Assignment:
The Primary Supply Chain
Want to review about how to Research and Write Academic Papers?
SLP, like most other SLPs in TUI courses, requires research and writing academic papers. You need to know how to use and cite references correctly. You learned how to do this ETH501.
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Purdue's Online Writing Library (OWL)
Read the resources for SLP1 in the Background page.
For first SLP you will choose a product and a company that you will use throughout all of the SLPs.
Choose one of the following consumer products:
Motorcycle
Blue jeans
Antibiotic
Diamond ring
Baseball glove
Soccer ball
Indoor house paint
Choose a company that produces this product in the USA (materials may come from abroad). You will research this product, company and the industry and the related Supply Chain.
There are many websites that will show you how a product is made - e.g., materials needed, processes used, etc.
Once you have chosen a product, you can search for a company that produces this product. Then you can research this company and the specific brand. Search the company's website. If it is a publicly held company you can find its 10k report for good information. And also search IBIS and ProQuest for articles about this company.
What is the size of the market for this general product, e.g. how many of these are sold or the total sales of these per year at the retail level?
What is the brand of the product and the company you are focusing on and what is its market share for this product? What are the locations of the company in the US?
Then research the competition for this product:
Identify 3 - 5 competitors of this company and their market share for their brands?
Now research the supply chain:
Upstream Supply Chain. What are the key supplies and materials needed to produce this product? Include not only the materials that go into the product, but also any packaging that is needed. Identify as many of the actual supplier companies as you can and where they are located in the U.S.
Downstream Supply Chain. What are the customers of this company/industry? Do they sell to distributors, wholesalers, retailers? Identify as many customers as you can and where they are located in the U.S.
Generate a diagram of this Supply Chain including the specific company/industry and showing the suppliers and customers.
Session Long Project
Choose a product from the list and find a company that produces this product in the USA. Research this company and this product.
SLP Assignment Expectations
The paper should include major locations of the company. Identify the size of the market, identifying key competitors in the industry,.
Identify key components, materials, and packaging needed to produce this product. Identify key upstream and downstream aspects of the supply chain and locations of suppliers and customers. Discuss this supply chain. Generate a diagram of the SC.
Background: Review and discuss the product, company, and industry
Diagram: Include a diagram of the Supply Chain
Industry Competitors: Identify the company's competitors; identify competitors' brands.
Supply Chain Discussion: Discuss key upstream (supplies/suppliers) and downstream (customers) aspects of the SC and locations of each.
Clarity and Organization: The paper should be well organized and clearly discuss the various topics and issues with appropriate depth and breadth.
Use of references and citations: At least four (4) proper references should be used in the paper, cited in the text, and listed in the references. APA is required.
Length: The paper should be three to four pages - the body of the paper excluding title page and references page.
Sweeney, L.B. and Sterman, J. (2000). Bathtub dynamics: initial results of a systems thinking inventory System Dynamics Review, 16(4).
Background for the SLP
Supply Chain Basics
Beer distributors are wholesalers and are part of the Supply Chain.
Basic Concepts of Supply Chain Management (n.d.). Essentials of Supply Chain Management.