Physical Distribution and Logistics of Mcdonalds

Conducting a value chain analysis provides a snapshot for identifying a firm’s relative competitive performance, core competencies, and for focusing on customer centric activities. Costco’s customer driven focus allows primary and support business activities to work in unity creating a stronger competitive advantage and thereby increasing profitability. Profitability and shareholder value rely on coordination of both sets of business activities to create a firm’s competitive advantage.

McDonald’s has been in business since 1955. Through many years of great strategic and financial planning, it has become one of the most successful food chains in the world. In order to continue its great success, McDonald’s must continue to adapt to change. In this paper we will discuss the strategic and financial planning that would be necessary to keep McDonald’s on top of the food chain.

Effective value chain as a competitive advantage can contribute significantly to the prosperity of a firm in the competitive arena, but it can cause dire situations if not operated properly (Guy, 2011). However, there are conflicts among companies as to how stakeholders think they gain competitive advantage. Porter (1996) suggests: A company can outperform rivals only if it can establish a difference that it can preserve. It must deliver greater value to customers or create comparable value at lower cost or do both.

The value chain is one of the critical elements of a company’s strategy in today’s competitive world, because company’s profit depends on how the successful and efficient it runs its operations and how the end product appeals to the customers at a price that covers all the expenses of the company.

Value Chain analysis evaluates each step business goes through from inception to finality. The goal is to maximize the value for the total cost. Costco's mission is to provide their members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. The company’s mission, values and strategies suggest Costco uses a broad enterprise strategy which fits in the societal framework. To ensure employee motivation, Costco offers them a unique banquet of benefits. This include; paying health benefits for them, 50% higher wage, employee retention of over 90 percent, and maintaining employees even during recession periods (Costco, 2010). The Company’s strength is its primary value chains which split into two distinct functions: Demand fulfilment and Demand generation. Demand fulfilment includes input logistics, operations, and output logistics. Demand generation involves sales, marketing, and service department which breaks down into sub-tiers. Costco’s support activities include HRM, technology development, firm infrastructure and procurement. Costco’s weaknesses are difficult to pinpoint; one weakness is persistent low operating profit margins. Bigger profits can occur by not paying employee benefits and with demanding higher returns from their suppliers. The problem would be at what cost?  Costco receives cost advantages from value adding major (brand items) activities. However, it continues to experience a challenge

In a typical supply chain, raw materials are procured and items are produced at one

The value chain is one of the critical elements of a company’s strategy in today’s competitive world, because company’s profit depends on how the successful and efficient it runs its operations and how the end product appeals to the customers at a price that covers all the expenses of the company.

McDonald’s emphasizes cleanliness and food safety, in addition to quality and value service (QSC&V), through which it has succeeded in obtaining customer trust. The company also stresses ethical practices, dependability, and truthfulness in dealing with customers (McDonald’s, 2012, p. 1). Moreover, McDonald’s employs a coordinated marketing strategy that involves analyzing customer wants, creating products to satisfy his or her needs, setting the right prices and enhancing awareness of

Value creation means increase the value of products, service and even business to meet the customers’ needs and requirements so that they can get competitive advantages. (Business Fundas, 2012) As we analyzed, fast food industry’s threat of new entrants is low and the availability of substitutes is high. It’s a fare market which the buyers have strong powers.

McDonald’s supply chain is unique. The company’s model is based on a culture of partnership and collaboration which makes it possible for us to serve consistently safe and high quality food. In an average year, Mcdonald’s spends more than $650 million on Australian produce to supply customers with quality meat, vegetables and bread and drinks. Mcdonald’s are assisting the Australian farmers in purchasing

McDonald’s is growing from time to time by expanding the number of restaurant. The main source that McDonald’s used as for packing and ingredient is nature. Every-day they are using a huge amount of napkins, tray lines and others. Moreover, another major ingredient that McDonald’s used is oil and gas.

The value chain analysis (shown in appendix) was also generated by Michael Porter. This model is referred to “identifying ways to increase the efficiency of the chain” (Investopedia, n.d.). Furthermore, the overall objective is to produce maximum value with minimum total cost and establish a competitive advantage.

Since McDonald’s is the most well know fast food chain in the world with a market cap of 69.35 billion, brand recognition is their biggest strength. The secret of McDonald’s success is its willingness to innovate and maintain consistency in the operation of its many outlets. In recent years McDonald’s has introduced Premium Salads, Snack Wraps, fresh Apple Dippers in the United States, and Corn Cups in China. Also, McDonald 's products are priced so low that economic conditions are almost insignificant.

Organizational structure and design also has a direct impact on a company’s success, no one does this better than McDonalds. “4 key forces shaping today 's organizations—buyer power, variety, change, and speed—and shows how to design a state-of-the-art organization that responds effectively and rapidly to customer demands”. (Galbraith, J. R. (1995). McDonalds has buying power due to its sheer size. Variety is definitely a tool used by McDonalds as there are many menu items to choose from. Meeting customers’ demands, is also something that McDonald’s adapts to easily, when something sales they provide when it does not they remove the item from the menu item, the speed in which they do this would not allow you to believe that this was a mechanistic company structure.

National and International businesses are becoming ever more dependent on logistics and supply chain management in order to keep pace with the demands of an increasingly global economy. This is why business leaders acknowledge that the supply chain can be a value creator and a source of competitive advantage.