Capella University Inventory and Ordering Decisions Worksheet Assignment
Question Description
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Overview
Analyze an operations management issue in a hypothetical company and provide answers to five algebraic equations.
Operations management is the core of any business. Understanding the basics of operations management and the associated best practices allows you to understand the importance of eliminating waste, while improving quality and customer service. Inventory is no longer simply a necessary evil, but a means by which companies have found ways to gain competitive advantage.
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Context
The old management philosophy was to have enough inventories ahead in the system to make sure the customer received the product. This required massive warehouses, tons of raw materials, and a waste of time and efficiency.
All businesses are affected by their operations—how they transform inputs into useable outputs. Most companies do not have all the best practices in place, but are striving to incorporate some of them into their culture.
The Assessment 5 Context document contains important information related to the following topics:
Aggregate Planning.
Sales Forecasting.
Scheduling.
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Questions to Consider
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the business community.
How are inventory management and aggregate planning similar? How do they differ?
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Resources
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.
Capella Resources
Click the links provided to view the following resources:
Assessment 5 Context.
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Library Resources
The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course:
Muller, M. (2011). Essentials of inventory management (2nd ed.). Saranac Lake, NY: AMACOM Books.
Lowe, D. (2002). The dictionary of transport and logistics. London, GBR: Kogan Page.
Course Library Guide
A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the BUS-FP4014 Operations Management for Competitive Advantage Library Guide to help direct your research.
Bookstore Resources
The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and assessments in this course and are not required. Unless noted otherwise, these materials are available for purchase from the Capella University Bookstore. When searching the bookstore, be sure to look for the Course ID with the specific –FP (FlexPath) course designation.
Reid, R. D., & Sanders, N. R. (2016). Operations management: An integrated approach (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Chapter 8, “Forecasting.”
Chapter 13, “Aggregate Planning.”
Chapter 15, “Scheduling.”
Assessment Instructions
SCENARIO
For this assessment, suppose that you are the operations manager for ABC Manufacturing, a small manufacturing company founded three years ago. ABC has been manufacturing and selling an electric motor for the past year, but the company has not always had sufficient workers assigned to manufacturing this electric motor in order to satisfy demand. ABC’s president asked you to plan for the production of this motor for the next six months.You have decided you will use a level aggregate plan for the electric motor, meaning that you will manufacture the same number of units each month. ABC’s president has told you that some customers order this motor well in advance of when needed, and thus it is allowable to have backorders, if needed. You know there are currently 150 units in inventory (starting inventory = SI), and ABC’s marketing manager estimates that the demand for the motor (in units) for each of the next six months (M = 6) will be 240, 225, 265, 270, 260, and 275 (D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5 respectively). You have decided you would like to reduce average inventory level of several products (including this one), and you want to have 50 units in inventory six months from now (ending inventory = EI).
DIRECTIONS
Briefly describe the operations management issue in the ABC Manufacturing scenario and describe how you would approach an analysis. Then complete the following problems based on the scenario and provide answers to the algebraic equations.
Question 1. Refer to the ABC Manufacturing scenario to complete the following:
Provide the algebraic equation for the monthly aggregate production rate (APR, using SI, EI, D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and M as variables).
Calculate and provide the numerical monthly aggregate production rate rounded to a whole number.
Question 2. Production employees at ABC work an average of 168 hours per month (HPM), and manufacturing the electric motor involves 3.5 total hours of work per unit (HPU).
Provide the algebraic equation for the number of workers (W) needed to meet the above aggregate production rate (using W, APR, HPM, and HPU as variables).
Calculate and provide the numerical number of workers needed.
Question 3. One subcomponent in this electric motor is also used in two other products manufactured by ABC. ABC’s president has told you that the company expects to use 5,400 (annual quantity = AQ) of these subcomponents during the next 12 months, with a consistent demand for them month-to-month (and a consistent demand during each month, with the business day daily demand, DQ, being 22). He has further told you that it costs $10 to place an order (order cost = OC) for this subcomponent (regardless of the quantity ordered), that the annual holding cost is $2 per unit (unit holding cost = UHC). Finally, he has stated that out of 21 business days per month, there is a five business day lead time (LT = 5) associated with ordering this subcomponent.
Provide the algebraic equation for the economic order quantity (EOQ, using AQ, OC, and UHC as variables).
Calculate and provide the numerical economic order quantity rounded to the closest whole number.
Question 4. Refer to the ABC Manufacturing scenario to complete the following:
Provide the algebraic equation for the reorder point (RP, using DQ and LT as variables).
Calculate and provide the numerical EOQ, rounded to the closest whole number.
Question 5. Historically, ABC has based its production on estimates from the company’s marketing manager. While that has generally been successful, you have decided you would like to factor in an operations management approach to estimating demand.
Describe the following forecasting methods. Provide the math associated with each method and identify the pros and cons of using it:
Naïve.
Simple mean.
Simple moving average.
Weighted moving average.
Exponential smoothing.
Linear trend line.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Any references and citations should be formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Inventory and Ordering Decisions Scoring Guide
CRITERIA DISTINGUISHED
Analyze a production decision using an aggregate production rate approach.
Analyzes a production decision using an aggregate production rate approach, and correctly calculates a numerical aggregate production rate.
Analyze a labor-related production decision.
Analyzes a labor-related production decision, and correctly calculates a numerical value for workers needed.
Analyze an inventory decision using an economic order quantity approach.
Analyzes an inventory decision using an economic order quantity approach, and correctly calculates a numerical economic order quantity.
Analyze an inventory decision using a reorder point approach.
Analyzes an inventory decision using a reorder point approach, and correctly calculates a numerical reorder point.
Describe key forecasting methods.
Describes key forecasting methods, including the associated math, and pros and cons.
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The desire to apply theory and develop formal research programs, to become nursing faculty, to combine clinical practice and formal research, and to advance through professional leadership in hospitals and health systems organizations. The Phd focuses on research and philosophy, and graduates are more likely to be considered nurse scientists who conduct research and use evidence-based practice.
If I had to choose between the two, I would definitely go for the DNP rather than the PhD. Both appear to be very interesting and to have different areas of knowledge, but DNP would be my choice without a doubt.
In their 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that nurses’ education be increased, with a focus on increasing the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees and doubling the number of nurses with doctoral degrees (Melnyk, 2013). In the United States, there is still some confusion about the roles of PhD and DNP. Endpoints for these programs are distinct. The PhD degree prepares researchers and scholars to generate external evidence to advance science and theory while also guiding practice. The DNP degree, on the other hand, prepares expert clinicians to prepare internal evidence and translate evidence generated through rigorous research into practice in order to improve health care quality, patient outcomes, and organizational and health policy (Melnyk, 2013). The DNP focuses on providing leadership for evidence-based practice in the real world (EBP). DNP graduates will seek roles as educators, but the emphasis should be on advanced practice specialization rather than the teaching process.
If given the opportunity to advance his nursing career, this writer will pursue a DNP. There is far too much time and schooling required to complete a PhD degree at his age. Given my age, this writer may not be able to enjoy and share the learned experience for long. The writer is also still completing his BSN deree and may require a break. The writer’s ambition is to work as a consultant. He enjoys working with EBPs and developing policies to aid in risk management assessment and prevention.
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