Operations Management: Inventory Management

Research two (2) manufacturing or two (2) service companies that manage inventory and complete this assignment.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1. Determine the types of inventories these companies currently manage and describe their essential inventory characteristics.
2. Analyze how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated. 
3. Evaluate the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
4. Compare and contrast the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; explain the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.
5. Determine at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; suggest improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.
6. Suggest ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Provide a rationale to support the suggestion.
7. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Evaluate the processes used in designing and producing goods and services.
• Determine four layout patterns and when they should be used. 
• Utilize the concept of supply chain management.
• Employ the concept of capacity management. 
• Evaluate the management of inventories and resources.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management. 
• Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Points: 300

Assignment 2: Inventory Management

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below 60% F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% D

Fair

70-79% C

Proficient

80-89% B

Exemplary

90-100% A

1. Determine the types of inventories these companies currently manage and describe their essential inventory characteristics.

Weight: 10%

Did not submit or incompletely determined the types of inventories these companies currently manage; Did not submit or incompletely described their essential inventory characteristics.

Insufficiently determined the types of inventories these companies currently manage; Insufficiently described their essential inventory characteristics.

Partially determined the types of inventories these companies currently manage; Partially described their essential inventory characteristics.

Satisfactorily determined the types of inventories these companies currently manage; Satisfactorily described their essential inventory characteristics.

Thoroughly determined the types of inventories these companies currently manage; Thoroughly described their essential inventory characteristics.

2. Analyze how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely analyzed how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.

Insufficiently analyzed how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.

Partially analyzed how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.

Satisfactorily analyzed how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.

Thoroughly analyzed how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.

3. Evaluate the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely evaluated the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Insufficiently evaluated the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Partially evaluated the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Satisfactorily evaluated the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Thoroughly evaluated the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

4. Compare and contrast the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; explain the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely compared and contrasted the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; Did not submit or incompletely explained the  importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

Insufficiently compared and contrasted the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; Insufficiently explained the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

Partially compared and contrasted the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; Partially explained the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

Satisfactorily compared and contrasted the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; Satisfactorily explained the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

Thoroughly compared and contrasted the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; Thoroughly explained the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.

5. Determine at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; suggest improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely determined at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; Did not submit or incompletely suggested improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

Insufficiently determined at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; Insufficiently suggested improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

Partially determined at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; Partially suggested improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

Satisfactorily determined at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; Satisfactorily suggested improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

Thoroughly determined at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; Thoroughly suggested improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.

6. Suggest ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Provide a rationale to support the suggestion.

Weight: 15%

Did not submit or incompletely suggested ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale to support the suggestion.

Insufficiently suggested ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Insufficiently provided a rationale to support the suggestion.

Partially suggested ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Partially provided a rationale to support the suggestion.

Satisfactorily suggested ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Satisfactorily provided a rationale to support the suggestion.

Thoroughly suggested ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Thoroughly provided a rationale to support the suggestion.

7. 3 references

Weight: 5%

No references provided

Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices.

Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.

Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.

8. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements

Weight: 10%

More than 8 errors present

7-8 errors present

5-6 errors present

3-4 errors present

0-2 errors present