Student Example 2 Smith

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Arizona State University *

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302

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English

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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TO: Wendy King, ASU Instructor for ENG 302 FROM: Shawn Smith, Student DATE: August 5, 2022 SUBJECT: Project 4: eNetworking The eNetworking project provided an opportunity to gain significant experience with networking. I decided to interview two different individuals that work for a manufacturing consultant agency. The first person I reached out to was Nicholas Giffel, North American Director of Project Management & Sales for Schnitzer Group USA, Inc., and the second person I reached out to was Peter Schnitzer, CEO & Managing Director of Schnitzer Group GmbH & Co. KG. I chose to interview both Nicholas and Peter because of their influence within manufacturing firms, and the experiences that they would have on a global scale as it pertains to supply chain management. Research I began my research by examining Schnitzer Group’s website. The first thing that caught my attention was the many locations that the company had across the globe. The company is positioned in Germany, USA, Italy, Switzerland, and China. As someone going into the supply chain management field, and someone who wishes to understand global logistics, this fit in well with what I was hoping to accomplish with my networking project. I also needed to understand if the company handled supply chain management issues. Due to the nature of the business, I discovered that they did assist companies with supply chain management issues. I also found that the company often assists manufacturers with locating materials and will evaluate manufacturers of raw materials to meet the needs of others within the supply chain. The reason that I chose to interview both Nicholas and Peter had a lot to do with their locations and ability to communicate how the supply chain appears in their areas of the world. Different parts of the world experience different setbacks, and to understand this, I needed more than one perspective to fully comprehend what a supply chain manager needs to overcome to perform effectively. Making Contact Initial contact with Nicholas and Peter was facilitated by our mutual connection in Robert Faeller, CEO of Schnitzer Group USA. Robert has taken an interest in where I am at with my studies, and in the process of speaking with him, he inquired further about this project, laughed, and stated he had a couple of perfect contacts for me. Robert provided their e-mails in an e-mail to me, and upon seeing who he was attempting to put me in contact with, I realized I needed to adjust my lines of questioning so that I could maximize the information I wanted to gain from of them.

Wendy King 2 August 5, 2022 I sent requests to both Nicholas and Peter on July 6, 2022 knowing that it may take some time to put together both interviews. To my surprise, they both responded the same day, with Peter providing specific days that he would be available, and Nicholas responding letting me know that he would have to let me know regarding his availability. I had to be careful scheduling Peter’s interview due to the time zone difference. I scheduled Peter’s interview via Zoom at 8:30 AM on July 13, 2022, which translated to 2:30 PM German time. Upon receiving more information from Nicholas, he provided a set time and date that he would be available. I scheduled Nicholas’ interview via Zoom also, on July 12, 2022 at 9:30 AM. Meetings The zoom meeting with Nicholas Giffel began at the time we scheduled. Prior to our meeting I prepared several questions pertaining to the supply chain management field, and in my initial e- mail explained that I could supply this list of questions prior to our meeting. Nicholas accepted this offer in preparation, which made our communication very fluid. Nicholas was very informative, and the conversation was pleasant. I felt we understood one another throughout the course of our interview, and it seemed to resonate with him that I had a passion in the industry. We spoke at length about the key successes that are needed to be influential in the field, and some of the challenges he has faced with assisting other supply chain managers that didn’t meet the necessary qualifications. The most notable takeaways from the interview with Nicholas, were the complex issues that the supply chain faces. The efforts of forecasting in the field have become more complex than ever with the shortages that are prevalent in the market today. Labor shortages have also helped complicate these issues on a global scale. The culmination of these problems creates the perfect storm that would cause widespread disruptions within the supply chain. The zoom meeting with Peter Schnitzer also began at its scheduled time. Peter did not accept my offer to provide the questions prior to our meeting. The start of our meeting was entertaining to say the least. He immediately lightened the mood by apologizing for the backdrop of the Alps behind him and feeling that it wasn’t professional enough. This opened the door to further communication and the allowance of being able to speak freely and openly. Peter’s unique global connections offered a great perspective on supply chain management that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to understand had it not been for him. The information Peter was able to provide cast a wide net on the constraints that supply chain faces from one country to another. The most memorable part of our conversation was after I had posed a question regarding Gazprom and their influence on the European manufacturing industry, to which he laughed and responded by informing me that Russia had taken the pipelines down for “maintenance”. The laugh was in response to the silly claims that Russia makes to substantiate their often-unfound claims.

Wendy King 3 August 5, 2022 The most insightful part of the interview with Peter was in understanding how other areas of the world impact our own supply chains. Peter provided an understanding into how the Chinese have been neglecting the supply chain shortages, and much of it stems from their strict Covid policies. Imports and exports in China must sit idle in a warehouse, or shipping container, for no less than 14 days before they can continue being transported. Another global aspect Peter described was in reference to the European supply chain, and how they still have a backlog of boats waiting to dock to be unloaded. I had initially thought that this had alleviated itself when the US finally got their backlog under control, but this is not the case in Europe. The examples provided a depth of information that I was unaware of, and by networking with him, it made me aware of the complexities this field sometimes endures. Insights This project was enjoyable, and I had a great deal of fun being able to reach out to both Peter and Nicholas. I expected to struggle more with this project than I did, and I came out of it feeling more confident speaking with other individuals with whom I have no connection. The enlightenment the project has provided has inspired me to start creating stronger connections with others in the field to collaborate with. The networking involved with this project has encouraged me to strengthen my capabilities and allow others to influence my capabilities more positively. Supply chain management, according to both Nicholas and Peter, involves a great deal of communication and collaborative effort. Now that I can clearly see what is expected of someone as a supply chain manager, I feel the need to continue building and developing my network so that I can become more effective and established. [Please note: I have deleted Part 3 Screenshots from this project to protect the privacy of the professionals. However, you are still required to submit screenshots of all your correspondence with your professional(s).]

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