Smithfield Executive Summary

Optimization of machinery so that production setups are not required for small customizations which can be managed manually.

The concept of a “job shop” as a transformation system, refers to a process which has a somewhat jumbled flow, high flexibility, and outputs which are processed differently (Lyons, Vidamour, Jain, & Sutherland, 2013). One of the most important aspects of the job shop which must be understood relates to the definition presented above. Managing a job shop is difficult because of the numerous different routes that an output might take, the numerous different inputs which are required, and the differing operations and amounts of time (Meredith & Shafer, 2013). “[S]ince every output must be treated differently”, efficiently

We prefer the EOQ/ ROP system as gains from reducing the order/ production size (gains in terms of less value of inventory being produced) which though lead to increase in setup cost far outweigh the gains from Blanchard’s current system (gains in terms of reduction of setup cost) while, costs are that of the value of inventory being produced.

Based on performance indicators for picking and order preparation, central distribution centers provide a more cost efficient option. Performance for picking and order preparation efficiency is specified by accurate, cost efficient, and timing on picking and preparing the orders. Picking and order preparation efficiency in a store is low and endures high labor costs per order (Agatz, 2009). With a higher volume demand, distribution centers provide a high picking efficiency, whereas stores provide only a low picking efficiency (Boyer & Hult, 2005).

Littlefield Technologies (LT) has developed another DSS product. The new product is manufactured using the same process as the product in the assignment “Capacity Management at Littlefield Technologies” — neither the process sequence nor the process time distributions at each tool have changed. The LT factory began production by investing most of its cash into capacity and inventory. Specifically, on day 0, the factory began operations with three stuffers, two testers, and one tuner, and a raw materials inventory of 9600 kits. This left the factory with zero cash on hand. Customer demand

The above cost system was efficient during the 1980s because it split up overhead over three cost pools, adding an additional pool, which has machine hours as its cost driver. This proved efficient because “[w]ith increased usage of automated machines, direct labor run time no longer reflected the amount of processing being performed on parts, particularly when one operator was responsible for several machines.” Packet, pg. 7.

Potential Internal StrengthsRespected companySuperior managementBetter marketing skillsAlliances with other firmsGood distribution skillsCommitted employeesWell trained employeesGrowing product line

For this Business Strategy Report, I have selected a restaurant chain named Nando’s. It was established in 1987 by two friends, Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin (Nando’s.com, 2017). Although being a South African brand it has Portuguese influence and the restaurant chain depicts these designs. Nando’s specialty is flame-grilled chicken spiced with their unique selection of marinade sauces and spices ranging from mild to extra hot and for those individuals not into the hot stuff, there’s a lemon and herb option. It also has other selected food options to choose from in their attractive menu. Its niche market is working middle class male and female customers who enjoy spicy food and casual dining. It also caters for kids and families.

Being able to increase productivity and revenues has always been the greatest challenge of any manager, and the manager of RL Wolfe, a plastic pipe manufacturer, was not an exception. Because of the low-efficiency percentage RL Wolfe had in comparison to their its competitors, John Amasi, director of Production and Engineering , had no other choice then came up with a new way of improving RL Wolfe production methods.

However, to reduce cost and promote sustainability a deep engagement with every sector of the supply chain is needed. While Walmart can promote sustainability with the MSC certification program, as mentioned it is expensive and takes one year to complete. Therefore, Walmart can potentially establish their own quality control check. This will reduce cost while retaining sustainability of their supply chain. It will be cheaper and should take less than the MSC certification. Consumers are price sensitive. Therefore, it is important that Walmart retain reasonable prices for their fish. With such an internal program, it will be adventageous over the MSC certification because Walmart will be able to retain their affordable prices of their seafood while promoting sustainability.

In food service it is important to realize and address hot button issues within the industry to begin to understand what the target market wants, increase revenue and decrease cost centers. In researching the increasingly pressing issue of food sustainability in global food service it was discovered that implementations are initially expensive and require large amounts of dedication but are ultimately huge factors in increasing brand loyalty and recognition and gaining popularity within the “green” market segment. It was the goal of this paper to outline specific concerns posed by the issue of food sustainability as well as methods of the industry’s participation in its solutions and to analyze the progress made to increase awareness of

M&L Manufacturing makes various components for printers and copiers. The company supplies these items to a major manufacturer. The company also distributes these and similar items to office supply stores and computer stores as replacement parts for printers and desktop copiers. In all, the company manufactures about 20 different items to distribute. The two markets (the major manufacturer and the replacement market) require somewhat different handling. Product for the major manufacturer can be shipped in bulk. However, the products for the retail segment must be packaged individually which requires additional handling and expense. Instead of using forecasting for production planning the operations manager decides which

Addressing the needs of its employees. Meeting the needs of the employees and maintaining a profit margin.

Shimano’s employees are the most valuable resource that the company possesses. Out of their 5,400 employees, one quarter of them are assigned to research and development; however R&D alone is not where the value originates. Cooperation between the production and marketing teams provides the company with an intangible asset that fuels Shimano’s innovation. The collaboration between these departments is extremely valuable to the company’s guiding principle to inspire and strive for continuous improvement. This is a rare philosophy was not common amongst manufacturers in this industry.

This provides them with the opportunity to reconstruct their current position and look at implement strategic management concepts that can increase profitability and corporate social responsibility. Tysons Food Inc. can utilize external assessments to better understand the non-controllable industry environment and competitor strategies, some of which could include PESTLE, Porter’s Industry 5 Forces, or Stakeholder Theory. Through utilizing the PESTLE evaluation with regards to the livestock production sector, it’s evident that political, technology, and legal are the largest forces shaping animal agriculture today. Government regulations by the United States and the ever-changing consumer preferences are important variables to consider in the livestock production industry. For example, if government issued policies showed to be in favour of chicken production, it would be in Tyson Foods Inc. best interest to raise and slaughter chickens rather than retrieve eggs from them. Similarly, if consumer preferences shift from chicken to beef or pork, Tysons would be required to rethink their current production strategy to align appropriately with the current trend. Additionally, technological advances in the livestock industry has made it possible for many corporations to significantly improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of their production. The core driving forces for this improved technology is population growth, increase in income, and