Operations and Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operations and Supply Chain Management - Essay Example The report will asses some aspects of operations and supply chain management in terms of strategies to be adopted, supply chain design, supply chain planning, inventory and planning in retail and global operations, procurement management sustainable supply chain, demand forecasting, demand management, and product design supply chain. The paper will also asses some aspects of transport and distribution supply chain management, warehousing and material handling service operations, logistics outsourcing financial considerations, lean manufacturing human aspects of operations and supply chain management, quality management pedagogical issues, and maintenance research methodology in operations and supply chain management. It is worth noting that any of the above analysis will be done with an aim of developing a consultancy report to advice the management of the company about an appropriate â€Å"layout† for the proposed store. It is in this light that I will discuss the elements of a hypermarket layout plan in order to address all relevant considerations that should be put into practice to make easy the operations of such a business once in force. Introduction Studies have noted that the concept of operations and supply chain management has been emerging as a management issue of concern that organisations have sought to address to its conclusive end (Heiman and Nickerson, 2002, p.97; Singh and Power, 2009, p. 189). Horvath (2001, p. 205) observes that having come out as a dominant theme, supply chain integration is being considered to be of vital importance given the role it plays in business management. An organization's operations are strategically vital in the sense that, nearly all of the firms everyday activities are normally within the operations function. The relationship between a firm’s strategy and its operations is actually the big factor that determines the overall success of the firm in relation to its set objectives either in the short ru n or in the long run. Other scholars have been for the opinion that supply chain management (SCM) would be best carried out if traders come together and form and co-operate so as to achieve a common goal with an aim of acquiring benefits that may accrue from such integration. In order to determine the best layout and size of a new hypermarket near Sydney, I considered research studies on the Sydney market, consumer behaviors, the market’s potential in relation to local and international competition, international trade barriers, transport costs, local competition, government requirements, and political stability. In addition, I also researched on buyer behavior, competitive practices, distribution channels, media and demographic patterns through research studies about Australian markets, especially Sydney. However, the major discussion will be based on geographical expanse of Australia, especially Sydney, and demographic profile. This will put into consideration reliable data on potential demand, the cost of facilities, and operating costs such as labour and transportation Literature Review Australian Market Studies have indicated that operations and supply chain management (OSCM) assists companies to respond to market factors appropriately and allay any undesirable effect that may impede an organization (Holweg et al., 2005, p. 170; Chen et al., 2000, p. 436). In the sane way, other studies indicate that highly integrated supply chains help firms in building competitive advantages over rival companies (Myhr and Spekman, 2005, p. 180; Themistocleous et al., 2004, p. 393). From studies conducted on Australian internal market, (Chan, 2006, p. 238) has found