Discussion Post: Operations Management
Zara is the main chain of the apparel retailer Inditex Group, developed in the 1990's, and is a quick operations system that enabled its fast global expansion. This system introduced the concept of Fast Fashion and revolutionized the sector.
Read the article Zara's Fast Fashion Edge and answer the following questions:
a. Based on Zara's outsourcing strategy and physical distribution scheme described in the article, what do you think are challenges that the company will face to sustain its growth?
b. Briefly describe a strategy to address the most compelling challenge facing the organization.
Berfield, S. &Baigorri, M. (2013). Zara's Fashion Edge.
Homework: Operations Management
Case Study: The supplier selection process is a critical activity within the operations of a company. Once the outsourcing decision is taken, a process aimed at analyzing and choosing the appropriate suppliers begins.
Suppose that you are a Procurement Analyst in a large company. You have been asked to create a proposal to the Chief Procurement Officer identifying the best supplier to outsource, for a 3-year period, a complex part of your company's value chain. Your company operates in a mature market where the qualifying and winning factors are quality and time to customer respectively.
Based on the information included in the table, address the following questions:
a. What supplier would you select?
b. What is your rationale for your election?
c. What supplier would you select if your company's factors changed to price and quality? Would your election change?
Supplier
Price
Quality
Delivery
Others
A
90
90
95
Overseas supplier
(transport lead time 3 weeks)
B
105
100
100
Supplier facing financial issues
C
85
85
95
Proximity supplier
(transport lead time 3 hours)
*Figures are expressed in % as follows:
a. Price: price quoted by supplier vs. outsourcing company target price
b. Quality: parts accepted vs. parts delivered
c. Delivery: parts delivered on time vs. parts delivered
Provide a 2-3 page paper proposal, as the Procurement Analyst, that outlines the issues of the case, states your choice of supplier and provides a rationale for your choice.
Managing in the global economy
a. Discuss how emotional intelligence; mindfulness and mindlessness techniques impact self-efficacy.
b. What role do emotions play in leadership and how does learning to develop an optimistic perspective of emotions benefit a leader? How does mindfulness help a leader focus on the performance and goals within the team? How can mindlessness lead to learned helplessness and how can these actions impact a leader's performance?
Managing in the global economy. Written homework
In Chapter 7 of your textbook, Cultural Intelligence for Leaders, please read the 7.3 Case Study 3: Building a Multicultural Team-Is it Worth it? Please be sure to particularly address the following questions related to the case:
a. How do you describe Kalia's self-efficacy? Is she showing levels of high and/or low efficacy? Discuss how her behavior exhibits each level.
b. How does Kalia's self-efficacy impact her leadership?
c. What strategies do you recommend to Kalia to help her improve her cultural intelligence and develop her self-efficacy? Discuss at least two specific development approach.
d. What suggestions do you have for Kalia in leading her staff to be a culturally intelligent team?
Managing in the global economy. Portfolio.
Identify one goal you have (i.e., "My goal is to..."). This can be related to your job, your family, your finances, starting a new business, purchasing a new car-anything you would like to gain in the future. Under your stated goal, write down five things you plan to do to achieve this goal. Next, have two people (e.g., family, friends, peers) identify five things they think you can do to accomplish this goal. Lastly, compare what you have written down to achieve your goal as well as what others have written and respond to the following questions:
a. How would you react if none of the plans you made turned out the way they were supposed to?
b. What if, in the middle of working toward your goal, the goal changed?
c. If you reached your goal exactly as you planned it, what would you have learned about yourself?
d. What type of life do you think you would lead if everything went according to your plans?
Format your homework according to the give formatting requirements:
a. The answer must be double spaced, typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
b. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the course title, the student's name, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
c. Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.