Recent orders
Marketing Video Script
Introduction #2
Business ethics are the values and principles which operate in the world of business. They form the moral framework of the organisation. For Companies such as ShafferFashion, operating in a safe, healthy, and at competitive pay for all of its workers are important in ensuring ethics ae maintained.
Overseas Factories Use #3
Demands from interest groups have forced companies with overseas factories and operations to rethink how they interact with workers especially in the developing world. Tragically, nonetheless, well-documented issues relating to unhealthy and unsafe worker environment still exist in large scale, even for large companies such as Nike. ShafferFashion has the chance to use specially tailored approaches that will address the employee needs, ensure costs remain relatively low, and become a leader in business ethics.
Collaboration with competitors to create better work conditions in overseas companies is suggested as a viable option. While individual firm supply chain management is a form of competitive advantage, issues on labor conditions should not be an area of competition. Therefore, ShafferFashion must build on local capacity, come up with performance measuring initiatives, and explore ways to audit the suppliers.
Introducing Lean Manufacturing #4
ShafferFashion can bridge the gap between organizational and shareholder aims versus the issues in overseas factories relating to workers. Lean manufacturing is able to attain these goals with effectiveness and responsiveness.
The process is simple and sustainable for the company as it involves a focus on eliminating wastes, emphasizes flexibility, and enables skilled workers.
The lean manufacturing process allows workers to perform a variety of roles and tasks and are actively involved in process improvements.
The end goal is to enable employees to be more productive, ensure compliance of companies to labor provisions, and have a positive effect on the safety, health, and environmental compliance.
Collaborating with other entities #5
Collaborating with other entities is an effective option to ensure that ShafferFashion attains the continued use of overseas factories, but under improved working conditions. Partnering with the media to ensure that all efforts are shared with the public, collaborating with law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance, partnering with worker rights groups to fit strategy to overall employee benefits, and ensuring that suppliers remain ethical is a sure way to have effectiveness in implementing the suggested lean manufacturing and other strategies that will provide the company with a good public standing. These measures will also enable ShafferFashion to gain competitive advantage by enabling its workforce to be more competitive and productive compared to the competition.
Changing Business Strategy to Remain Cost Competitive #6
Companies often find it difficult to please all of its stakeholders, as they have different interests. Ultimately companies aim to make a profit and sometimes this can conflict with acting in a responsible way. Larger, global companies can often find it difficult to regulate their activities in other countries. ShafferFashion can leverage its position by changing and expanding its strategy to accommodate the increases in cost due to better working conditions. Creating an organizational culture that attracts only the best, maintaining sustainable business processes, establishing a unique value proposition based on sustainability, and identifying shifts in key components of cost are al expected to push ShafferFashion further ahead and make up for the costs incurred during the improvement process.
Changing Business Strategy to Remain Cost Competitive #7
As the global landscape continues to bring several waves of change, businesses are increasingly moving to take advantage in several fronts. For example, the demand for a more sustainable business processes brought about a wave of green and sustainable business that introduced new business models, companies and operations into the global market (Pandey, 2014). In line with new global demands, organizations are restructuring to operate better, in line with the current market dynamics and competition. As part of the solution for ShafferFashion, it is suggested that new changes be internally conceived to correct the demands of the external environment, including a change of corporate culture and a new focus on meeting the demands of the global market.
Changes Required to Serve Low-Income Communities #8
To become a cost leader, ShafferFashion will have to significantly increase its production scale by increasing the volume of materials so as to further reduce costs. Additionally, Business Roundtable (2020) advocates for investing and creating innovative technology to help firms become cost leaders. Technology may reduce costs through enabling more manufacturing of products per a given period, limiting the number of workers required for tasks, and other benefits to increase efficiency. Also, companies such as Nike have shown that sourcing raw materials and minimizing the dependence third-party products will lower costs (Anzia, 2021). Combined, these processes would help ShafferFashion to improve efficiency and limit its products and services to what is required.
Win-Win Scenario for all Stakeholders #9
A win-win situation would satisfy shareholder goals of profit maximization. Without satisfying the shareholders, the business would not exist. The first goal is to meet the bottom-line that includes cost reduction and profit maximization. Then, the new changes expect workers to have more pay, safer, and healthier work conditions. This goal can be attained, but may affect the cost competitiveness desire from the shareholders. A trade-off emerges where the shareholder needs to be satisfied, yet the workforce must remain satisfied in order to increase productivity and effectiveness of policies. The managers want reduced pressure to produce results despite the current environment. For worker rights groups, a win would entail labour laws compliance and better work conditions for the employees in said overseas companies.
Prioritizing Stakeholders #10
What is a win-win solution? It is a solution that caters for the needs of every stakeholder. Attaining a win-win solution for all stakeholders is fairly difficult since there are a lot of trade-offs that exist between solutions that satisfy different requirements. Without a doubt, ShafferFashion may be unable to meet the demands of every stakeholder group. In case a win-win solution is unattainable, the shareholder deserves priority. Other stakeholders’ goals would not be met fully, but through a partial implementation that caters for the most demanding needs.
Prioritizing Stakeholders: Power Influence Matrix #11
The ratings for interest and power place the shareholders, board of directors, and executives as the most important group. Nike showed the importance of ensuring shareholder prioritization and the support needed to ensure progress (Xu & Leibold, 2020). Therefore, this group must be prioritized over any other group. The stakeholder with the highest index is accorded the first priority. The interests of these groups include profit maximization and continue cost effectiveness. The Eyal Press (2020) best highlights how stakeholder wars have the power to destroy a business as shown by the involvement of the labor secretary in the regulation capacity against employees and the OSHA. Overall, it is important to ensure that the most important groups are prioritized.
Conclusion #12
Business ethics may present a dilemma for an organization. As the global landscape continues to bring several waves of change, businesses are increasingly moving to take advantage in several fronts. All factors considered, it is important to consider which stakeholder to prioritize. In the case of ShafferFashion, the needs of the Board of Directors, the executives, and the shareholders must be met first. They have high power and high interest.
References
Anzia N. (Jan. 26, 2021). Now is the perfect time to rethink your wardrobe, with an eye toward sustainability. The Washington Post.
Eyal Press. (October 10, 2020). Trump’s Labor Secretary is a Wrecking Ball Aimed at Workers. The New Yorker.
Business Roundtable. (September 2020). Addressing Climate Change: Principles and Policies
Xu. V. X. & Leibold, J. (March 17, 2020). Your favorite Nikes might be made from forced labor. Here’s why. The Washington Post.
McFall-Johnsen, M. (October 17, 2019). The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet. Business Insider US.
Pandey, A. H&M Tests Renting Clothes to Boost Environmental Credentials. EcoWatch.
LINK UP SYSTEM. Workflow Analysis and Scheduling
LINK UP SYSTEM
Workflow Analysis and Scheduling
Documents Enclosed
Section 1Task/Result List3
Section 2 PERT Chart4
Section 3 Gantt Chart5
Section 4Scheduling Constraints 6
Section 5Risks Avoided by Schedule Choice7
Link Up
The project designed and described earlier in our project design and control assessment stage involves development and implementation of a new computer system for the Community Mental Health System to be implemented in 83 counties with in the state of Michigan and its partner agencies. The project will assist in improving mental health care in different ways especially in providing a direct line communication between agencies irrespective of their geographical locations. Since the project will involve providing a secure network, it will better coordination, efficiency and speed up authorization of services for mental health patients within the state. Proper filling and access of medical records play a huge role of improving health care and the secure network will provide a good platform for record keeping. Moreover, the billing through the new system will be faster as well as appraisal of the period required to provide services to a client. Faster and easier authorization of services is bound to better accountability and provision of similar health care within the counties. Link up will further be helpful in maintaining quality mental health by eliminating future briefs and reports in case of patient transfers within the agencies since all patient information will be available in the system and accessible by health practitioners within the state of Michigan.
Question 2
Task Result List
Tasks to be Completed
Time Est. Results
1 Conduct a meeting to identify the agencies as well as counties likely to be affected by the new system. .5 day Following the identification of the staff and organizations likely to be affected, the team will be able to determine the hardware, software and knowledge needs of these employees.
2 Site Coordinators and administrators trained and certified
5 days Site coordinators and other administrators, including myself, concerned with overall training and implementation of the program will be trained and knowledgeable on the scope
3 Counties and other agencies that require certain hardware and software upgrades prior to the implementation of the project engage in urgent procurement exercises. 10 days Counties as well as other concerned agencies will be prepared to adopt the new Link Up system.
4 Meet up with site managers to schedule training dates as well as divide the training groups and the trainers into two. .5 day The groups to be trained from the 83 counties will be divided into 16 groups, 2 to be trained simultaneous. As such, 8 rounds of training to be carried out simultaneously will be scheduled.
5 Management will post the training schedules online and direct communication made to the concerned agencies and staff. 2 day The staff to be trained will become aware of exactly when and where they need to report for training.
6 Sites for training management and technical staff will be set up. 1 day Sites to be used in each of the two initial training sessions will be set up, with arrangements for the preparation of other sites to be used in future also being made.
7 A review of the curriculum, materials and programs to be used in training of management and technical staff will be done. 1 day The materials, programs and curricula to be used in training will be revised and ready.
8 Training of management staff will take place in rounds, with a total of 8 sessions being carried out simultaneously in 2 different locations occurring (A total of 16 groups trained). 16 days Technicians and upper management will be prepared to implement and use the new Link Up system, as well as train other employees.
9 Upper management and technicians, who will have participated in training, will prepare and submit schedules for training of employees from the individual centers, agencies and counties (all 83). 1 day Schedules and timetables for the training of employees from the 83 counties and partner agencies will be ready.
10 A review of schedules materials and curricula to be used in the training of employees from the different counties will be done and approved .5 day Counties and agencies will be ready to carry out training sessions.
11 Initial training of employees will take place simultaneously in different counties and agencies over an extended period. 30 days Employees will become aware of what the program entails as well as how to use the new system that will be in place.
12 Site administrators and trainers from individual counties and agencies, will meet management in order to add any new employees that may have come in between training sessions 5 days New employees will continuously be added into the training schedule and be incorporated into the employee roster so as to ensure 100% training for employees.
13 Management to update employees at weekly team meetings and include practice sessions to further enhance an understanding and the adoption of the new program. 20 days Employees will become aware of any changes in training schedules or program
14 All employees will be entered into the Link Up system and necessary permissions and securities set 2 days The employees to use the system as well as their levels of permissions will be set and the employees made aware.
15 A beta test run shall be instituted involving up to 10 counties and agencies, with some employees being used as model patients. 1 day Glitches and potential problem areas shall be identified.
16 Revision and correction of glitches and problem areas, as well as the establishment of a team of technicians to help in solving any future problems shall be done. 3 days Adjustments to the Link Up system will occur and a technical support team selected.
17 Submission of a completion report to Community Mental Health Services Regional office shall be done. 1 day The project will be ready for implementation.
18 The Link up program will be implemented 1 day The Mental Health system in the state of Michigan will change to Link Up and direct communication between all the service providers done.
19 Continuous appraisal and improvement of the system will be done. Open The system will be upgraded continuously.
2433320267335Identification of agency, county and knowledge needs (0.5 days)
Identification of agency, county and knowledge needs (0.5 days)
PERT Chart
-5086352380615Meeting with site managers for scheduling of technicians and upper management training (0.5 days)
Meeting with site managers for scheduling of technicians and upper management training (0.5 days)
51758855986780Submissions to the Community Mental Health Services Regional office (1 day)
Submissions to the Community Mental Health Services Regional office (1 day)
27787607526655Beta Test run (1 day)
Beta Test run (1 day)
-2933707582535Enrollment of all employees into the Link Up system (2 days)
Enrollment of all employees into the Link Up system (2 days)
-5086356485890Addition of new employees to the roster and training schedule (5 days)
Addition of new employees to the roster and training schedule (5 days)
26549356835140Weekly updates for employees(20
Weekly updates for employees(20
-5086355497830Training of technical staff and upper management (16 days)
Training of technical staff and upper management (16 days)
-4483104697095Review of training material and program (1 day)
Review of training material and program (1 day)
-5086353234690Posting of training schedules (2 days
Posting of training schedules (2 days
-4483103981450Setting up of training sites (1 day)
Setting up of training sites (1 day)
45764457009130Implementation of the Link Up project (1 day)
Implementation of the Link Up project (1 day)
48393354590415Correction of any potential glitches, and the establishment of a support team. (3 days)
Correction of any potential glitches, and the establishment of a support team. (3 days)
25590505986780Initial training of employees (30 days)
Initial training of employees (30 days)
25590505085715Review and revision of the submitted material (0.5 days)
Review and revision of the submitted material (0.5 days)
25590503653790Preparation, and submission of training schedules for employees by the trained staff. (1day)
Preparation, and submission of training schedules for employees by the trained staff. (1day)
35883851595755Procurement of software and hardware required (10 days)
Procurement of software and hardware required (10 days)
-2933701595755Training of site administrators and management (5 days)
Training of site administrators and management (5 days)
Gantt Chart
ID Task Name Start Finish Duration Feb. March April May June July Aug. September October
1 Agency Iden 25 Feb 25 Feb 0.5d 2 Training 26 Feb 2 Mar 5days 3 Procuremen 26 Feb 7 Mar 10 days 4 Meeting 8 Mar 8 Mar 0.5 days 5 Schedule P. 9 Mar 10 Ma 2 days 6 Training Site 11 Mar 11Mar 1 day 7 Review 12 Mar 12 Ma 1 day 8 Training 13 Mar 29 Ma 16 days 9 Schedule 30 Mar 30 Ma 1 day 10 Review 1 April 1 April 0.5 d 11 Initial Traini. 2 April 1 May 30 days 12 New Employ 2 May 7 May 5 days 13 Updates 7 May 23 Oct 20 days 14 Registration 8 Mar. 9 Mar. 2 days 15 Test Run 13 Oct 13 Oct 1 day 16 Corrections 14 Oct 16 Oct 3 days 17 Regional Off 23 Oct 23 Oct 1 day 18 Implement. 31 Oct 31 Oct 1 day Scheduling constraints
The project will be designed to achieve a common goal within a specified time. However, the implementation stage is designed in stages whereby every stage is expected to achieve a certain goal within a specified time. In projecting and allocating the time expected for each stage certain constraints will be observed. The following are five main constraints:
All technicians and upper management staff cannot be obtained at the same time from all 83 counties as it would cripple mental health services in the state of Michigan.
Health care system is a critical sector and limiting the number of staff, technicians and upper management available for duty in the industry in the entire Michigan state can have serious negative consequences. For these reason, the new project implementation should be designed in a way that ensures the stability of healthcare system is not negatively affected. During training, each county is expected to provide two health care stakeholders; a technician and a member upper management and during for all counties may result to shortage in the mental health clinics especially for small health clinics for some counties.
There are only two training teams for training technicians and management staff.
The project development stage is designed to provide training to counties is different groups and in different days. Meaning that since there will be two training groups the counties will be grouped into two groups for the training to be effective. Each training team will group the counties assigned in groups of five counties and each group will be trained for one, meaning that each training a team a group of five counties and a total of ten counties will be trained in a day. Therefore, the scheduling the entire project duration consideration will be taken on the training period.
There are a number of hardware upgrades that might need to be done in some counties before training can be done , the time required for procuring these reduces the time available for training.
There are two stages of training to be completed before final implementation of the project. The project is designed to provide training to all the members who will be involved in its implementation. To begin with, training will be provided to a few technicians and upper management members who will act as pioneers in their respective counties. After their training has been completed, they will be expected to design a curriculum as well as a schedule on how they will train the other healthcare practitioners in the counties. The two stages of training for all the members will take time but will be essential in ensuring proper implementation of the project.
The time allocated for correcting glitches identified after the beta test run will depend on how early employee training is completed. This means that training stage will be essential for the project but this will later be followed by a testing or feedback stage. This stage be used to develop a beta test run which will be essential for determining whether the project is actually positive for the health care industry in the state of Michigan.
Specific Risks that will be encountered with using the front-loaded schedule
The project will really on a frontloaded schedule for its design and planning. Front-loaded schedule means that the project will be developed using conceptual development process which with the main focus being on planning using strategic information. Front loaded schedule which is also referred to as pre-project planning schedule has several advantages when addressing risk. This is because it focuses on ways of minimizing risk by analyzing all available resources. However, the schedule will encounter several risks such as inability to tackle unexpected risks that mostly arise for external resources. This scheduling system does not also provide accurate financial statements since it relies heavy on estimates rather than actual figures. Bottom line, the project is expected to be successful under the front loaded scheduling system since the risks associated with the system are minimal compared to its expected strengths.
A key concept of supply chain management
A key concept of supply chain management
Abstract
Demand forecasting is the process of estimating the quantity of products or services consumers will purchase (Hugos, 2011). This work looks at an introduction of supply chain management and focuses on demand forecasting. It explores the features, scope and significance of demand forecasting and its contribution to effective supply chain management. It also explores some methods of demand forecasting and their beneficial use in providing accurate information to supply management in a business.
Key words: demand forecasting, supply chain management
A key concept of supply chain management
Supply Chain Management is the process of streamlining the supply side of business to maximize customer value. It involves creating measures that ensure supply is efficient and to the required quality standards. Management ensures coordination of all departments in a business to ensure that the business products are constantly available. A manager has to be flexible because of the tastes and preference changes of consumers. Effective supply chain management gives a business a competitive edge over other businesses. It requires a business to pay attention to what happens within the business all the way until the product is delivered to the final consumer (Hugos, 2011).
Supply chain management focuses on several areas that include in-store, sustainable supply chains, logistics and strategy and planning (Hugos 2011). In-store looks at processes involve in the actual store. This include measurements of on-shelf availability, retail ready packing and back-of-store processes. Sustainable supply chains are another area of focus for this management. This looks at sustainable distribution, transport collaboration and consolidation channels. The aim is to come up with sustainable channels that suit customer priorities and avail products to consumers without fail. Logistics is an area that focuses on strategies that agree with market trends and make sure the business is on top of the market. It considers details concerning inventories, location, transportation and information. Strategy and planning discusses forecasting and demand planning. It is a critical focus area for supply chain management. This looks at the challenges of demand forecasting and how it affects demand planning.
Demand forecasting is simply estimating the quantity of a product or service that consumer will buy. It involves analysis of past events and existing trends. Demand forecasting involves identifying how consumers are likely to purchase products or services. This requires critical analysis of whetherconsumers prefer online shopping or actually visiting the business centers to purchase the products or services. This is often demanding because it requires a study of different groups of people and their preferred method of purchase. This information makes it possible to provide accurate forecasting. Demand forecasting also analyzes when they may make this purchases. The importance of when consumers make their purchases defines whether the business products have peak and off-peak sale seasons. This information helps in forecasting because demand that is influenced by seasons makes it possible for the business to avoid excess supply and save on unnecessary cost. This is one of the tasks of demand forecasting that determine whether supply chain management is effective or not.Demand forecasting mainly focus on how much consumers will purchase. This is estimating how much demand a product or service will have in the near future.
Demand forecasting consists of several features that make it possible to understand the concept better. It is the basis of planning production program. A business is able to know the quantity of input for producing an estimated number of products. This guides the budgeting for production since the sector has an estimated target or goal. Demand forecasting is an estimate of sales in the future. Knowing the estimated quantity of products or services consumers will purchase gives the estimated sales. This makes it possible to project sales graphs and plan on the best strategies to use in order to meet the sales target. The basis of demand forecasting is present economic conditions and past trends. Past trends give an overview of consumer response to certain changes and how these affect their purchasing habits. Having past trends provides solid basis to project into the future while incorporating the current economic conditions. For example, if demand for clothes was high during the recession, it is possible to forecast that the demand may reduce as people have other priorities. The forecasting process tries to identify lines of profitable investment. This means that forecasting acts as a guideline to a business on what areas to invest in, for example, moving into new market, diversifying supply of demanded products and services and expanding to other countries.
Chase explains that it iseasier to predict the immediate future than the distant future and this defines the purpose of demand forecasting (Chase, 2013). Short-run forecasting helps in coming up with production schedules, creating price policies and setting sales targets for the business. Long-run forecasting facilitates planning of expansion to new markets, long-term financial and man power requirements as well as developing a suitable strategy to keep the business in the market for the long term.
When aligning the supply chain with the business it is important to identify the scope of forecasting. It determines the appropriate methods to use to make the business succeed. The business must determine whether the forecast is short, medium or long term. This is the length of time for the forecast (Mentzer, 2005). The specific purpose of the forecast also helps make the most accurate estimations concerning demand for a product or service. It is also necessary to identify the type of commodity because some commodities have a pattern of demand (Wallace, 2008).
Since demand forecasting is merely estimation, it is important to understand its significance. It helps in producing the right quantity of products. This avoids excess supply that causes a business to incur losses or more expenses to sell the excess products. It also helps in organizing the factors of production. Demand forecasting helps a business access probable demand and thus ensures effective production and planning. It also allows for estimated budgets and this helps in controlling the business expenses. It allows for stable management of production and employment of workers. Demand forecasting also makes planning of future investments and employment because it provides reliable information about the future.
Coming up with the most efficient method of demand forecasting requires consideration of factors like finances, expertise, purpose of the forecast and the nature of available information (Chase,2013). The first method is opinion polling. This is where buyers, experts and the sales force provide information about market trends. Involving potential customers ensures accuracy of the information, though the process is expensive and time consuming. The business may also choose to use collective opinion method by gathering information from the salespersons that are assumed to have accurate information about the market. The expert’s opinion method is also effective because it involves consulting people with actual experience in demand forecasting.
References
Chase, C. (2013). Demand-driven forecasting: A structured approach to forecasting.
Hugos, M. H. (2011). Essentials of supply chain management. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Mentzer, J. T., & Moon, M. A. (2005).Sales forecasting management: A demand management approach. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Wallace, T. F., & Stahl, R. A. (2008).Sales forecasting: A new approach : why and how to emphasize teamwork, not formulas, forecast less, not more, focus on process improvement, not forecast accuracy. Cincinnati, Ohio: T.F. Wallace & Co.