Helpful Hints: A. General constraints and inputs: B. Guidance on specific questions: Level Strategy: Initial staffing level is 20 employees (FTE)Initial Inventory is 0 board feetAim to minimize the f

Green Mills Aggregate Planning

Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)

This assignment document contains the following information to help you in completing this assignment:

1. Assignment Objectives

2. Assignment Overview

3. Assignment Formatting

4. Helpful Hints

5. Examples

6. Assignment Questions

7. Grading Criteria

8. Cover Sheet Template and Honor Code Pledge

9. Assignment Checklist

I. Assignment Objectives:

1. Utilize Aggregate Planning as a tool to compare and contrast various S&OP design strategies. In the competitive environment that exists today, firms need to constantly evaluate their supply chains and determine methods to be more responsive and efficient.

2. Evaluate and quantify (where possible) the plans you develop.

3. You are to develop a Professional PowerPoint slide presentation that engages your audience to accept your proposal.

II. Assignment Overview:

Green Mills is currently considering an aggregate plan for next year. This plan is given in “V. Example of Green Mills “Proposed Plan” and is shown below. It will be referred to as “The Proposed Plan.”

Based on the assignment questions you are to develop two alternative plans…

1. A “Level Plan"

2. A plan that must have a lower total cost than the “Proposed Plan.”

You are to develop five to seven PowerPoint slides to be presented to the Board of Directors (BOD) from Green Mills. You are to assume that you are working for a consulting firm and the Board of Directors at Green Mills will evaluate your report. You are in competition with all the other teams in the class to obtain the BOD’s approval and be selected to implement the plan.

Please consider professionalism and efficiency in your communication.

If the main document is more than seven content slides, you will have points deducted. Please note the Cover Page Slide, Objective Slide, Agenda Slide and Summary Slide do not count toward the seven-slide limit. You can have multiple appendices (inserts). Your calculations are required to be included (Excel files are expected for at least the level plan and the mixed plan.)

Since there is not much space—use it wisely! You need to employ professional language, grammar, and appropriate structure, etc.

Linear programming (for example Excel Solver) cannot be used for any of the work associated with this assignment. You will utilize this approach in other courses.

Your team’s responses to the Green Mills assignment questions are to be organized into a professional PowerPoint presentation as described above. Prepare the presentation in the "Normal" view, making liberal use of the “Notes” feature on all slides. PowerPoint slides, by necessity, must be brief. Therefore, use the notes feature to justify or more fully explain the bullet point content of a slide.

Do not leave the instructor guessing on the meaning of a particular slide. You might think of the notes as containing material you would verbalize when presenting your slides. Please, do not write volumes in the notes section. Be concise but clear on the meaning of each slide. All your extra information about a particular slide must fit on that 8.5 by 11 portrait version of the “Notes” page for a particular slide. Also do not re-write the question on the notes slide. Please just write either Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. at the top of the notes section.

The presentation should begin with a brief introduction giving some background on the case and stating the purpose (Objectives/Goals Type Slide) and organization of the presentation (Agenda Type Slide). The introduction should then be followed by your response to each of the assignment questions. There may be multiple sets of questions associated with this case and some of the questions contain multiple parts or sub-questions. Please be certain to address each part of each question set. Also, please be sure that you make it clear to the reader that you have addressed each part of each question. This information should be very clear in the "Notes” section and will have to appear on the slide portion of the presentation.

The final slide should be a summary slide which explains the next action steps in the process that should occur. Please do not say items like “email me if you want more information’…. We are looking for concrete steps.

When you are asked to make a choice or take a position in answering a question, be certain to present the argument or justification for your choice. In support of your position, it is often useful to draw on the literature that you have read for the course.

Note: Arguments can be used to positively affirm a particular position as well as to indicate that alternatives are not worthy of support. In other words, sometimes you can support a position by effectively arguing against other alternatives.

The three biggest problems we find with these types of presentations and team assignments are as follows:

1. Teams do not answer all the assigned questions.

2. All team members do not review all answers prior to submission--leading to incorrect, incomplete, and less than satisfactory responses. This problem is huge. I strongly suggest all members of the team re-read all the information in the syllabus and in other areas of this course discussing how all team members must participate is all aspects of the case.

3. Teams do not use enough examples as they justify a position.

Please note: The team should place citations on the slides as needed that illustrate the problems/questions/goals/objectives, etc. you are trying to obtain.

Consequently, when you submit information and the report, it needs to be compiled in a professional, well-analyzed, and thoughtful manner. Additionally, please make sure all items are professionally formatted.

Note: See the Course Schedule for due dates for this assignment

III. Assignment Formatting:

1. Your team’s responses should be organized into a professional PowerPoint presentation of approximately 5 - 7 slides. Is the presentation concise and succinct?

2. All extra information about a slide must fit on that 8.5 by 11 portrait version of the “Notes” page for a slide.

3. The report must be formatted for single sided printing (no double-sided reports). Please preview print before you submit to make sure it is formatted correctly.

4. Do not use any pdf type files in your submittals---PPT or Excel only. Excel should be formatted to print on a single page. PPT should be formatted to print the slide and notes section.

5. The presentation must be formatted for single sided printing (no double-sided reports). Please preview print before you submit to make sure it is formatted correctly.

6. Please read the attached grading rubric for additional information that will be considered when the assignment is graded.

7. Use bullets on the slides…no long sentences or paragraphs.

8. Does the PowerPoint deck contain an agenda slide and objectives slide? (Not counted as part of the total}

9. Does the PowerPoint deck have a summary slide? (Not counted as part of the total)

10. Please use proper citations when necessary, on the appropriate slides. Do not plagiarize.

11. Please include and use the enclosed cover page or similar page transcribed to PPT.

12. Points will be deducted for not following formatting directions and not answering all assignment questions.

13. All Excel worksheets (tabs) must fit on one page and be in a landscape mode. One spreadsheet/tab per page.

14. Any appendices type slides must be numbered and have a title. You cannot have more than one appendix per slide. You can only use one side of the paper.

15. All work must be completed in a professional manner.

16. Please note: We do not have pre-grading of any of the assignments.

17. We do not allow resubmittal of the assignment after it is graded.

18. You will have a least two documents downloaded to the drop box:

    1. The actual document in PPT type file extension. These will include use of the ‘notes’ portion. No pdf file extensions.

    2. An Excel Workbook showing your financial calculations one showing the level plan the other showing the mixed plan. No pdf file extensions.

IV. Helpful Hints:

A. General constraints and inputs:

B. Guidance on specific questions:

Level Strategy:

• Initial staffing level is 20 employees (FTE)

• Initial Inventory is 0 board feet

• Aim to minimize the final inventory while remaining within the constraints and minimizing cost

• Inventory from Chile needs to be shipped at $50/1000bf

• We are not considering any backordering in this case

Strategy That Has A Total Lower Cost Than the “Proposed Plan”:

• Initial staffing level is 20 employees (FTE)

• Initial Inventory is 0 board feet

• Shipping cost is not necessary to include for subcontracted production. It’s included in the subcontractor rate

• We are not considering any backordering in this case

V. Example of Green Mills “Proposed Plan”:

This Excel Spreadsheet shows the “Proposed Plan” that Green Mills is considering using for this upcoming year.

VI. Assignment Questions:

Please answer the following questions in your slides:

Create a seven-slide professional business PowerPoint presentation, which communicates succinct and concise analysis and recommendations (Remember: some supervisors will not read beyond the headline of each slide). One slide should be dedicated to each question below and one slide should be dedicated to an overall synthesis and recommendation. The ‘notes’ section should be utilized to provide further detail and context to the slides. Note the slides above do not include the agenda, objective nor the summary slide.

1. Graph the demand over time (Demand and Total Production on y-axis, January through December; Time by month on x-axis). Place both the Level Plan and your team’s proposed plan on the same graph. What does this graph tell you…Explain! This question has two parts: (5 points)

   1. The actual graph

   2. The explanation of what it tells you.

2. This question has two parts: (5 points)

   1. List all costs and their values that your team used in your calculations.

      1. For example, Production costs, $150 per 1000 board feet

   2. List all constraints the case has placed on the calculations

      1. For example, Maximum shipping capacity, 1500000 board feet per month

3. Develop and calculate the total cost of a ‘Level Strategy’ at Green Mills while considering the constraints and operating conditions laid out in the case as well as in the ‘Helpful Hints’ section of this document. Interpret the drivers of the total cost and implications to the broader business decision. (40 points)

   1. Include the synthesis of your findings in the team’s PowerPoint Presentation and an Excel spreadsheet depicting your work. Please use the format provided in the example of the Green Mills Proposed Plan listed above (Part V. Example of Green Mills “Proposed Plan”). You team’s Excel Spreadsheets should look like this example.

You can also refer to Level and Chase strategies provided in the course material as some general backup references.

1. 1. The goal should be to finish the year with lowest total cost. Remember you need to include shipping costs on items shipped from Chile and if you cannot import enough material from Chile---you must buy on the USA spot market!

2. Develop and calculate the total cost of a plan (mixed or other) which is less costly than the level one and the proposed plan (in Part V Example above) they are considering, aiming to obtain the lowest cost possible, while maintaining within the constraints and operating conditions laid out in the case as well as in the ‘Helpful Hints’ section of this document. (40 points)

   1. Include the synthesis of your findings in the team’s PowerPoint Presentation and an Excel spreadsheet depicting your work. Please use the format provided in the example of the Green Mills Proposed Plan listed above (Part V. Example of Green Mills “Proposed Plan”). Your team’s Excel Spreadsheets should look like this example.

You can also refer to Level and Chase strategies provided in the course material as some general backup references.

1. 1. The goal should be to finish the year with lowest total cost. Remember you need to include shipping costs on items shipped from Chile and if you cannot import enough material from Chile---you must buy on the USA spot market!

2. Which of the two constraints below have the biggest impact on your plan? This question has two parts: (20 points)

   1. In other words, for a 25% change in the constraint, how much can total cost change? Constraints to consider:

      1. Monthly shipping limit

      2. Hiring cost

   2. Also provide your thoughts on the broader qualitative impact to the business.

1. Add a summary table that compares all three plans and shows all major cost categories. Which plan would you recommend and why? Explain? (10 points)

Grading Criteria, the Cover Sheet and the Checklist!!

VII. Grading Criteria: (Total Points 200) (Note: The instructor reserves the right to change the rubric at his discretion)

Analysis

• Are the criteria for selected recommendations stated?

• Is the analysis laid out in a logical manner?

• Are the analysis and calculations, correct?

• Do the notes section of the slides contain enough detail to explain the slides?

• Does the PowerPoint presentation answer each of the questions?

• Does each answer to a question contain analysis of the major issues?

• Does the analysis incorporate concepts/techniques from all the readings and from all the modules?

• Does the analysis effectively incorporate information from the case?

• Does the analysis show relationships among important factors?

• Are assumptions explicitly stated?

• Does the analysis isolate fundamental causes of the problems?

• Does the analysis contain enough detail to support recommendations, causes and effects, etc.?

• When the analysis is undertaken does it use the information at its disposal correctly, leading to correct answers?

• Did the slides correctly incorporate sensitivity analysis and were the appropriate items sensitized?

• Are the risks associated with this case discussed in detail?

Quality of PowerPoint Slide Presentation: Is the presentation logically organized?

• Is the presentation readable and does it flow with continuity?

• Are rules of grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence and/or paragraph construction, uppercase/lower case, etc. followed?

• Do the slides support, amplify, and clarify your answers?

• Do the slides represent correct information?

• Is the presentation visually attractive?

• Was the “Notes” section in PowerPoint utilized to add depth to the presentation?

• Do the slides use a common font, theme, layout, size, upper/ lower case letters, etc.?

• Does the PowerPoint deck contain an agenda slide, overview, or objectives slide?

• Does the deck contain a summary slide that lists the “next steps” that should be taken to move the process forward?

• Do the appendices add to the depth of the analysis, do they have titles, are they referenced in the presentation?

• Were citations used on the appropriate slide or note section?

• Is the presentation logically consistent and effectively structured so it sells its recommendations?

• Is there a high likelihood that the recommendations will achieve their intended results?

• Did the presentation adequately and correctly address risks associated with the options?

IX. Green Mills Checklist of Required Items (Do not submit to us, for your use only)