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Topic: The Sand Cone Model
Select a key topic to research and discuss. Key topics are the major concepts addressed within each chapter. Concepts that have their own sections consisting of several paragraphs and begin with a bold font heading are appropriate key topics. You may choose the same topic as a peer, but the topics must be addressed from different vantage points (perspectives).
After you have selected your key topic, use the Internet to search for at least 5 scholarly resources that relate to the topic and have been published within the last 5 years. Academic articles and journals must be reputable and obtained from professional websites that address the content of this course. Popular magazines and online sources such as Wikipedia are not permissible.
After reading the articles, select 1 article relating to your key topic that you wish to use in your thread. Your thread must be posted in the text box and in addition to posting the thread in the text box, attach a Word file of your thread. Adhere to the following format:
: Define your key topic by using a source other than the textbook. Give a clear, concise overview of the essential elements relevant to understanding your key topic. In addition, explain why you are interested in this topic (e.g., academic curiosity, application to a current issue related to employment, or any other professional rationale). This section must be at least 100 words.
Comparison
: Compare your research with what you have studied during the module in which the key topic/thread is assigned. Note differences or commonalities about your key topic, providing evidence that you have extended your understanding of this topic beyond the textbook readings. This is an opportunity for you to cite the additional articles you originally researched. This section must be at least 200 words.
Article Summary
: In your own words, provide a clear and concise summary of the article you selected. This section must be at least 200 words.
Biblical Integration
: Include at least 3 appropriate biblical references. Explain the relevance of your key topic to God’s law and how it can be applied in a Christian context. This section must be at least 100 words.
Application
: Specifically state how your key topic has been applied to real-world businesses or describe the potential your key topic has to influence today’s business world. Your application must possess a professional rationale that demonstrates the significance of your key topic. This section must be at least 100 words.
Annotated Bibliography
: Cite the articles you researched in current APA format. An annotation must accompany each citation. Each annotation will consist of a descriptive and evaluative paragraph that is at least 100 words. The annotations are designed to help your classmates in their understanding of your topic. In addition, provide a persistent link for each article.
The Replies
Substantive replies, in contrast to perfunctory replies, add value to the discussion, enhance learning, and contain references to any new concepts or ideas presented.
Compare/contrast the findings of others with your research.
Share additional knowledge regarding the key topic that relates to the thread.
Supply Chain Management-Sustainability
Key Concept Explanation
In today’s global business market, companies have had to come up with ways to be sustainable with their business practices but also when it comes to their supply chain. A basic definition of the term supply chain is a “system that “consists of all parties involved, directly or indirectly, in fulfilling a customer request” (Wieland, 2020, para 9). For some companies their supply chain is constant and just continues to operate normally but some supply chains are more intricate and can be impacted by something that is outside the company’s control. This was seen during the Covid-19 pandemic as factories closed and non-essential employees were not allowed to leave their homes. This created a supply chain nightmare that caused many stores to put limits on the number of certain products a customer could buy (Wieland, 2020). Supply chains have come a long way from year’s past as factories and distribution warehouses have increased the use of technology to monitor the number of units in the warehouse which helps keep the supply chain active and reduces the chance of shortages of products.
The reason I am interested in supply chain is because I saw the impact of the supply chain in my role as a pharmacy tech in the pharmaceutical industry. In an industry that has an impact on the health and well-being of many people, I was always interested in what was causing the shortages of products and what companies were doing to eliminate the shortage. It also interested me how different suppliers tracked their stock and how their systems kept track for customers to see how many of the product were in stock. Another part of the supply chain that interested me was the sustainability factor and how companies were looking to protect the environment and the people living in the world from a social perspective. No matter what industry you work in, understanding the supply chain system is important.
Comparison
In today’s world businesses can’t just be worried about their bottom line, customers want businesses to take up social causes and protect the environment with their business operation decisions. Companies that take up causes or initiatives using green supply chain management practices have seen improvements from a cost-based perspective as well as an environment perspective (Cousins et al., 2019). Organizations like Google are already carbon neutral in their supply chain but other companies like Amazon are committing to be carbon neutral by 2040 (Meredith & Shafer, 2023). On the flip side, some organizations usually get a lot of flak because customers don’t feel that major organizations are looking out for the best interest of the world and the environment and only for deepening their own pockets. This is caused by organizations that are targeting third world countries for their resources or the cheap labor that can be provided by the people in the country (Wieland, 2020). In recent year’s we have seen how companies that put profits before people how it can put negative spin on the successes of the company in the general publics eyes.
Also, when it comes to sustainability in the supply chain system of companies it usually involves the use of technology. A form of technology that warehouses are using to be more efficient and accurate with their inventory and prevent shortages whenever possible is Internet of Things (Ben-Daya et al., 2019). This technology allows companies to share information with their suppliers or wholesalers in real time and save time for workers from having to make phone calls which makes the company more efficient (Meredith & Shafer, 2023).
Some retailers are also trying to reduce their impact by using biodegradable packaging or some companies are condensing the amount of packaging by placing a customers’ multiple orders in one shipping box instead of multiple when possible (Meredith & Shafer, 2023). One of those organizations is Amazon, if a customer purchases multiple items in an order they will ask if they can ship the packages in one box if possible but also ship on the same day to reduce shipping costs for them and look out for the environment when it comes to emissions. We hear about it every day about how we are cutting down more trees than we are planting or how water supplies are drying up and resulting in ruined crops for farmers and some companies have changed operation practices to reduce their environmental impact but others continue to push forward without thinking about the consequences of their decisions (Wieland, 2020). The world learned a lot about how important the supply chain is during the Covid-19 pandemic. Organizations need to find ways to improve and make sure their supply chains can be flexible to adapt to the changing global environment.
Article Summary
In the article, “Sustainability-related supply chain risks and supply chain performances: The moderating effects of dynamic supply chain management practices”, the authors discussed how the rapid change in global business practices has caused some rapid changes in how companies handle their supply chain operations (Ngo et al., 2023). The authors in this article focused on the garment supply chain and how the changing business market has impacted the garment industry. It was discussed how social and environmental issues are impacting the garment industry especially for companies that use outsourced cheap labor to make their garments. It was also discussed what made the garment industry different from other industries like having minimal entry barriers, ever changing market depending on the season of the year.
The three focuses of the study were to identify sustainability related risks in the garment industry, how sustainability supply chain risks impact company’s performance and how supply chain risk management practices help corporate performance. The researchers use 254 garment companies in Vietnam for their observations. The researchers found that there was a risk-return for economic hazards in the garment industry but the same was not observed for social and environmental hazards. But it was found that companies that use supplier management and supply chain integration methods can lead to having positive outcomes when it comes to sustainability for the business and the environment (Ngo et al., 2023).
From a managerial perspective it is important for managers in the garment industry too understand that there are a lot of factors that go into helping a company be successful in the industry. The complex processes and the amount of chemicals needed to produce the clothing can be harmful to the environment. Since most clothing manufactures are located in third world countries the regulations that are in place in developed countries don’t exist in the third world countries. This saves the companies money but also has an impact on the environment in those developed countries. This is why companies have to look into all the factors that go into making their products. Some customers’ want the best deal on clothes and some want the most environmental, friendly created clothes. So, leaders of garment companies have to balance what is good for business and what is sustainable for the world and the environment.
Biblical Integration
Application
When it comes to sustainability in the supply chain of the world, it is important for all companies to take responsibility for their operational actions and decisions. The world only has so many natural resources like, water, minerals, trees ect., and if corporations don’t take care of the earth and replenish the resources if possible than future generations won’t be able to access some company’s products and the health and longevity of the earth may be impacted. One of the main focuses of most companies today is the carbon emissions that they are omitting into the air. Companies like Apple, Microsoft and Amazon have committed to eliminating/reducing their carbon footprint impact on the world in future year’s (Meredith & Shafer, 2023). For the world to maintain the natural resources that are available to us as individuals on planet earth it takes not just companies but every human on earth committing to doing their part to take care of the earth to protect it for future generations. The technology resources that are available have also helped organizations reduce emissions but have also changed how supply chains operate. As the global business market continues to grow organizations will need too adapt and modify how they distribute their products to their customers’ and how they monitor and change their supply chain system.
Annotated Bibliography
Ben-Daya, M., Hassini, E., & Bahroun, Z. (2019). Internet of things and supply chain management: A literature review.International Journal of Production Research, 57(15-16), 4719-4742.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1402140Links to an external site.
In this article the researchers explored the impact of Internet of Things on the supply chain. As the modern world continues to rapidly change and evolve in the use of technology it is important for companies to be able to adapt their supply chain to stay flexible in their market. The authors explained what IoT is and the layers that are involved for a company to implement this technology into their supply chain processes. This technology gives companies the ability to find issues in their supply chain and be proactive in fixing the issue rather than reactive to the issue. The authors found thru their research that further research was needed to look into the issues of maintenance and costing of IoT technology when it comes to supply chain issues.
Cousins, P. D., Lawson, B., Petersen, K. J., & Fugate, B. (2019). Investigating green supply chain management practices and performance: The moderating roles of supply chain ecocentricity and traceability.International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 39(5), 767-786.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-11-2018-0676Links to an external site.
The authors of this article targeted their research at looking at how increased environmental awareness in the world is impacting the global supply chain. They looked to see how companies that implement green practices into their business and how it impacts the company financially but also the technology they use in their supply chain traceability. It was found that there was a positive influence between company’s implementation of green practices and the companies performance. Also, the research found that companies that are able to trace where their supplies for their products came from had an increase in environmental performance. The authors also looked at how green technology can help managers and companies improve and be more effective with these initiatives.
Ngo, V. M., Quang, H. T., Hoang, T. G., & Binh, A. D. T. (2024). Sustainability?related supply chain risks and supply chain performances: The moderating effects of dynamic supply chain management practices.Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(2), 839-857.
https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3512Links to an external site.
The authors in this article looked at sustainability issues in the global supply chain. They looked at the factors like new technology, globalization and the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact they all had on the global supply chain. It is discussed how all these factors have made the global supply chain more complex. Some issues that have been impacting supply chains globally is the increase in environmental and social issues having impacts on the supply chain like forest conservation and child labor. From the research the authors were able to look at supply chain issues and the implication on managers in the garment industry. In the end the researchers were able to look at the impact the supply chain issues in the garment industry impact suppliers, consumers and economic performance of a company.
Sauer, P. C., & Seuring, S. (2019). Extending the reach of multi-tier sustainable supply chain management – insights from mineral supply chains.International Journal of Production Economics, 217, 31-43.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2018.05.030Links to an external site.
In this article the authors discussed the issue of sustainability in the mineral supply chain industry by doing a Delphi study. The researchers were able to identify 17 sustainability issues within the mineral supply chain. The researchers looked to find if those issues impact the upstream or downstream chain of the supply chain in the mineral industry. During the research the sustainability issues were reviewed to see if the issue impacted upstream chain or downstream chain and if it impacted both chains and how substantial the impact is. This study assisted in allowing managers of mineral companies to understand the stages of the supply chain when it comes to minerals and how each stage impacts the supply of minerals to the companies.
Wieland, A. (2021). Dancing the supply chain: Toward transformative supply chain management.The Journal of Supply Chain Management, 57(1), 58-73.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12248Links to an external site.
The author of this article looked at how the Covid-19 pandemic exposed issues in the world supply chain that was known before but was not being resolved because the issue had not impacted supply chains in large scale. It was discussed how global supply chains are vulnerable because companies are always looking for cheaper ways to supply their products to suppliers and are sometimes cutting corners or operating without any regard for what is going on in the global environment. The author suggests that companies must understand how the political and economic issues of the world impact supply chains. The research also suggested that suppliers should not try to be static but looking to find ways to make sure that the world supply of their product is not impacted because the company were not paying attention to the global issues that were occurring and preparing a plan to adapt if needed.
References
English Standard Version, (2001).
https://www.openbible.info/topics/supply_chain
3. Discussion Board Reply (300 words per reply) (APA citations) (in-text citations are a must) (Biblical Integration is a Must)
Process Design
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is where certain departments or activities within an organization are subcontracted to another company external to the original firm. For example, information technology, Human Resources, janitorial services, maintenance, and many other services can be outsourced. “Knowledge sharing and top management support enhance partnership quality by increasing both parties’ mutual dependence and commitment to the relationship.” (Liu, G. H. W., et al., 2021. Para. 1). This topic is interesting because many firms engage in outsourcing, and it would be interesting to understand the “why’s” behind it rather than just keep everything internal under the same policies and procedures. Contractors can fall under different policies and procedures.
Comparison
In comparison to the textbook and the research conducted, the textbook gives a thorough explanation, criteria, and examples of outsourcing while the research focuses on one aspect. For example, the textbook states, “it is important to recognize that not all parts, services, and activities are equal. Rather, these activities and parts can be thought of as falling on a continuum ranging from strategically important to unimportant.” (Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S., 2023. PG. 32). Then it goes on to list several key components that are strategic. During research, In the article “The Role of Vendor Legitimacy in IT Outsourcing Performance: Theory and Evidence” focuses mainly on just information technology. “Results from a multiple-sourced, matched-pair, cross-industry sample of executives and managers of 185 client firms reveal that these various governance strategies exert differential impacts on the aforementioned dimensions of vendor legitimacy, which, in turn, drive performance.” (Hsu, C., et al., 2022. Para 1). Another article focused mainly on logistics and found that, “collaboration and process characteristics” has the most impact on logistics outsourcing decision and a great impact on logistics performance of 3PL. The “financial factor” also contributes to a better logistics outsourcing decision. (Doratiotto, K., et al., 2023. Para. 43). Each article reviewed focused on one outsourced task.
Article Summary
In the article, “Strategic innovation through outsourcing – A theoretical review,” “offers a theoretical literature review on strategic innovation through outsourcing.” (Gambal, M.-J., et al., 2022). The article reviews approximately one hundred highly ranked academic journals in relation to outsourcing. The article also provides a framework for achieving optimal results for various aspects of outsourcing. Within the framework, strategic innovation in outsourcing settings, relationships, and outcomes are analyzed thoroughly. The authors identified that the research is skewed due to prior research focusing heavily on strategic innovation and relationships involved with outsourcing. The authors also discovered that different generations of innovation and innovation outcomes are often overlooked through previous research. The author’s intention in this article was to identify gaps in outsourcing techniques and make contributions towards outsourcing literature, promote discussion with variable costs, and promote further research through integration. The most interesting aspect in the article is that competitive firms in information technology have shifted from transactional agreements to trust-based relationships. As a manager at Wells Fargo dealing with hiring contractors, the preference is to utilize a firm that can be trusted and have a good relationship with the agency being utilized rather than focusing on cost. The saying, “you get what you pay for,” is true in terms of services. It is better to pay more for better service that works the first time than save money due to a deal that may require the work or service to be duplicated several more times after the initial service is completed.
Biblical Integration:
Isaiah 31:1 states, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!” (King James Bible, 2017). This verse dictates that the only outsourced help one needs is from the Lord. Also in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 3, it says, “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” (King James Bible, 2017). Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (King James Bible, 2017). Essentially, all plans and collaboration efforts should be seeking God’s blessing and through discernment one can see which collaborative efforts through outsourcing should be avoided.
Application
Outsourcing is rather common in real-world firms. “There is the outsourcing path where the firm almost entirely depends on a contracted workforce for its operation.” (Bakhtiari, S., 2023. Pg. 435). As previously stated, Wells Fargo uses outsourcing techniques to hire contracted employees through various agencies, such as information technology, human resources, janitorial and maintenance contractors. Wells Fargo also uses temporary agencies as a method to further vent potential candidates through a trial period of employment prior to hiring them on a full-time basis. Wells Fargo also outsources information technology offshore to save on costs. Information technology is just one of many services that are outsourced offshore as a means to save money on salary related expenses.
Annotated Bibliography
Bakhtiari, S. (2023). Growing by outsourcing: a tale of two growths.Empirica, 50(2), 411-439.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10663-022-09564-7Links to an external site.
4. (2 pages) (apa format) (in text citations are a must)
Organization: Papa John’s International, Inc/
Integrative Learning Project: Organizational setting Assignment Instructions
In at least 2 pages, describe the mission of your organization (e.g., what product or service is provided, to what intended markets, and how the product or service is distinct from those offered by competitors), who your customers are (internal and external), what value you add to the organization (how you help the organization achieve its mission), and what role Christianity currently plays in this organization. Please review the Integrated Learning Project Assignment Instructions. Current APA format must be used.
Integrative Learning Project Assignment Instructions
Overview
The purpose of this project is to integrate concepts from the textbook into operational management scenarios. There is room for process improvements in every organization. How would you improve processes in the operations of your organization (or an organization you would like to research)? The organization is not the primary focus of this assignment. The primary focus is how you would integrate concepts that you learn in this course into process improvement opportunities.
Multiple assignments are put together in the final week of this course to complete the project. The Organizational Setting assignment is where the majority of the organizational research will be used. The Annotated Bibliography assignment is where key chapter concepts are researched in order to use them in the Integration of Key Chapter Concepts section. The Outline assignment provides a high-level overview of each required component of the project. The Introduction assignment provides an opportunity to introduce the topic of the project, identify the chapter concepts that will be explored, and provide expectations for the reader. The Integrative Learning Project Final Assignment incorporates all of these assignments. The outline will be converted into a Table of Contents (the format will need to be updated). The Introduction and Organizational Setting will be copied and pasted into the final document. Research from the Annotated Bibliography will be used to support the discussion in the Integration of Key Chapter Concepts section. The remaining components of the project will be developed and incorporated as described in the below assignment instructions.
