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Assignment 1: Discussion—Supply Chain Management as a Value Driver

In Module 4, you learned that a successful supply chain strategy includes good design and implementation. However, supply chain strategy is not considered truly successful until there is a measurable contribution to the bottom line. To be successful, managers must plan, forecast, and execute the operational plan as well as face and overcome the organizational, partner-based, and personnel-based factors that can diminish value. Effective supply chain management continues to grow in importance as a competitive differentiator for most companies.

Using the module readings,  University online library resources, and the Internet, research supply chain management. As you examine the readings in this module, consider how change affects all stakeholders in the supply chain and apply those reflections to the following questions:

• Identify and cite two current examples of effective company supply chain strategies. Discuss how these strategies impact organizational effectiveness and yield desirable results.
• Describe how companies may fail to realize a competitive advantage or value for the customer when deploying supply chain strategies. What are some of the problems related to human factors that affect the success of supply chain management? Give at least three examples of such problems.
• What are some incentives that can be used to overcome the problems listed above?

Write your initial response in approximately 300–500 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Assignment 2: Discussion—Breaking Down Barriers to Excellence

Service providers that are inside companies or departments are all cost centers. Some examples of these service providers are information technology (IT), audit, and accounting. Departments with cost centers have the benefit of seeing how different parts of an organization interact. The incentives and structure that foster these interactions move costs and profitability from one area of the firm to another. These value shifts do not necessarily increase the value proposition. They may in fact diminish the value proposition. As you answer the following questions, consider how this unique perspective can be strategically leveraged to increase the value proposition.

Using the module readings,  University online library resources, and the Internet, respond to the following:

• The IT department in many firms is in a unique position to view business operations both cross-functionally and in transactional detail. How can the knowledge-sharing practices of the IT department be applied to the development of internal consulting teams?

• How would you structure management such that internal consultancies would have both the incentive and backing to effectively implement change?
• Consider which C-level executive should own that management chain.
• Explain whether the consultancy should be a cost center or profit center.
• Explain its leadership structure.
• How could you relate this management structure to quality management in the workplace? Give examples to illustrate your thoughts.

Write your initial response in approximately 300–500 words. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.