...gap analysis For gap analysis in wildlife conservation, see Gap analysis (conservation) In business and economics, gap analysis is a tool that helps companies compare actual performance with potential performance. At its core are two questions: "Where are we?" and "Where do we want to be?" If a company or organization does not make the best use of current resources, or foregoes investment in capital or technology, it may produce or perform below its potential. This concept is similar to the base case of being below the production possibilities frontier. Gap analysis identifies gaps between the optimized allocation and integration of the inputs (resources), and the current allocation level. This reveals areas that can be improved. Gap analysis involves determining, documenting, and approving the variance between business requirements and current capabilities. Gap analysis naturally flows from benchmarking and other assessments. Once the general expectation of performance in the industry is understood, it is possible to compare that expectation with the company's current level of performance. This comparison becomes the gap analysis. Such analysis can be performed at the strategic or operational level of an organization. Gap analysis is a formal study of what a business is doing currently and where it wants to go in the future. It can be conducted, in different perspectives, as follows: Organization (e.g., human resources) Business direction Business processes Information...
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...WEEK SEVEN ASSIGNMENT, ISQA 407 SUPPLY CHAIN OPPORTUNITIES Student Name ____________________________________ Reading Assignment Read Chapter 7 of class text, Supply Chain Opportinities (Essentials of Supply Chain Management, Second Edition, Michael Hugos).Read article “Identifying the Links in Your Supply Chain” (D2L) 1. Please explain what is mean by “competitive advantage” and give an example of it. An advantage that a firm has over its competitors, allowing it to generate greater sales or margins and retain more customers than its competition. There can be many types of competitive advantages including the firm's cost structure, product offerings, distribution network and customer support. Such as Wal-Mart, has a high level of the supply chain management and responsive the market demands. Wal-Mart has efficient logistic. 2. What is meant by the term “brainstorming” and what are some of its advantages? Brainstorming is technique for generating a free flow of ideas in a group of people. Advantages : a. Brainstorming session is often the last resort when other techniques and methods do not deliver the desired solutions. b. A few basic rules to follow and easy to learn and perform. Once the rules are accepted, any barriers to creativity fall quickly. c. The costs for a brainstorming session are very low in relation to the output. d. The biggest advantage is the high amount of generated ideas. 3. Describe the steps in creating an initial...
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...19 Make-To-Order Automobiles 1 at GM’s Gravataí Plant Introduction In December 2007, seven years after the launching of the Chevrolet Celta, Roberto Tinoco, the plant director, proudly recalled the inauguration of the Gravataí plant in mid-July 2000, an event that caught the eye of professionals and academia both in Brazil and abroad. The core notion was: to sell cars made-to-order for final consumers. The project, known internally by the handle “blue macaw,” was considered to be a true landmark for the world’s automotive industry. The Gravataí plant brought about a true revolution in how cars were made, from its concept to the direct-sale model, through its production management system. The lessons learned during the experiment were relevant because they contributed to the establishment of a new production model, helping put the world’s automotive industry on a new path. The plant was working at full capacity especially during the first years, and the production during this period is shown in the table below. The extraordinary increase in production in the last seven years is evident. The idea was to deliver a car assembled as per the consumer’s own specifications in the shortest possible time, at a cost lower than that of the traditional make-to-stock mass-production system. Year Production 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 24,007 91,407 109,916 115,304 136,114 135,097 140,994 192,272 The Background...
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...CALLING TO USA If you want to call the US directly, purchase an international phone card (kokusai denwa kaado) (国際電話カード) at the convenience store for ¥1000 ($10). This will give you about 10-15 minutes of phone time. IF you have AT&T, MCIWorldCom or Sprint Calling Cards from the USA, put in a ¥10 coin in the phone (green in color, a public phone) and dial the following numbers: AT&T 005-39-111+area code+number 0066-55-111+area code+number 0044-11-111+area code+number MCI 00539-121 0034-811-811 0066-55-121 0044-11-121 SPRINT 00539-131 AT&T can dial direct with the above. MCI and SPRINT, will get you to an operator. TRANSPORTATION On the Tokyo part of trip, will we primarily take three companies for transportation. They are Toei (都営), Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ) and Japan Railways (JR). Roppongi station is known as H04 (H for Hibiya) or E23 (E for Toei Oedo). These are the two lines that you can take to get to other destinations in Tokyo. Toei (都営) This is the transportation system that is owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Toei owns the Arakawa line and also 4 subway lines. Toei Shinjuku (都営新宿線) (light green or S), Toei Mita (都営三田線) (deep blue or I), Toei Asakusa (都営浅草線) (pink or A) and the Toei Oedo line (都営大江戸線) (maroon or E) are the subway lines. Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ) This is the primary subway system in Tokyo. Yurakucho line (有楽町線)(gold or Y), Marunouchi line (丸の内線) (red or M,m), Tozai line (東西線) (light blue or T), Ginza line...
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...Business Policy & Strategy Date: -------------- Final Project (WAC) University of Central Punjab Course Instructor: Farooq Omar Semester: ------------------ Section: -------- Group - Names: > Business Plan (type in trading name) (type in address) (address continued) (telephone number) (email address) -YOUR BUSINESSS LOGO - Prepared (date) Purpose of the business plan Explain why you are writing the plan: is it to secure finance, a management tool, or an operational guide for the business Start-up? If the plan is intended to support an application for finance, state the name of the bank or other financier to whom the application is being made, the amount of finance being applied for, the term of the loan and the security you’ll be providing the bank. State what the loan will be used for and how it will be repaid: eg from additional revenue generated as a result of borrowing the money. Also remember to date the plan and note the author. Summary Although it appears at the beginning of the plan, the summary is usually written last. It provides a broad overview of your business and what distinguishes your products or services from...
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...A Internet é um sistema global de redes de computadores interligadas que utilizam o conjunto de protocolos padrão da internet (TCP/IP) para servir bilhões de utilizadores no mundo inteiro. É uma rede de várias outras redes, que consiste em milhões de empresas privadas, públicas, académicas e de governo, com alcance local e global e que está ligada por uma ampla variedade de tecnologias de rede electrónica, sem fios. Hugo Cunha FTIC - 2014 A história da Internet Docente: António Aguiar Índice Introdução 2 A história da internet 3 Internet em Portugal 6 As eras web da Internet 6 Conclusão 8 Referências 8 Introdução A Internet tem revolucionado o mundo dos computadores e das comunicações como nenhuma invenção foi capaz de fazer antes. A invenção do telégrafo, telefone, rádio e computador prepararam o terreno para esta nunca antes vista integração de capacidades. A Internet é um mecanismo de disseminação da informação e divulgação mundial e um meio para colaboração e interacção entre indivíduos e os seus computadores, independentemente das suas localizações geográficas. A comunicação via Internet pode ser de diversos tipos: * Dados * Voz * Vídeo * Multimédia A história da Internet é complexa e envolve muitos aspectos, tecnológicos, organizacionais e comunitários. A sua influência atinge não somente os campos técnicos das comunicações via computadores mas toda a sociedade, na medida em que usamos cada vez mais ferramentas online para fazer comércio electrónico...
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...In addition to the supply chain map drawn above: • Suppliers are limited and highly specialized • Production: • Louis Vuitton is keeping most of the manufacturing activities because of the value perceived by the customer in the “made in France” label. • 3,600 highly skilled employees and sophisticated manufacturing technology • Production planning based on volumes forecasted by the logistics department • Warehouse & Distribution: 2 • Centralization of the logistics for all plants (products manufactured in foreign plants are forwarded daily to Cergy) 2. Management of the Supply Chain analysis Problems related to Louis Vuitton supply chain • Product availability is low, for good or for bad, this has to be counted as an issue because clearly they are missing out on potential sales/profits just because the retailers don’t have any goods to sell even though the demand is strong. There is also a lack of anticipation during the periods of high demand o This non-availability problem is probably heaving a negative effect on LV’s reputation too o Loosing customers due to lack of stock and unavailability of some products: 8% disappointed and 70% of these are lost for good. • The Logistics Center is facing a tight production capacity issue o Due to high manufacturing times, and owners placing larger order it is causing compounding problems for the logistics department o The larger orders are taking precedent over the smaller orders in stores with minimal storage...
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...CASE I supply_chain_strategy LAUNCHING CPFR AT TEXAN FOODS: IMPROVING INVENTORY REPLENISHMENT WITH COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES Introduction Angela Preston sank back into the cushy leather chair in the Captain’s Club at LAX, and rubbed her eyes. She and her supervisor, Gordon Ross, had flown halfway across the country to Fresno to meet with representatives from a key supplier, Valley Bakers, to review the outcomes of their 180-day CPFR pilot program. When her drink arrived she hardly touched it,except to stir it nervously, until Gordon returned from the ticket counter. When she had agreedto accept the promotion to Category Director last year, she had no idea that the pressures ofthis job would be so enduring. The last six months had seemed like one long, dull headache. Since the initiation of the CPFR pilot program, it seemed that Valley, their supplier, had been making all the demands in this relationship. Wasn’t the customer supposed to be the one who was always right? Gordon eased into the chair next to her and immediately noticed the weary, pained look on her face. As Vice President of Supply Chain Operations for Texan Foods for the last 9 years, he had learned a lot about dealing with employee and customer frustrations. The CPFR pilot with Valley had tested his resolve as well. Valley’s CPFR team was unhappy with the small performance gains – and the occasional significant losses – that the program had delivered for the 34 SKUs that...
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...Task 1 Using different supply chain measurement models and frameworks from the literature, critically identify and recommend the most important supply chain measures in each supply chain process for a maritime cargo logistics and transport organization. You are required to look at different supply chain processes and measures in the SCOR Models, and also use supply chain measurement models from …… Executive Summary The purpose of this assignment is to understand the usage of different measurement models to evaluate supply chain management. Besides that, understanding the interaction between quality and environmental sustainability is also a purpose of this assignment. The overall article will be separated into two parts. The first part will focus on the measurement of supply chain based on the SCOR model and Balance Scorecard. The second part will evaluate the possible pressure that MPA may face with in the future in order to analyze the balance of quality and environmental sustainability. From the first part of the article, there are four factors chosen as the most important measurements for the SCOR model. In the ‘Plan’ stage, forecast has been picked up for the main measurement for COSCO because forecast can help to balance the demand and supply; in the ‘Source’ stage, information management is the most important one to measure due to the importance of information availability for all the sources; in the ‘Deliver’ stage, delivery speed becomes the most suitable one to...
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...The Sustainable SCM of Wal-Mart Group Work - Fall 2013 Global Supply Chain Management Common Assumptions • The categories chosen are Seafood and Electronics. • The market considered into the analysis is the U.S. market. • Every change in the supply chain has to be considered in a sustainable and profitable perspective. • The suppliers that are not compliant with Wal-Mart’s directive on sustainability are substituted after a short-medium time. • A Central Warehouse in the U.S. is not considered for both chains, because we assume that a system of cross docking takes care of the incoming goods from the arrival point in the U.S.A. if the good is imported. • We consider in the U.S.A territory five central warehouse that have a direct contact with all the Wall-Mart stores according to their geographical position. Seafood supply chain Electronic supply chain Assumptions The assumptions needed in order to analyze the seafood supply chain for Wal-Mart are the following: Our import market is the USA market and the export is the Thai one. Thailand, in fact, is one of the major exporter of the seafood category that we will consider: salmon. Wal-Mart fishes demand is similar to the American demand composition in terms of the quantity and the quality of the products. In our analysis we will consider as “producers” (first level of the supply chain) only the fishermen and not the fish farmers We considered only pre-frozen fish, that will be sold...
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...until it wasdelivered to the large dairyproducers. 6. 14. SynopsisIt was revealed that officialsknew about the contaminationproblem for months beforeinforming the public.Numerous dairy officials weresent to prison and 2 primarymiddlemen were sentenced todeath. 7. 15. SynopsisStarbucks has now launched anew line of coffees that aregrown by farmers in China andit hopes to bring the product toconsumers worldwide.Worldwide launch is dependenton how fast farmers can ramp-up production to meet demand. 8. 16. SynopsisCould this be the start ofanother issue of Chinesebusinesses cutting corners tomeet demand? 9. 17. Question 1: Explain why the supply chaincan dramatically impact a company? 10. 18. Question 1: Explain why the supplychain can dramatically impact acompany?A supply chain is a system of organizations,people, technology, activities, information andresources involved in moving a product orservice from supplier to customer. 11. 19. Question...
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...Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Unit Title: STRATEGIC SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS | | Unit aim This unit provides the learner with the understanding and skills to plan strategies to improve an organisation’s supply chain Unit introduction This unit focuses on how the concept of supply chain management and logistics is based on the idea that every product that reaches an end user represents the combined effort of multiple organisations which make up the supply chain and that until recently, most organisations paid attention to only what was happening within their own business. Few organisations understood, much less managed, the entire chain of activities that ultimately delivered products to the final customer. This resulted in ineffective supply chains. In this unit, learners will develop the knowledge that, today, many organisations realise that effective management of supply chain activities can lead to increased customer value and achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Supply chain activities cover everything from product development, sourcing, production and logistics, to the information systems needed to coordinate these activities. Learners will discover that the organisations that make up the supply chain are ‘linked’ through physical and information flows. Physical flows involve the transformation, movement and storage of goods and materials and are the most visible piece of the supply chain. Of equal importance...
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...------------------------------------------------- Company Report: Gap Inc. and Business Ethics Depestel Caroline Milijana Zlatic s0101027 s0100470 Professor S. Hughes Year: 2012-2013 3th Bachelor Applied Economics 1. Executive Summary The topic of this paper is business ethics within Gap Inc., a multinational retail – clothing company. The foundation of its corporate ethical approach is summarized in the Code of Conduct . This paper outlines the ethical problems Gap Inc. faced in the last years and more important, the solutions they found in order to remain a successful company. It shows how large companies deal with common issues like child labour and sweatshops. In the first place, this report points out several examples of the problems had to deal with. These points, among which an important lawsuit and documentary, illustrate that their Code of Conduct is not sufficient enough to name Gap Inc. a model corporation in terms of business ethics. Secondly, it is essential to make an overview of the resolutions for the problems that Gap created over the years. In answer to the critics on child labour and employee abuse, they launched a campaign in which they support several organizations. Furthermore, Gap increased its corporate responsibilty by creating several multi-stakeholder initiatives. The quick solutions Gap came up with show that a big company can limit its economic damage when ethical issues occur. To maintain...
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...The four P’s: The two companies could only became successful and therefore could reach global recognition by the efficient use of the four P’s. Let’s see what the four P’s mean in the case of these firms. Product: Although toothpaste, shower gel, detergents are convenience goods, (these products are usually bought with little planning) Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever maintain a high level of quality. “Companies choose a quality level that matches target market needs and the quality levels of competing products”(Kotler, Armstrong, Saunders, Wong 1996, p. 551). Quality is not just a feature, but also a core philosophy and all members of the firm, even top management have to be dedicated to quality. Quality refers not only to products but also refers to the manufacturing, which is done without defaults. Quality also means the fact that the firm is involved in improving customer value and maintains the satisfaction of customers and participates in constant R&D (research and development). In the case of Colgate, it is easier to keep the level of quality because the firm’s products are deemed suitable for use and consumers have not complained much about the quality. Unilever also struggles to maintain quality but is always tarnished by the constant criticism of the Greenpeace. Unilever, which makes the famous Dove product buys palm oil from suppliers who destroy Indonesia’s rainforests. This will result in forest destruction, extinct animals, and climate change. In Unilever’s “sustainable...
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...AC 1: Understand the relationship between supply chain management (SCM) and organizational business Objectives 1.1explain the importance of effective supply chain management in achieving organizational objectives 1.2 explain the link between supply chain management and business functions in an organization 1.3 discuss the key drivers forachieving an integrated supplychain strategy in an organization AC 2: Be able to use information technology to optimize supplier relationships in an organization 2.1 evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used by an organization to maintain supplier relationships 2.2 use information technology tocreate strategies to develop anorganization’s relationship with itssuppliers 2.3 develop systems to maintain an organization’s relationship with its suppliers AC 3 : Understand the role of informationtechnology in supply chainmanagement 3.1 assess how informationtechnology could assistintegration of different parts of the supply chain of anorganization 3.2 evaluate how informationtechnology has contributed to themanagement of the supply chainof an organization 3.3 assess the effectiveness ofinformation technology inmanaging the supply chain of anorganization AC 4: Understand the role of logistics andprocurement in supply chain Management 4.1 explain the role of logistics insupply chain management in anorganization 4.2 evaluate procurement practices in an organization 4.3 discuss the factors...
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