Supply Chain Management Research Paper

RFID systems are currently being used in manufacturing plants to track parts, stay informed of work in progress, reduce product defects, increase throughput, and manage production of given products. Big name retailers such as Best Buy, Metro, Target, Albertson’s, Hewlett Packard, and Wal-Mart are leading the way in implementing RFID systems. These retailers recognize the need to improve inventory efficiency, ensure products are available to customers as needed, decrease theft, and cut down on costs associated with tracking and processing inventory.

Supply chain management is a practice that involves the planning, supervision, and implementation of strategies and controls to direct the movement of goods and services provided to customers. The intent of this essay is to incorporate a synopsis of existing literature and to provide the reader with a general understanding of how supply chain management correlates with the organizational design and structure of modern firms. The essay comprehensively reviews the components of supply chain management and their integration with functional areas within an organization. The information presented in this essay

Managed logistics, supply chain, and integrated logistics functions within a leading provider of services to the federal government. Supervised, trained, and evaluated team of over 20. Assisted Program Manager in quality assurance and operations leadership to meet all contractual requirements. Created comprehensive monthly data analysis, written reports and briefings, program plans/analyses, and others to support logistics and operational matters. Maintained supply and inventory control using Property Book Unit Supply Enhanced (PBUSE) system.

The RFID is considered a significant improvement over the conventional barcode, which needs to be read by scanners in "line-of-sight" fashion and can be stripped away if the paper product labels get ripped or damaged. RFID can also facilitate inter-organizational E-commerce initiatives such as continuous replenishment or vendor-managed inventories (Smaros and Holmstrom, 2000).

The RFID system will open new sales opportunities to larger markets such as the Department of Defense (DoD) and Wal-Mart. Who are now demanding that RFID tracking as a condition of contracting.

It also implemented throughout the healthcare industry. Some practices are using it to track and locate supplies to improve the overall efficiency of their inventory management process. Hospitals even use RFID on surgical tools to help reduce lost utensils.

An effective supply chain is the key to creating business value, and with expansion on the horizon. Good planning and willingness to adapt to changes are key to maximizing our results. In order to do this we have come up with a plan that will make Lady Americana mattresses a household name in our target expansion markets. In the state of Oklahoma, Lady Americana has already become a brand that has a bed in almost every home. The current systems in place are effective for todays operations, below are some challenges and recommendations to improve upon this to create an effective supply chain, that will grow with you as your business does.

Radio Frequency Identification is the use of radio frequency waves to remotely identify material. It is primarily used in supply chain management but can be used in other areas. Used as a tracking tool, RFID keeps track of material in the transportation pipeline enabling users to have real time tracking information throughout the entire shipping process. Inventory management is another important logistics element that is enhanced with the use of RFID. The goal of an inventory manager is to maintain a 100% inventory and RFID makes the process more efficient. RFID allows the user to perform inventories with ease and accuracy while reducing the number of people needed to perform the inventory. In addition to assisting with inventory RFID

RFID provides and enhancement to total asset visibility. Although RFID only reports the last position of an asset meaning it isn’t a real-time reporting system but it does establish that the unit is on its way. RFID will replace barcodes and when fully operational the RFID tag will not need people to capture and record inventory data that are associated with repair parts that move through the DoD supply chain. RFID will reduce labor requirements to free up military personnel to concentrate on other critical task but it will also improve accuracy and make it possible to find a part in the DoD supply chain at any given time.

Wal-Mart uses RFID technology to ensure a timely delivery of its products to the customers. RFID technology has assisted the company to adjust its shipments and re-stocking of inventory. RFID tool that is a part of knowledge management has reduced the delay between customer orders and shipments (Bidgoli, 2010). The company is evolving and growing after using knowledge management tools like RFID. Through the use of RFID, the company has developed competency required to survive in the uncertain

A common way of decreasing the amount of inventory a business holds on a daily basis is implementing a just-in-time inventory process. A Just-In-Time inventory system means that the business gets the materials for a product, as they are demanded. “The electronic data

While Intel remains a leader in technologies, the manufacturing processes used are dated, and need to be changed. By implementing RFID technology within Intel warehouses, the company can find gaps within the supply chain, and develop solutions

RFID technology is not only used at gas stations, restaurants, and department but also at

Inventory systems are something in which practically every business needs to properly function. From the small business of just a few employees to the large corporations, inventory systems are a vital part of a business 's success. The types of inventory systems will vary with the number of businesses that use these different kinds of systems. Team C will present findings on the research of various businesses and how those businesses use inventory systems that pertain to a specific industry. The organizations of research include companies, such as Infigen Energy, T-mobile, Wal-mart (RIM - Retail Inventory Method), Weis

Some of the disadvantages of the RFID technology are that it is expensive to install. Small and medium scale enterprises find it costly to use it in their firms and offices. In the case of Harley Davidson, getting products from many different suppliers’ would mean that the tags may have to be installed in liquid and metal products. The problem is that the liquid and metal surfaces tend to reflect the radio waves, which makes the tags unreadable. The tags have to be placed in various alignments and angles for taking proper reading. This is a tedious task when the work involves a large organization like Harley Davidson. Another disadvantage of the technology is that interference has been observed if devices such as forklifts and walkie-talkies are in the vicinity of the distribution centers. The presence of mobile phone towers has been found to interfere with RFID radio waves. Wal-Mart, the retail sector giant, has installed billions of RFID tags in their products throughout the world and they have encountered such problems.