Assignment: Nile's Supply Chain
Nile is a global distribution intermediary. They have warehouses in 37 countries but they do not do any manufacturing themselves. For a fee, manufacturers can place products with Nile and then buyers can go online to purchase them. Nile has 75,000 employees, most based out of the United States. You are an auditor hired to analyze the company's operations. You find that employee expenses are the largest line item, accounting for nearly half of the company's expenses. Nile has an in-house delivery service, but because of a recent string of accidents, the insurance will be tripling. Also, nearly 25% of items are returned by the consumer but there is no single reason why. Create a report recommending changes based on these findings. Make sure to include the following elements:
1. Identify the benefits and risks of Nile's global supply chain. Be certain to analyze both the supplier and the consumer ends of the supply chain.
2. Develop a plan to address the product return problem. Justify your plan using principles of TQM. Identify potential cost to managing quality.
3. Analyze the effects of the increase in insurance costs. Make and justify recommendations for change.
4. What type of inventory management method do you think Nile uses? Identify costs associated with inventory control. Justify your answer.
5. Based on your analysis, offer recommendations for better distribution. These recommendations should be consistent with your previous analysis and that they cover the entire supply chain. Justify your reasoning.
Nile is a global distribution intermediary. They have warehouses in 37 countries but they do not do any manufacturing themselves. For a fee, manufacturers can place products with Nile and then buyers can go online to purchase them. Nile has 75,000 employees, most based out of the United States. You are an auditor hired to analyze the company's operations. You find that employee expenses are the largest line item, accounting for nearly half of the company's expenses. Nile has an in-house delivery service, but because of a recent string of accidents, the insurance will be tripling. Also, nearly 25% of items are returned by the consumer but there is no single reason why. Create a report recommending changes based on these findings. Make sure to include the following elements:
1. Identify the benefits and risks of Nile's global supply chain. Be certain to analyze both the supplier and the consumer ends of the supply chain.
2. Develop a plan to address the product return problem. Justify your plan using principles of TQM. Identify potential cost to managing quality.
3. Analyze the effects of the increase in insurance costs. Make and justify recommendations for change.
4. What type of inventory management method do you think Nile uses? Identify costs associated with inventory control. Justify your answer.
5. Based on your analysis, offer recommendations for better distribution. These recommendations should be consistent with your previous analysis and that they cover the entire supply chain. Justify your reasoning.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.