate quantitative methods.
IV. Transportation: In this section, first consider the effectiveness of Walmart’s transportation network in order to then determine possible cost savings without sacrificing performance.
A. Evaluation
1. Identify constraints within the transportation network and discuss the impact they will have on the overall supply chain operation. Be sure to provide specific examples to illustrate.
2. Analyze the transportation network and determine whether or not the correct modes of transportation are being used based on time, cost, and quantity.
B. Recommendations: Make recommendations on how to improve the transportation network given the constraints you identified, using specific examples to illustrate and justify your claims.
V. Warehousing: In this section, first analyze Walmart’s warehousing network to in order to then determine requirements and develop recommendations for adequately meeting current and future storage needs.
A. Evaluation
1. Analyze the current warehousing infrastructure to determine if the current warehousing network adequately meets storage needs.
Additionally, consider eventual expansion requirements of Walmart’s operation. What are the constraints or restrictions involved in the possible locations?
2. Identify considerations for special handling of hazardous materials and describe their impact on warehousing for the current mix of products that Walmart’s SCM is handling, using specific examples.
B. Recommendations
1. Determine warehousing requirements that will ensure adequate availability of resources for the organization. Support your proposed requirements with given production and demand elements from the scenario.
2. Based on your determination of requirements, recommend a warehouse design that will minimize movements between functions and reduce costs. Explain how your recommendation will drive this improvement throughout the network, considering facility costs, inventory carrying costs, personnel costs, and equipment costs.
VI. Conclusions: In the final section, take a critical look at your various recommendations in order to develop final conclusions forWalmart.
A. Prioritize your demand-forecasting, sourcing, transportation, and warehousing recommendations based on efficiency gain, cost, and sustainability.
B. Discuss the feasibility of your recommendations based on supply chain constraints of Walmart in the case study. Justify your claims with specific evidence.
Milestone One: Demand Forecasting and Sourcing
Milestones
In Module Three, you will submit an assessment of the supply and demand of Walmart and product flow, as discussed in the Walmart China: Supply Chain
Transportation case study. You will also evaluate the network sourcing strategy of Walmart to identify areas that may be in need of improvement and will leave room for future expansion. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Transportation and Warehousing
In Module Five, you will submit an evaluation of Walmart’s transportation and warehousing networks, focusing on constraints, modes of transportation, infrastructure, and special handling requirements. You will also make recommendations to improve transportation. This milestone will be graded with the
Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Supply Chain Evaluation
In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your supply chain evaluation should be 12–15 pages, double spaced, with one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and APA citations when applicable.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Executive Summary Meets “Proficient” criteria, and the executive summary reflects a concise, effective communication style
Explains the purpose of the brief and highlights key information that supports the analysis and recommendations of the brief
Discusses the purpose of the brief or highlights certain information, but there are gaps
in necessary detail
Does not include an executive summary
2
Demand Forecasting:
Evaluation: Suppliers
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis reflects deep insight into operational and logistical
issues related to supply chain management Accurately analyzes suppliers’
abilities to meet customer demand during steady-state and peak operations using valid
supporting quantitative evidence
Discusses the suppliers’ abilities to meet various customer demands, but there are gaps in
necessary detail, accuracy, or the quantitative evidence
Does not discuss the suppliers’ abilities to meet various customer demands
6
Demand Forecasting:
Evaluation:
Constraints
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
description reflects a nuanced
understanding of constraints
that impact problem solving in
supply chain management
Describes all relevant demand
forecasting constraints of the
supply chain using specific
details
Discusses demand forecasting
constraints but fails to consider
all relevant constraints or cite
specific details
Does not discuss demand
forecasting constraints
5
Demand Forecasting:
Recommendations
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect
advanced ability to strategically
reduce costs and mitigate risks
in the supply chain
Recommends appropriate
strategies for better aligning
the supply and demand sides of
the product flow that would
effectively keep cost and waste
at a minimum
Discusses strategies for better
aligning the supply and demand
sides but fails to recommend
fully appropriate strategies that
would effectively keep cost and
waste at a minimum
Does not discuss strategies for
better aligning the supply and
demand sides of the product
flow
5
Sourcing: Evaluation Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
assessment reflects a nuanced
understanding of issues that
impact problem solving in
supply chain management
Assesses the current network
strategy to determine how
optimal the supplier mix is for
the operation, citing specific,
supporting evidence
Discusses the current network
strategy in terms of the supplier
mix, but there are logical gaps
in the assessment, or the
assessment is not sufficiently
supported with specific
evidence
Does not discuss the current
network strategy
5
Sourcing:
Recommendations:
Strategy to Optimize
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect a
particularly shrewd or creative
ability to apply supply chain
principles to address network
inefficiencies
Recommends an effective
strategy for optimizing the
sourcing network that takes
into account current operations
and leaves room for future
expansion
Discusses a strategy for
optimizing the sourcing
network but fails to propose a
fully effective strategy that
takes into account current
operations and potential future
expansion
Does not discuss a strategy for
optimizing the sourcing
network
9
Sourcing:
Recommendations:
Vetting Suppliers
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect
advanced ability to strategically
reduce costs and mitigate risks
in the supply chain
Recommends an appropriate
standard procedure for vetting
suppliers that would reasonably
ensure compliance with social
responsibility guidelines
Discusses a standard procedure
for vetting suppliers, but fails to
propose a fully appropriate
procedure that would
reasonably ensure compliance
with social responsibility
guidelines
Does not discuss a standard
procedure for vetting suppliers
5
Sourcing:
Recommendations:
Quantitative Methods
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect
advanced ability to apply
quantitative methods to supply
chain management issues
Presents sourcing
recommendations based on
and supported by appropriate
quantitative methods
Presents sourcing
recommendations that have
some basis or support from
quantitative methods, but
there are gaps in the
application or inappropriate
methods are used
Does not present sourcing
recommendations with a basis
or support from quantitative
methods
6
Transportation:
Evaluation:
Constraints
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response reflects a nuanced
understanding of constraints
that impact problem solving in
supply chain management
Identifies all relevant
constraints within the
transportation network and
discusses their impact using
specific examples
Discusses constraints within the
transportation network but fails
to address all relevant
constraints or fully discuss their
impact using specific examples
Does not identify constraints
within the transportation
network
5
Transportation:
Evaluation: Modes of
Transportation
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
claims reflects deep insight into
operational and logistical issues
related to supply chain
management
Makes valid claims about the
effectiveness of current modes
of transportation based on an
accurate analysis of time, cost,
and quantity
Discusses the effectiveness of
current modes of
transportation, but not all
claims are valid or based on an
accurate analysis of time, cost,
and quantity
Does not make claims about
the effectiveness of current
modes of transportation
6
Transportation:
Recommendations
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect
advanced ability to strategically
reduce costs and mitigate risks
in the supply chain
Recommends sound
improvements to the
transportation network that
address all of the concerns and
constraints identified in the
transportation evaluation using
specific examples
Discusses improvements to the
transportation network but fails
to make fully sound
recommendations that address
all of the concerns and
constraints using specific
examples
Does not discuss improvements
to the transportation network
5
Warehousing:
Evaluation:
Infrastructure
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
analysis reflects deep insight
into operational and logistical
issues related to supply chain
management
Reasonably analyzes
warehousing infrastructure to
determine its adequacy for
meeting current and potential
future storage needs
Discusses warehousing
infrastructure but fails to
reasonably determine its
adequacy for meeting all
current and potential future
storage needs
Does not discuss warehousing
infrastructure
6
Warehousing:
Evaluation:
Hazardous Materials
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response reflects a nuanced
understanding of issues that
impact problem-solving in
supply chain management
Identifies all relevant
considerations for special
handling of hazardous materials
and describes their impacts on
warehousing using specific
examples
Discusses considerations for
special handling of hazardous
materials but fails to identify all
relevant considerations or to
describe their impacts on
warehousing using specific
examples
Does not discuss considerations
for special handling of
hazardous materials
5
Warehousing:
Recommendations:
Requirements
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
proposal reflects a particularly
shrewd or creative ability to
apply supply chain principles to
address network inefficiencies
Proposes valid warehousing
requirements that ensure
adequate availability of
resources based on given
production and demand
information
Discusses warehousing
requirements, but fails to
propose fully valid
requirements that would
ensure adequate availability of
resources based on production
and demand information
Does not discuss warehousing
requirements
9
Warehousing:
Recommendations:
Warehouse Design
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations reflect
advanced ability to strategically
reduce costs and mitigate risks
in the supply chain
Recommends a warehouse
design that minimizes
movements between functions,
reduces costs, considers all
relevant constraints, and is
justified with specific evidence
Discusses a warehouse design
but fails to recommend and
fully justify a design that would
effectively minimize
movements between functions
and reduce costs while
considering all relevant
constraints
Does not discuss a warehouse
design
5
Conclusions: Prioritize Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
prioritization reflects a deep
understanding of key supply
chain principles
Appropriately prioritizes all
recommendations based on
efficiency gains, cost, and
sustainability
Discusses the relative merits of
the recommendations but fails
to logically prioritize each based
on efficiency, gains, cost, and
sustainability
Does not discuss the relative
merits of the recommendations
9
Conclusions:
Feasibility
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response reflects a nuanced
understanding of constraints
that impact problem solving in
supply chain management
Reasonably justifies all claims
about the feasibility of each of
the brief’s recommendations
based on the constraints of the
supply chain
Discusses the feasibility of the
brief’s recommendations, but
fails to justify all claims based
on the constraints of the supply
chain
Does not discuss the feasibility
of the brief’s recommendations
5
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented in
a professional and easy-to-read
format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
2
Total 100%
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