1.Overview In this assignment, you will apply what you have learned about key concepts regarding operations management. You are encouraged to leverage your work and instructor feedback on this assignment in your course project, which is due in Module Seven. Scenario You work as the chief supply chain officer at NationaliTeas, a large international corporation that manufacturers and sells tea worldwide. Its mission is to “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” You have recently hired the company’s first project manager and have given them their first project: Revise current workflows related to packaging at one of your tea factories to be more sustainable and more lean. As this is their first project, you will be helping them complete their task.
2.You are the chief operating officer (COO) of a local supermarket chain that has 10 stores within an 100-mile radius. The farm-to-table movement has been gaining momentum locally, and now it’s a consumer demand as well as a good practice. This movement supports the use of local suppliers to limit the environmental impact caused by the long-distance transportation of food. It also supports small family farms that use sustainable practices, such as avoiding genetically modified organisms and pesticides or using organic fertilizers. The CEO of the supermarket chain has asked you to see if the supermarket can apply some of the farm-to-table principles to how it selects produce suppliers. Before moving too far in that direction, both you and the CEO agree that the inventory-management implications need to be understood. Keep in mind that supermarket customers want a wide range of produce all year long—even produce that does not grow locally during parts of the year. For example, oranges cannot survive very cold weather, but local customers expect to be able to buy them even during snowstorms in winter. In your initial post, address the following: What are a few different ways that the supermarket chain could incorporate farm-to-table principles into its operations while still meeting consumer demands? What are the benefits and risks associated with incorporating farm-to-table principles into the grocery chain’s supply chain? What data and communication with the local farms is necessary for the supermarket to implement this endeavor? What factors or metrics will determine whether you, as the COO, support applying farm-to-table principles to the supermarket, and why? In your replies to at least two peers, address the questions below: What considerations should decision makers keep in mind or prioritize when components of the triple bottom line don’t agree—for example, when an environmentally beneficial decision may negatively affect profit, or the reverse? Which approach that your peers suggested in their initial posts do you feel would be the most effective, and why? 3.Overview This assignment will continue to build on the scenario that was set up in the Module Two HR Inbox assignment, this time exploring how technology can support HR’s role in supporting various stages of the employee life cycle. For example, in the type of hybrid work environment that you explored in Module Three, a human resources instant messaging tool can enable HR to communicate with employees and create meaningful discussions regardless of physical location. Imagine you are an HR professional at ABC company. One of your major duties is to monitor the HR instant messaging channel. The HR Inbox chat channel allows HR to communicate and support employees throughout their life cycle with the organization. While monitoring the HR channel, you receive the following chat messages from employees: Dear HR: With so many of us working remotely now, I sometimes feel disconnected from the team. Are there any tools we could use to promote informal communication and build internal connections? Dear HR: I’m struggling to keep my daily tasks, duties, and goals organized. Can you suggest any tools that could help? Dear HR: Are there any tools we could use to recognize fellow employees and highlight their valuable accomplishments? 4.Overview Module Four explores how human resources can leverage new technologies to support the organization through all stages of the employee life cycle. When HR professionals design an employee life cycle plan, it is usually aligned with employee experience and engagement strategies. For this assignment, you will consider the needs of employees as they navigate a specific stage of the employee life cycle. To do this, you will complete a SWOT analysis to evaluate technical tools HR could employ to improve employee experience and engagement during the employee selection phase of the employee life cycle. A SWOT analysis is a valuable tool for identifying and evaluating the challenges and opportunities facing an organization, their tools, and their resources. Review the “What Is SWOT?” video in the Resources section of Module Four for more details, but as a refresher, a SWOT analysis consists of the following: S—Strengths (What does the tool do well? What unique features does it have that an organization can use to improve their workforce practices?) W—Weaknesses (Are there legal risks to using this tool? What capabilities is the system lacking?) O—Opportunities (Does the tool improve employee engagement, hiring practices, etc.? Does the tool help with current workplace trends?) T—Threats (What obstacles does the tool present? For example, does it require extensive training for use, or is it too complex for implementation?)
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