Free Essay: The Criticality of Operational Business Decisions Made Within the Game

The Criticality of Operational Business Decisions Made within the Game

Practice Operation simulation game is of immense importance in improving decision-making processes in operations management. It introduces a player to a clothing manufacturing environment in which the player, acting as the manager of all production processes in the Production Flow and Shipping Areas, reviews contract specifications and makes the best decisions that would optimize costs and maximize returns while leaving the customer satisfied. The goal of the first simulation was to complete five contracts on the production process. The operation flow included four major machine activities, including cutting, sewing, press transfer, and packaging. Decision-making in the first module was highly influenced by customer orders, the quantity of the order, quality, and the need to prioritize.

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It was vital to ensure that orders under the Current Product Runs had sufficient resources, especially raw materials, to engender the production process. From the decisions made in the first module, it was evident that proper scheduling was vital in ensuring that production runs smoothly. In module two, it was evident that the ability of a firm t meets contract demands, especially timing the ability to coordinate with suppliers in time and purchase the right resources at the right quantity. This is something that I did not fathom in the first attempts of the second module. As I mastered the significance of the decisions made in the receiving department, I became keener and made more effective decisions.

I ensured lean purchasing by ensuring that the available raw materials were just enough for producing the demanded products and went for discounts whenever necessary. In the first module, 80% of the contracts were completed on time, generating a net worth of $23,150. For module two, 66% of contracts were completed on time, generating a net worth of $33,265. The goal of the simulation was achieved in both cases.

Undertaking supply chain management responsibilities

The supply chain is a systematic process that entails placing bids for contracts, ordering raw materials, turning raw materials into finished products, and shipping the final products to the respective clients (Dombrowski et al., 2017, p. 1065). Whether products are produced under mass production, mass customization, or customization, it is important to ensure that they are effectively converted into outputs as per the client's needs, and the production process is timed appropriately to meet customers' scheduling (Glock et al., 2019, p. 425).

For instance, in the simulation, my failure to convert resources into finished outputs in time resulted in the late delivery of some products, including ties and sports pants. Inaccurate planning and forecasting, fluctuations in transportation costs, and effective responses to technological advances disrupt supply chain processes in various ways (Reimann et al.,2017, p. 5). Some ways to minimize such disruptions include quality inspection, stockpiling inventory, and managing production demand.

Bibliography

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Dombrowski, U., Richter, T., and Krenkel, P., 2017. Interdependencies of Industrie 4.0 & Lean production systems: A use case analysis. Procedia Manufacturing, 11, pp.1061-1068.

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Parthanadee, P., and Buddhakulsomsiri, J., 2014. Production efficiency improvement in batch production system using value stream mapping and simulation: a case study of the roasted and ground coffee industry. Production Planning & Control, 25(5), pp.425-446.

Reimann, F., and Ketchen, D. (2017). Power in Supply Chain Management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 53(2), pp.3-9.

Reimann, F., and Ketchen, D. (2017). Power in Supply Chain Management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 53(2), pp.3-9.

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