Desmond k Sangbong
Emmet Fritch
Course: Inventory and supply chain management
May 22, 2015
Supply chain management is the design, the planning, the execution, control and the monitoring
of activities of the supply chain with the aim of creating the net value and therefore building a
competitive infrastructure and synchronizing the supply with demands. Supply chain
management can also be defined as the management of the flow of goods and services which
includes movements and storage of raw materials.
The term supply chain management was first developed by Keith Oliver in the year 1982. He
claimed that the concept of supply chain management was of great importance long before the
20th century when there was the creation of the assembly line. The term supply chain
management became widely adopted after the publication of the seminal book “introduction to
supply chain management” in the year 1990 by Robert B. Handfield and Ernest L. Nichols, Jr.
The pioneer of supply chain management was Dr. Donald J. Bowersox. He was a professor at
Michigan State University where he earned a doctorate in business management. He was later
selected and helped as a dean of the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management. He also
pioneered in the study of logistics and was the co-author of the pioneer text in that field, in the
year 1961. Donald J. Bowersox was the founding member of and second president of the
national council of physical distribution management in the year 1963, this later became a
council of supply |Chain Management Professionals. Donald J. Bowersox has received the
council’s distinguished service and founder Award’s, a special commendation from the society
of logistic engineers for the publication of Logistical administration. He has been documented by
the Michigan State University as a distinguished Alumnus and University Distinguished Faculty
Member. From all the facts that have been provided above, I think that Donald J. Bowersox was
the pioneer of supply chain management.
Donald J. Bowersox has been one of the most well-known and influential supply chain
management academics in the world, Donald J. Bowersox died in the year 2011, on July 4th. He
died from cancer when he was 79 years of age. He has been a professor emeritus of marketing
and supply chain management and he also served as a dean of the Board College from 20012002. Donald J. Bowersox has dedicated more than forty of his years at the Michigan State
University and he was largely responsible for the stature that the Broad College has in the field
of Supply chain management.
Donald J. Bowersox has written ten textbooks that have been since translated into fifteen
languages. He also co-authored the fourth edition of the text book “supply chain logistic
management” and “Physical Distribution Management” which has since been said to be the
industry’s first logistic textbook. He has also authored more than 250 articles on marketing,
transportation and logistics and he was a member of the editorial review board of the Council of
supply chain professional quarterly. All this evidence has proved that Donald J. Bowersox is the
main pioneer of Supply Chain Management.
Reference:
http://cerasis.com/2013/07/31/supply-chain-and-logistics-management/
https://broad.msu.edu/2011/07/08/remembering-supply-chain-pioneer-donald-bowersox/
Running head: INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Information Systems
Desmond K Sangbong
Emmet Fritch
Colorado Technical University
May 24, 2015
1
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
2
Introduction
In line with this discussion, I choose to discuss Toyota Company as a large company that
makes use of different information system technology. In line with this discussion, I will support
the multiple operations systems and oppose the single system. It will be important to have the
full explanation as to why I prefer the multiple operations system.
In Toyota Company, the company has employed the use of multiple systems in their
operations. The system allows many users to use the system at the same time. This is referred to
as the ability of multi-tasking the various activities in a given computer. The users in this can
also increase the possibility of making more uses at the same time while allowing them to use the
same resources. In a multiple operation system, the users can share the resources well without
having to eliminate any user from the system. The process of resource sharing is economical to
the entire since there are many people. By comparing a single system with a multiple system, it
is evident that the single system does not allow sharing of information or resources as one uses a
given computer to execute their duties. The process of executing these activities on one computer
is uneconomical and leads to losses to the company in the end. As evident in Toyota Company,
the costs of maintaining their information system infrastructure is reduced (Cadle, 2014).
In addition to this, the multiple systems in Toyota Company help to save on space. The
reduced space is based on the fewer number of computers in the company. If the company was
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
3
using a single system, then the number of computers would be high hence no saving on nay
space. The space that Toyota Company saves can be used for other activities hence increasing
the efficiency of their operations. In the case of a multiple system, an organization is assured that
there is quality and efficient production. It takes place since the people can share resources hence
save on time (Peterson, 2012). The increased quality of production under the multiple systems is
essential at improving the network systems of the company. The improved structure is very
important as it can lead to a higher yield in revenue in additional to the increased benefits in the
system of Toyota Company. In a single operation system, this is not possible since there is no
sharing of resources hence leading to poorer results in the end. Hence, Toyota Company really
benefits from the multiple operation systems.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
4
References
Cadle, J. (2014). Toyota Company. Swindon: BCS Learning & Development Limited.
Peterson (Firm). (2012). Information Systems Analysis. New York, NY: Datamonitor.
Desmond K Sangbong
Emmet Fritch
Inventory and Supply Chain management
Colorado Technical University
May 25, 2015
Executing Cycle Counts
Organizations keep inventories and stock in their warehouses to keep back up in several
locations and units to improve supply chain processes. It is necessary to keep count of the
preserved products in order to transparently audit the stored resources. Mostly this audit counting
is repeated on annual basis manually to cross check the numbers showing in the computer
screens. It is very hectic and dry procedure of manual counting but organizations cannot entirely
depend on automatic machine counts because incoming and outgoing of the inventory products
is always dynamic and moving.
The best way to execute cycle counts per year is to categorize the yearly counts on
shorter time spans; monthly, quarterly, and half and then these smaller portions are evaluated
with the total yearly counts for auditing purposes. The most effective procedure of annual cycle
count is “The Ranking method” in which products are categorized on the basis of their sales
[Jimsobeck (2015)]. Fastest moving inventories compile up to form almost 80 percent of the total
stocks and there are greater tendencies of error or fraud in these fast moving products and the
rest of the lesser velocity dead end products that make up 20 percent of the stock have fewer
chances of being stolen [Anderson, K. (2012)]. The cycle count on “A” category items that are
fastest moving in the stock are audited and counted on a regular basis manually by the most
trusted team of individuals. Second category of items is B category which are mid volume
products, they are counted quarterly and level “C” stocks are counted after 6 months [Anderson,
K. (2012)]. It is necessary to assign the task of cycle counts to the most trusted and morally
ethical people because no matter what method an organization choose for inventory count,
people might be bribed or corrupted by social factors to hide sensitive errors.
The items can be identified on the basis of their categories or by making classified stacks
and portions within the warehouse. Counting people might check on the stacks and read the titles
to identify the items. The items being counted monthly should be placed in different places in the
warehouse whereas items being counted quarterly or after six month should be placed separately
[Anderson, K. (2012)]. An overall count should be documented for cross checking of the counts
and to match the accumulated counts with the overall larger number. When a high-loss item is
identified prior to year-end inventory, it must be matched with the total number firstly to check
for any errors in the total count and then it should be accumulated in the right category.
References
Anderson, K. (2012). Software Solutions Inc. Improving Warehouse Efficiency – Cycle
Counting Methods. 13 April 2012. [WEB] Retrieved from:
http://www.mas-ss.com/blog/bid/123619/Improving-Warehouse-Efficiency-Cycle-CountingMethods
Jimsobeck (2015). Tumblr. Inventory Cycle Counts. [WEB] Retrieved from:
https://www.tumblr.com/search/inventory%20cycle%20counts
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