Discussion Essay paper

Discussion

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400 Assignments

Using MS Excel in Logistics Activities

The text (Murphy & Knemeyer, 2018) indicates that a spreadsheet is the most relevant software package for logisticians, and the assigned article (Bartolacci, LeBlanc, Kayikci, & Grossman, 2012) provides some real-life, practical examples of how Excel is applied in logistics. It is customary to use MS Excel in calculation of shipment volumes, weights, and costs. Our assignment this week provides a valuable introduction to the capabilities and applications of MS Excel in logistics..

Scenario:

Oracle Corporation is building a large new campus for cloud computing support in Austin, Texas. They have selected Dell Computer Corporation, located in neighboring Round Rock, Texas, to supply various devices for the campus. The distance from the Dell facility to the Oracle campus is 35 miles. The specified shipping mode is by truck, which costs three cents per pound, per mile. Oracle has requested that all shipments be made in 40-foot containers with interior dimensions of 40 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, and 8 ft. 6 in. high. A container weighs 8,000 pounds and has a maximum payload (cargo weight) of 55,126 pounds. Oracle intends to leave the containers at their location as secure storage during the startup stage of their operations. Because the containers will serve as mini-warehouses, adequate room to move around inside the container is needed. Dell will construct lightweight, inexpensive wooden shelving for storage instead of using pallets. This requirement will limit the useable volume of the container to 80% of its normal maximum. Discussion

The order is summarized in the following table:

In your Using MS Excel in Logistics Activities assignment, enter the data provided in the scenario into a simple Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. In your spreadsheet,

• Calculate the total volume of the products.
• Calculate the total weight of the products.
• Calculate the total weight of the shipment (ignore the shelving).
• Determine the number of 40-ft containers required to ship the order.
• Calculate the total shipping cost from the Dell plant to the Oracle campus.

For this Assignment,

• You must use MS Excel to perform all calculations. All work and equations must be visible within the cells. (For tutorials and assistance on how to use this software, see Microsoft’s Excel Training(Links to an external site.).)
• Round all answers to one decimal place.
• APA format does not apply.
• Neither a title page nor reference page is required. Discussion

400 Discussion

#1. Prior to working on this discussion, watch the assigned Forbes video The Evolution of Uber (Links to an external site.). According to the video, Uber’s transportation services offered in the United States and abroad have changed the traditional perspective of logistics. In your post, describe the logistics activities and related services that Uber provides worldwide. Additionally, identify one of the three competitive strategies coined by Michel Porter and pursued by Uber (see Week 2 lecture notes and the assigned article, “Changing Patterns of International Competition,” 1986). Analyze the competitive strategy you chose by explaining why it is the right strategy for Uber.      Comment specifically on how the strategy strengthens Uber’s competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Your post must be a minimum of 200 words.

#2. For this discussion, you will play the role of a logistics analyst who is creating a report on the contributions of logistics activities to a company’s overall business performance.

Select any publicly traded company. Research this company’s website and relevant business documentation to evaluate the company’s performance and profit models, such as inventory turnover, return on assets, or other models that the company uses to measure its performance. Possible sources of information include the company’s annual report, income statement, or other financial documents that report the company’s revenues, expenses, and profits. These are usually published on the company’s Investor Relations page on their website. Additionally, the University of Arizona Global Campus Library’s MergentDatabase is an excellent source for business information. To access the Mergent database:

• Click on the “Find Articles & More” link in the purple banner at the top of the library home page.
• Select “Databases by Subject.”
• Choose “Business & Economics,” then click on “Mergent” on the following page.
• Once in Mergent,enter the name of your company into the search box to get to the company overview page. Note that the search might show you multiple options, so click on the specific company you are searching for if a list is offered.
• Select the “Company Financials” tab.

Identify two logistics-related activities the company utilizes to achieve its business goals. You may select, for example, the company’s inventory management system, warehousing operations, order management, transportation management, international logistics, or any other activities.

Your 200-250 word post must include the following: Discussion

• Name the company that you chose and identify and describe the two logistics activities you selected that support the company’s supply chain and business strategies.
• Explain how the company uses the total cost approach to coordinate the selected logistics activities in a cost-efficient manner.
• Identify the tools and/or methods (as described in Chapter 4 of your textbook) that the company uses to measure the quality of its logistics performance. Describe one tool/method, and briefly explain what it measures and how it works.

Support your report with credible sources, citing from the company’s websites, business publications or articles, and assigned readings from this week. Reference them in your discussion post in proper APA style according to the Writing Center’s APA Essay Checklist for Students (Links to an external site.).

443 Assignment

Recommendations for Improvement

[WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 3, 4, 5]

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapters 3, 4, and 5 from the course textbook, specifically focusing on Chapter 5, and pay close attention to Table 5.1.

Process management activities include the following:

Design:

• Ensuring that the inputs to the process, such as materials, technology, work methods, and a trained workforce, are adequate, and that the process can achieve its requirements.

Control:

• Maintaining consistency in output by assessing performance and taking corrective action when necessary.

Improvement:

• Continually seeking to achieve higher levels of performance in the process, such as reduced variation, higher yields, fewer defects and errors, smaller cycle times, and so on. Discussion

For this assignment, you will select a service or product in your organization or an organization of your choice, and write a paper discussing the process management activities that are involved.

In your paper,

• Evaluate the effectiveness of process management in your organization.
• Suggest potential improvements to improve process management within your organization.
• Describe the specific steps in the process and their sequence.
• Provide a map of the process and the sequenced steps, along with standard operating procedures and work instructions.

The Recommendations for Improvement paper

• Must be three to five double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style(Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word (Links to an external site.)
• Must include a separate title page or slide with the following:
  • Title of paper in bold font
    • Space should be between title and the rest of the information on the title page
  • Student’s name
  • Name of institution (University of Arizona Global Campus)
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Due date
• Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice(Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
• Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions(Links to an external site.) as well as Writing a Thesis Statement (Links to an external site.), refer to the Writing Center resources.
• Must use at least three scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources(Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for this assignment.
  • To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view The University of Arizona Global Campus Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty(Links to an external site.) tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
• Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper(Links to an external site.)
• (Links to an external site.)Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Writing Center for specifications.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.) for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Discussions

#1 Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapters 4 and 5 in the course textbook and the weekly lecture.

One of the most effective ways to achieve improvement within an organization is through its most important resource, its people. Clifton Leaf recognizes their importance and the role of motivation in the below quote:

“For those smart enough to recognize it—and mine it—the human capital embedded in a company’s workforce is simply the best asset it has: more mobile than factories or equipment, more rewarding in the long term than investment capital, easier to leverage than brand or market share. It is human minds, after all, that spark discoveries and breakthroughs; human impatience and ingenuity that give rise to brilliant hacks and workarounds; human touch, humor, instinct, and empathy that bond with customers and sell products.” – (2017, para. 2).

In your discussion post, address the following questions:

• What are the principles of workforce engagement and motivation?
• How can positive workforce engagement lead to favorable outcomes and results?
• What impact did the engagement have on the organization and its workforce?
• What short and long-term outcomes emerged?
• How does your organization measure the impact?

#2 Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read the article Improving Home Improvement: Home Depot & Lowe’s Lead in Volume But Trail in Customer Satisfaction (Links to an external site.), the How We Play Ball!  PowerPoint, and the weekly lecture.

In your discussion post, reflect on the following:

• Part 1:
  • What factors influence customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty?
  • What are some methods for measuring customer satisfaction and engagement?
  • What is the importance of commitments to building customer relationships? Discussion
• Part 2:
  • What current trends are impacting Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, and other retailers listed in the article? Are they impacting their industry and sales favorably?
  • What strategies and actions are currently being done by one of the retailers in the article to capitalize on the current trends?
  • How do they segment their customers?
  • What are they doing to influence customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty? Will these strategies and actions be effective and improve customer service, satisfaction, and loyalty in the short and long run?
  • How are they building customer relationships?
  • Who are their customer contact employees? Why are they critical to building customer satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty?

Website for discussion

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2020/06/26/improving-home-improvement-home-depot–lowes-lead-in-volume-but-trail-in-customer-satisfaction/?sh=7c0e4be07039

2^nd one will be a power point that I have attached