Impact of Cost-Benefit Analysis on Industry Decision Making: Transportation

The JIT approach to manufacturing involves timing the delivery of resources so that they arrive just when needed. Inventory optimization models help the firm determine how many of which items in which sizes should be delivered to each specific store during twice-weekly shipments, ensuring that each store is stocked with just what it needs. Trucks serve destinations that can be reached

Of the three forms of transportation, rail has the highest fixed costs, motor carriers the greatest variable costs, and air transport, the greatest variable costs of service and logistics optimization. Starting with rail, the cost structure has the highest fixed cost components, driven by infrastructure and terminal costs. Rail is therefore the most difficult to negotiate a lower transportation cost for, as the fixed costs form an inflexible pricing structure for retail service providers. The quality of rail service varies significantly across nations and regions as well, leading to greater variability in costs when a shipment moves across national and regional boundaries. Given the highly fixed cost structure of rail systems, there is significant room for improvement from an efficiency standpoint. The use of containerization is continually adding to greater efficiencies to this mode of transport (Jennings, Holcomb, 1996).

Along with the Benefit Measurement Method, Constrained optimization method can also be used which involves mathematical approach. Since this method involves the mathematical approach, several calculations are performed in order to take a decision to accept or reject the project. “Mathematical models, also known as Constrained Optimization Methods, are a category of project selection methods, which is a tool and technique of the Develop Project Charter process” (PMP, 2008). Cost-benefit analysis is one of the methods which fall into this category. All the positives and negatives of the project are taken into consideration and then the negatives are carefully excluded from the benefits. Different results are produced for the different projects. The most worthy and financially rewarding option are selected from these results. When employing this method, there are many things that are to be considered such as the impact of the decision on the development of the organization in the future, the length of time the equipment lasts and whether it is possible to do the cost control during the project.

Lastly, the just-in-time (JIT) approach is an operating philosophy that requires that all resources, including materials, personnel, and facilities, be acquired and used only as needed (Mazumder, 2007). The JIT approach works great for manufacturing companies because of their common classes of material that they use which are raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods (Mazumber, 2007). According to JIT concept raw materials are received just in time to go into production, manufactured parts are completed just in time to be assembled into products, and products are completed just in time to be shipped to customers (Mazumber, 2007). The

The concept of cost-benefit sounds simple enough but to apply it you have to decide how to measure relative costs and benefits which can become tricky. Different people may feel differently about the value of different things. A classic example is whether a not you should walk downtown to save $100 on a $500 dollar guitar. The benefit here is saving $100. The cost being the time it takes for you to walk downtown and what else you could be doing in that time. If you feel that your time is worth $100 than you make the trip downtown. If you feel your time is not worth a $100 then you do not make the trip. However if you decide to make the trip then you should make that same trip to save $100 even if you are buying a $3,000 painting. It is important to ignore proportions and focus on absolute dollar amounts.

The delay rate in the production will be decreased by outsourcing the assembly fuction near the supplier of the parts.

Recommendation:1. Improve Just-in-time systemSpartan Plastic Limited need to improve Just-in-time system, it is control aims to maintain inventory level at zero, with an immediate objective of reducing the capital tied to the inventories. It is an important principle that able to eliminating waste throughout the production system. The waste can occur, through excess inventories and overly large lot sizes, both of which can cause unnecessarily long customer lead times. Let's explain the role of the core JIT practices in enhancing manufacturing performance. JIT manufacturing requires the establishment of JIT supplier relationships with suppliers; Spartan in this case, that is able and willing to deliver the needed quantities of parts as the needs arise and without any defects.

Just-in-time: Just-in-time is an approach of continuous and forced problem solving through a focus on throughput and reduced inventory. Nissan takes advantage of JIT through reduced inventory levels and relying on a supply chain to deliver the parts needed to build its cars. The major benefit to JIT is that production runs remain short and the costs are reduced through less waste in warehouse storage space requirements. The company also saves money on raw materials

Manufacturing operations are crucial to our company. To be successful and satisfy consumers, Jaguar Land Rover must have an efficient line of production. The operations management team is primarily concerned with overseeing, designing, and controlling the process of the business operations in the production of our goods. While we have been prosperous in the past, it is critical that we change our production process from just-in-case manufacturing to just-in-time manufacturing. Not only will implementing this new practice allow us to maintain our success, it will also allow us to surpass it and achieve an entire new level of prosperity.

As argued by Lubben (1988), JIT allows businesses to have better management since this ensures that there is no loss as there is sufficient number of clients requiring the equipment. This reduces her to deal with huge deliveries when the clients’ numbers are not increasing. (Lubben, 1988, p.4) also suggested the idea of JIT that “... major elements of manufacturing – capital, equipment and labour are made available only in the amount required and at the time required to do the job.” So it is a good practice by utilising JIT approach as it reduces wastes and ensure the correct amount of equipment is available (Lubben,

This analysis is done assuming the benefits accrued in the year 2050. The costs are evaluated from the year 2011 – the proposed time of starting the project, while the benefits are calculated from the year 2020 – the expected time of launching the project. The estimated streams of benefits and costs occurring each year between 2011 and 2050 were discounted to their present value and summarized to calculate the benefit cost ratio.

The Cost benefit analysis is a financial model where companies or government establishments implement on their decision making. The model simply evaluates costs and benefits of a certain decision which enables the organization to choose the “right” option. (O’Farrell, R.,n.d.) The beauty of the CBA model lies in its simplicity, the chosen option is easily justifiable, when the costs are higher than the benefits then there is no compelling reason to make that decision. (O’Farrell, R. ,n.d.) In addition to its simplicity, the model is applicable to various types of decisions, it enable

Identifying the costs and benefits of a project is the first step; the next step is to identifying the value of these components. Monetary values such as income and lost income can be assessed with current values. However to place a value on environmental benefits and costs is more difficult. Harris et al (2006) describes four categories of values they are direct use value which can use market price valuation. Indirect use value is the category used to describe how the project can benefit the environment such as carbon sequestration. Option value takes into account the benefits lost due to irreversibility

For purposes of the asset provider financial discussion relative to investment, there is a cost and benefit analysis that always takes place. These elements are generally described as, for cost elements, facility capital costs (dictated by site location and design, as well as the partners involved in the planning process), facility maintenance costs (ongoing costs of maintaining a facility to ensure safe operations and upkeep), and operating costs (such as labor costs, fuel costs, equipment costs, and the time lost to congestion or to the breakdown of efficient supply chains).

The objective of this paper is to understand the modes of road transportation, the role of road transportation in urban areas, the role of transportation infrastructure in