Management

CO5: “Evaluate operations management and explain it’s role in the Supply Chain network ”

Forum Prompt:

Find an operations-based company you are familiar with and research it’s use of suppliers. First, take a look at what companies have already been reported on and try not to duplicate what someone else has analyzed. Then research whether your chosen company makes any of it’s own products, or does it outsource all or most of it’s components and finished products. Where does it source, internationally or domestically? See if you can get a macro-picture to report to the class regarding this company’s products and how it uses a supply chain to source components and/or finished products. Product manufacturing companies you are familiar with are a good place to start, however, it’s also interesting to find a company that maybe no one has heard much about. Once you have found a company you are interested in reporting on for this Forum, begin by describing this company’s products and then their supply chain network. Finally, see if you can identify the primary risks this company has with it’s sourcing.

ANSWER

Operations Management and Supply Chain Network

Operations Management and Supply Chain Network

Operations management is considered the management of business practices used to generate the highestrk efficacy level in a business (Bozarth and Handfield, 2019). As a business function, operations management is responsible for running the process used in the production of goods and services. This entails organizing, planning, controlling, and coordinating all the resources required to produce the company services and goods. Operations management plays an essential role in the supply chain network since it manages the supply chain processes that include sourcing, production, distribution, and after-sales. The operations managers make effective decisions on sourcing, design, planning, production, and the distribution of products.

Case of Summit Apparel T-Shirts

Summit Apparel Brand T-shirts is an American Fashion Brand situated in South Carolina. The business offers sewing, cutting, welding and printing services. The supply chain for Summit Apparel consists of four main activities planning, sourcing, production, retailing, as well as the distribution of T-shirts (Burns, Mullet and Bryant, 2016). Demand planning and forecasting enable the business to define the items that require to be requested and stocked to meet the retail store demand.  Summit relies on sourcing rather than production, where the sourcing manager selects the supplier and manages the stock supply.

Summit Apparel has its distribution center, which is managing the picking as well as distribution process. After-sales within Summit Apparel has focused on post-sales services such as having a true understanding of the client’s needs. Operations management within Summit has maintained its invention and enabled it to function effectively as a fast-fashion business. Operational risks have been experienced due to sourcing since most sourced companies have found it hard to meet the expected quality. Summit Apparel has also faced challenges with service and quality issues during the deliveries of T-shirts. Generally, the supply chain network has shown the flow of goods from production to the final sale and the effectiveness of the supply chain network.

References

Bozarth, C. C., & Handfield, R. B. (2019). Operations and Supply Chain Management.

Burns, L. D., Mullet, K. K., & Bryant, N. O. (2016). The business of fashion: Designing, manufacturing, and marketing. Bloomsbury Publishing, USA.