Operations Management and Supply Chain Management

The well-known ‘build-it-yourself’ product design makes them progressive and makes them running ahead of the competition. IKEA is the only big brand in a category further not present in global markets, there are no real competitors operating in the same category. In 2013 775 million customers visited IKEA in 2013, and its website hosted 1.2 billion visits (4). Due to the ‘build-it-yourself’ product design IKEA is able to provide their customers with high quality and low cost products, even the customers with limited income and limited living space

In today’s competitive business world, the best companies have discovered a powerful new source which encompasses on all the integrated activities that bring the product to the market and create satisfied customers and is called “Supply-Chain Management”.

IKEA is a multinational group of company that design and sells home furnishing products and home accessories. IKEA founded in 1943 in Sweden by 17 years old Ingvar Kamprad, who was ranked as one of the wealthiest people in 2013. The IKEA’s name is an abbreviation of ‘Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd’. Ingvar Kamprad is founder name, Elmtaryd is the native farm and Agunnaryd is his native village located in Smaland, South Sweden. In 1943, Ikea operates mail order sale business where to sell everything such as pen, photo frame, watches and ladies leggings. Until 1958, the first IKEA store was opened in Amhult, Smaland. As of 2015, IKEA group has grown into worldwide brand own and operate 373 stores

Reorders are placed at the time of review (T), and the safety stock that must be reordered is:

Chase, R. B., Jacobs, F. R., Aquilano, N.J. Operations management for competitive advantage (11th ed). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin.

Chase, R.B., Jacobs, F. R., & Aquilano, N.J. (2006) Operations management for competitive advantage (11th ed). New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin

Logistics and supply chain management is an important aspect of a firm’s strategy for the business to achieve success by creating value throughout the logistics and supply chain. The research paper will outline the concepts that are involved in creating the logistics and supply management framework. The logistics and supply chain management strategies will drive success for the company towards fulfilling and supporting customer needs, procurement and manufacturing operations of the firm.

Order Placement: A web-store should be setup with both a customer and employee-facing portal that allows orders to be placed based off of real-time inventory counts.

Operations management is defined as the design, execution, and control of operations that convert resources into desired goods and services, while implementing an organizations business strategy (Business Dictionary, 2015). Office Depot Inc. is one such organization that truly understands that solid operations is the foundation to the success they have had in recent years. In this paper, I will give the history and background of Office Depot Inc. and explain why they have been able to keep such a competitive advantage in the consumer and small business supply industry. Additionally, I will

In the San Diego distribution center (DC) information flow example, dealers not being notified automatically of order status would be classified as

"The ability to learn faster than competitors may be the only true sustainable competitive advantage." – Arie P. De Geus

My knowledge of operations management's impact on organizational effectiveness has grown considerably in this course. I now have a better understanding of how the design and improvement of operational processes and systems can be structured so that the resources required for producing and delivering goods and services are optimized to their full potential. I have a newfound appreciation for the role of operations managers. They take on the challenge of improving productivity to grow and enhance the business an effort that spans all business units and divisions including purchasing, manufacturing, shipping, packaging, supply chain, human resources, marketing, finance, and information technology.

Storage has always been an important aspect of economic development. For manufacturers, strategic warehousing offered a way to reduce holding or dwell time of materials and parts.

Although the direct business model of Dell is most attractive, there are several key differences between the computer and auto industries which serve as barriers to Ford‘s implementation of uniform, supply chain virtual integration. Ford must tackle many diverse obstacles that were, simply, not a factor with Dell‘s implementation. These obstacles range down the delivery chain from the supplier to the manufacturer to the dealer and, ultimately, to the customer. Overall, the intricate and historic process of manufacturing and selling automobiles contradicts the technological innovation necessary for a true virtually integrated system to exist.

IKEA established itself as the largest furniture retailer in Sweden by the early 1970s by reinventing the wheel of furniture manufacturing at that time. Majority of furniture manufacturers in Sweden produced expensive products with designs that were basic or passed down generation to generation, additionally other manufacturers stores where located in downtown congested areas. IKEA’s strategies which consisted of low cost low priced furniture, brave intricate designs, self-assembly,