Reference no: EM131458815 , Length: 25

Project Guidelines:

- COMPANY Selected "IKEA in UAE"

We have selected a large firm in the UAE "IKEA"and to do a detailed study of strategic supply chain management techniques and practices.

Submit a report (20-25 pages)which included the mentioned 4 Parts below.

The Project will cover the Followings 4 Parts :

- PART 1: Business Purpose- Who are we in the stage of designing SCM?
- PART 2: As-is Supply Chain- How do we fit as partners in Supply Chain?
- PART 3: To-Be supply chain- How can we improve our performance as part of the Supply Chain?
- PART 4: The Supply Chain Road Map- Mapping the supply chain design

You should include "The Supply Chain Road Map".

Details of these PARTs are mentioned in the followings Pages ..

PART 1: Business Purpose- Who are we in the stage of designing SCM?

(Business description and major Supply Chain Management determinants)

The objective of part 1 of the plan or proposal is to:
- Explain who the company is. In doing this, the student must explain the company's:
o Core competencies.
o Competitive strategy
o Customers
o Supply chain processes
- Use environmental scanning to construct a SWOT analysis for the company

1.1 Supply chain management and competitive strategy
1. Provide a brief background of the company.
a. Describe the industry in which the company competes.
b. Describe the company's position in the market. Also provide details about location(s) (including international locations if necessary).
2. Describe the environment, the resources, the objectives and the feedback decisions used by the company in the strategic view.
3. Compile (draw) a supply chain for the chosen company. Include the supply chain flows of information, goods and services, and finances in the supply chain.

1.2. Customer fulfillment and environmental scanning
1. Explain how the company creates value for their customers through Supply Chain Management (SCM) (i.e. by considering quality, cost, flexibility, delivery and innovation issues.)
2. Explain how the company is or could monitor the satisfaction of the end customers and how it deals with its partners in the Supply Chain (SC) in order to increase this satisfaction.
3. Use environmental scanning in order to define a brief SWOT analysis table for the company. Be mindful to focus on SCM issues.
4. Define the most important forces of changes influencing the company supply chain strategies.

1.3. Supply chain processes thinking and order fulfillment
1. What are the strategies used by the firm as part of their SCM (i.e. cost leadership, differentiation)? Justify your answer by providing examples.
2. Describe the order fulfillment process, using SCOR model elements.
3. Describe the sourcing processes (supplier selection, transaction management, relationship management, communication management).

PART 2: As-is Supply Chain- How do we fit as partners in Supply Chain?

Part 2 is very closely linked to Part 1. In fact, it elaborates and builds on the "Who are we" statements of part 1 and emphasizes the current As-Is supply chain. Therefore, the objective of this part of the plan or proposal is to:
- Explain the company's supply chain as it currently is (i.e. how the company fits in the current supply chain). In doing this, the student must explain:
o How the company practices supply chain costing
o How the company measures supply chain performance
o The company's core competencies and outsourcing policies/ practices
o The company's supply base

2.1. Strategic supply chain costing and performance measurement
1. Describe the strategic cost management principles.
2. Explain the tools that can be used to support strategic cost management. How can you distinguish between suppliers (i.e. decide the importance of their suppliers)?
3. Explain how the company (could) measure its sourcing, operations and logistics processes as well as its customer satisfaction.
4. Explain how the company could measure its SCM performance (e.g. SC InventoryDays of Supply, Response Time, Cash-to-Cash Cycle Time, Perfect Order Fulfillment etc.).

2.2. Competencies and outsourcing
1. Identify the core competencies of the company. Justify why you think they are core competencies.
2. Define outsourcing and discuss reasons why companies outsource. Provide examples of outsourced services. Identify and describe some of the potential risks associated with outsourcing.
3. Explain a make-or-buy analysis and illustrate how this analysis influences a company's decision to outsource.

2.3. Supply chain rationalization
1. Discuss supply-base optimization as an example of the rationalization process.
2. Explain how role shifting improves competitiveness in the supply chain.

PART 3: To-Be supply chain- How can we improve our performance as part of the Supply Chain?

Part 3 looks at how the company can improve its performance. It builds on parts 1 and 2 and asks: "How should we fit and how do we get there?" Companies look at what they are in Parts 1 and 2 and see where they can improve. Therefore, the objective of this part of the plan or proposal is to:

- Explain how the company wants their supply chain to be and how they can get there. In doing this, the student must explain:
o The company's supply chain relationships
o How the company can share information across the supply chain

3.1. Supply chain relationships
1. Identify the right type of relationships with SC members that are recommended for the company.
2. What are the practices that promote successful alliance creation and management?
3. How should the company utilize the elements of an effective negotiation strategy in order to build strong SC relationships? How should the company plan effective negotiations? Which tactics support win-win negotiations?

3.2. Sharing information across the supply chain
1. What SC-related information technologies and information systems are used? Explain the benefits and real (or potential) value of this system.
2. How do companies use the Internet and e-commerce in supply chain management practices?

PART 4: The Supply Chain Road Map- Mapping the supply chain design

Part 4 is a summary and brings all the previous parts together. The objective of this part of the plan or proposal is to:
- Map (or compile) a supply chain road map for the company
- Make conclusions and/or recommendations to the company about their strategic supply chain practices.

4.1. Supply chain mapping
1. Based on the information in the plan (project output) for parts 1, 2 and 3, map out (or compile) a supply chain using the supply chain road map. Use the Supply Chain Road Map in your prescribed book as structure and include main points about the company from parts 1, 2 and 3 in the map. Therefore, the structure of your mind map must include:
a. Designing the supply chain
i. Who are we? (Business Purpose)
ii. How do we fit? (As-Is supply chain)
iii. How should we fit? (To-Be supply chain)
b. Integrating the supply chain
i. How do we get there?

2. Make some conclusions and recommendations to the company about their strategic supply chain management practices. Based on the findings in the project, explain how the company can improve its supply chain performance in terms of:
a. Fulfilling customers' needs
b. Supply chain processes
c. Strategic supply chain costing and performance measurement practices
d. Core competencies and outsourcing practices
e. Supply chain relationship management
f. Sharing information across the supply chain
g. Aligning all of the above with its supply chain strategy