International Supply Chain & Quality Strategy Assignment
Assignment: Critical evaluation of supply chain and quality management strategies within an existing international supply chain
Word limit: 4,500 words (+/-10%), excluding any diagrams, reference list and appendices.
Assignment Synopsis: You are to write a report based on Boeing’s experience with its 787 Dreamliner airplane. Your report will be a critical evaluation of the extent to which Boeing’s international supply chain has been able to deliver a product that meets the quality expectations of its various stakeholders and will be based on a comparison with a competitor’s supply chain for a comparable product. Your report should contain strong conclusions for future new product development projects at Boeing. In order to do this, it is suggested that you adopt for the following structure for your report:
1. Introduction.
2. Theoretical Framework. This section presents the adopted theoretical framework(s) that will be used to conduct the critical evaluation. It is not enough to describe a theoretical framework in this section. The appropriateness of the theoretical framework(s) adopted must also be clearly established.
3. Analysis. In this section the results of the critical evaluation are presented and discussed. The analysis needs to be based on the theoretical framework(s) presented in section 2. As part of the analysis you need to compare and contrast the 787 supply chain with a competitor’s supply chain for a comparable product.
4. Conclusion. This section should present the key learnings for future new product development projects at Boeing. The learnings presented need to be focussed on supply chain and quality management issues.
Your report MAY include, as appropriate, analyses and evaluations of the following areas:
• Supply chain design, e.g. appropriateness of make/buy decisions;
• Supplier relationship management, e.g. effectiveness of partnering relationships;
• Effectiveness of quality management systems, e.g. levels of supplier development
• Resilience of Boeing’s international supply chain, e.g. risk management practices;
• The effect of supply chain and quality issues on the performance of other functions within Boeing.
Format: Your report should be clearly structured using sub-headings etc., but the overall format will depend on how you choose to develop your case.
Please assume that your audience is not familiar with the acronyms and in-house assumptions of the companies presented in your report. You should assume that your report is to be read by ‘lay-members’ of the group undertaking the review. You should not spend too much time describing any frameworks or theories you choose to use. While you must be explicit about those you are using and must cite them appropriately, you can assume that your marker is familiar with them. What the marker is looking for is evidence of your ability to apply theory and learn from it.
You must cite all sources on which you have relied, e.g. textbooks, articles, web-pages, in-house literature, verbal statements from colleagues, etc. (to avoid any suggestion of plagiarism) and you must include a reference list of those sources in your report (please refer to the Harvard Bibliographic Referencing system). You should use tables and figures wherever these are helpful and remember that these do not count towards your word limit. Supporting material should be presented in the appendices.
Marking Criteria: Your assignment will be marked against the following criteria:
1. Evidence of your ability to use theory to help you think in a critical way and to develop a systematic understanding of the way strategic supply decisions have been made, and the way quality is being addressed, in the supply chain studied;
2. Evidence of your understanding of how different approaches to the strategic management of supply and quality might contribute to the achievement of supply chain/network objectives;
3. Evidence of your understanding of the weaknesses and strengths inherent in various approaches to the strategic management of supply and quality issues;
4. Evidence of your understanding of the limitations placed upon the options available to your chosen supply chain/network;
5. Your ability to convey your conclusions and recommendations in a reasoned, supported and convincing manner.
6. Accurate, grammatical and economical use of English, good presentation and appropriate citation of sources (using the Harvard Bibliographic Referencing System).
The above criteria do not carry specific weightings. Your overall mark will represent a judgement of the extent to which you have provided evidence that you have achieved the learning outcomes for the unit.
The assignment should be presented in report format and where applicable utilise the Harvard referencing system. The proposal should be approximately 4,500 words in length and will contribute 100% towards the final mark.
The final version should be submitted as a paper copy to the Business School reception as well as uploaded via the Turnitin link on the module’s Blackboard site on or before 20 May 2015. Any late submittal will be dealt with as per University regulations.
Please ensure that you conform to all the University regulations in relation to the submission of assignments and that you have retained a back-up copy.