QSO 330 Milestone Two Wal-Mart China warehousing & transportation network
Overview: The final project for this course is the creation of a supply chain evaluation. Supply chain management (SCM) is a holistic view of a company’s efforts to source, procure, receive, store, and deliver products. These products can be raw materials for a manufacturing process, consumer goods for a retail chain, or a collection of items that will be joined in some way before ultimate delivery to the customer. In today’s global economic environment, SCM takes on an increasing level of complexity as companies attempt to reduce costs, drive efficiency, and remain compliant with the corporate social responsibilities that today’s consumers demand. Prompt: For this milestone, you will submit an evaluation of Walmart’s transportation and warehousing networks, focusing on constraints, modes of transportation, infrastructure, and special handling requirements. You will also make recommendations to improve transportation. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: IV. Transportation: In this section, first consider the effectiveness of Walmart’s transportation network in order to then determine possible cost savings without sacrificing performance. A. Evaluation 1. Identify constraints within the transportation network and discuss the impact they will have on the overall supply chain operation. Be sure to provide specific examples to illustrate. 2. Analyze the transportation network and determine whether or not the correct modes of transportation are being used based on time, cost, and quantity. B. Recommendations: Make recommendations on how to improve the transportation network given the constraints you identified using specific examples to illustrate and justify your claims. V. Warehousing: In this section, first analyze your client’s warehousing network in order to then determine requirements and develop recommendations for adequately meeting current and future storage needs. A. Evaluation 1. Analyze the current warehousing infrastructure to determine if the current warehousing network adequately meets storage needs. Additionally, consider eventual expansion requirements of Walmart’s operation. What are the constraints or restrictions involved in the possible locations? 2. Identify considerations for special handling of hazardous materials and describe their impact on warehousing for the current mix of products that Walmart’s SCM is handling, using specific examples.
