Matching Items (11)
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- All Subjects: Supply Chain Management
- Creators: Printezis, Antonios
- Creators: School of Sustainability
Description
This is a creative thesis project on the topic of the third party logistics industry, and the improvements that are possible through the implementation of goods to person technologies. The scope of the project entails the relationship between Company X, which is a third party logistics provider, and Company Y, a major toy retailer. This thesis identifies current trends for the third party logistics industry such as rising operating costs and average savings achieved through these business relationships. After identifying the negative trends that Company X is vulnerable to such as high human resources costs, and cost of quality issues. Given the findings derived from industry data, a final recommendation was settled on to improve productivity and ultimately reduce the use of temporary labor for Company X. The implementation of a goods to person technology solution provides the opportunity to reduce hours of operation, man hours, as well as direct and indirect costs such as labor. Research has proven that firms operating in the retail industry rely heavily on temporary labor to handle the seasonal demand brought by the holidays, thus this recommendation could be applied to a variety of operations. The data compiled throughout this thesis have major implications for the third party logistics industry and achieving long term profitability in operations management.
ContributorsFonseca, Tanner (Author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Kellso, James (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to gain a greater understanding of Ph. D research and how general research in the field of supply chain management and operations is being conducted in 2017. In order to gain a greater understanding, this thesis contains summaries and personal perspectives on four different supply chain management and operations seminars from visiting professors. There is also an expanded examination of the research area from the fourth seminar, process compliance. Multiple literature sources were used to construct a perspective on process development, process standardization, and process compliance origins and current state.
ContributorsBerg, Paul Joseph (Author) / Taylor, Todd (Thesis director) / Printezis, Antonios (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
A desk provides an interesting forum between two people. The first party sits behind the desk while the second approaches with a question. The desk presents itself as a stage for the drama of that conversation to take place; as all furniture and property do, we naturally make assumptions about the owner based on the things they possess. Just as a Ferrari says one thing while a truck says something different, our furniture conveys a similar sensation. The desk is special because it acts as a stage - it can create a very subtle first impression of the person who owns it. The question then becomes, "what should I try to convey through the desk I sat behind?". If someone walked into my office and looked strictly at my desk, what impression would I want to give them about who I am as an individual? I conjunction with this question about the design of the desk itself comes to another question about the materials used. This thesis goes into the symbolic nature of wood in modern and ancient times across cultures, explores wood in modern construction today and explores the source of the wood used in this specific project through a supplier analysis of Porter Barn Wood. Porter Barn Wood is a local Phoenix company that specializes in reclaimed barn wood delivered from the east coast. Determining the story of how the wood got to Phoenix and to the company that made it possible was just as important to the story of the desk as the wood itself. Overall, this project explored my ability to construct a desk and build a story around that piece of art while maintaining a business mindset throughout. It was eye-opening to me and I would encourage you to read further!
ContributorsDuran, Alejandro Michael (Author) / Vitikas, Stanely (Thesis director) / Fleming, David (Committee member) / Economics Program in CLAS (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Digital identification technology is the unsung hero of the LEAN manufacturing, Six sigma quality, and supply chain management movements. By tethering the physical to the digital world digital identification has helped usher industry into the information age. Today this technology continues to become more pervasive and advanced, in the future it is likely that it will have an even larger role to play. In this paper ten sources of current (last 12 months) academic literature will be reviewed in conjunction with two GE cases taken from personal experience in order to better understand the current applications and future trajectory of digital identification. The basis of this paper will be derived from understanding how the most prevalent form of digital identification, barcode is used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of internal and external business operations. This "current state" knowledge will act as a benchmark to understand the potential diffusion and impact of future digital tracking technologies. The exploration of "up and coming" technologies will lead into a RFID technology deep dive encompassing its current applications and the frictions preventing widespread (barcode scale) implementation. In conclusion the "future state" of how RFID and more complex embedded communication devices will expand the scope of benefits granted by digital identification through a phenomenon known as the internet of things, along with the factors effecting its adoption will be discussed.
ContributorsCampbell, Ross Bradley (Author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Taylor, Todd (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
DescriptionThis is a business analysis of a small fashion jewelry importer. The analysis is primarily done from a Supply Chain Management perspective while also analyzing the company's marketing department.
ContributorsAggarwal, Rohit (Co-author) / Larson, Reed (Co-author) / Maltz, Arnold (Thesis director) / Brown, Steven (Committee member) / Easton, Kevin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
The purpose of this paper is to identify a strategy and list recommended initiatives that aim to reduce the total carbon footprint of Brookfield Global Relocation Services and its supply chain by 50% by 2028, and enhance the appeal of this plan through revealing a multitude of beneficial factors for the organization, its suppliers, and community. To begin the approach to realizing a 50% reduction to Brookfield GRS's and its supply chain's total carbon footprint is to first measure the current level of greenhouse gases being emitted by the organizations and its suppliers. Using the EPA carbon footprint calculator tool this was accomplished to understand and put an actual value on Brookfield GRS's and its supplier's impact on the environment and to begin setting goals to substantially decrease this level. This leads to the second step of focusing on the internal need to shift the culture, goals, and initiatives towards sustainability before looking to the external environment of the supply chain. To accomplish this second step, Brookfield GRS must reach a high level of awareness for this sustainability shift by the end of 2016, through establishing a Green Committee, setting up an awareness survey, proactively getting involved with the organization newsletter, and the creation of sustainability incentive program. Once awareness is established and continuously increased, a switch towards organization wide mobilization can begin in 2017. This entails looking at areas of high emissions determined by the EPA tool, launching a set of processes aimed at reducing the emissions of these areas by 2018, and wrapping up the phase with an environmental management system by 2018 to catch the results of the processes and allow them to be continuously improved upon. This internal shift towards sustainability packaged into two phases of awareness and mobilization are not just environmentally beneficial but also prove to have value in cost reductions, efficiency gains in processes, reduction in waste/office supplies, talent acquisition and retention, risk mitigation aspects, marketability, brand reputation building, and is a competitive advantage as it inspires innovation. Aiming to reduce emissions by 50% holds huge value internally, but can garner even more benefits externally through Brookfield GRS's supply chain. Once an internal foundation of sustainability culture, goals, and initiatives aimed at reducing its output of emissions are concrete, Brookfield GRS can then continue to build its commitment to the environment and lower its overall carbon footprint by looking externally to its suppliers. This phase is similar to the internal shift, in which awareness and mobilization are required so that Brookfield GRS can identify suppliers that need to be removed, who are willing to work with Brookfield GRS, and the suppliers who are already on track to reducing their emissions by 50% by 2028. Awareness begins with Brookfield GRS communicating to its suppliers that there will be a set of green requirements imposed on them starting in 2019 through an updated RFP process and sustainability survey. Mobilization then occurs with the suppliers abiding to the green requirements of a total carbon footprint calculation to be reported starting in 2019, a set of goals and implementation plans aimed at reducing their total carbon footprint to be reported annually starting in 2019, and an establishment of an EMS or similar system by 2019 warranting continuous improvement of greenhouse gas reducing programs to aim for 5% annual reduction goals and a 50% total decrease by 2028. It is important that the supply chain management employees at Brookfield GRS provide ample evidence of why the emission reduction goal and shift towards sustainability is beneficial for the organization by looking at benefits incurred by Brookfield GRS and value added to other successful organizations like Celestica, Disney, and Intel making similar changes. There are even mutually advantageous results such as increased demand, risk mitigation, cost breakdown form process improvements, and Brookfield GRS and its suppliers will be more collaborative and competitive in the long run. The EMS system then works as a continuous improvement process from 2019 to 2028 to ensure Brookfield GRS and its suppliers are on track to yearly 5% emission reductions and an overall reduction of 50% by 2028. Through Brookfield GRS using this strategy to focus internally and then branching out externally to its suppliers to meet a 50% reduction in total carbon footprint emissions by 2028, numerous environmental, economical, and societal benefits can be gained.
ContributorsGennaro, John Christopher (Author) / Kellso, James (Thesis director) / Whalin, Susan (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a great need for United States’ restaurants to “go green” due to consumers’ habits of frequently eating out. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has caused this initiative to lose traction. While the amount of customers ordering takeout has increased, there is less emphasis on sustainability.<br/>Plastic is known for its harmful effects on the environment and the extreme length of time it takes to decompose. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), almost 8 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans at an annual rate, threatening not only the safety of marine species but also human health. Modern food packaging materials have included a blend of synthetic ingredients, trickling into our daily lives and polluting the air, water, and land. Single-use plastic items slowly degrade into microplastics and can take up to hundreds of years to biodegrade.<br/>Due to COVID-19, restaurants have switched to takeout and delivery options to adapt to the new business environment and guidelines enforced by the Center of Disease Control (CDC) mandated guidelines. Some of these guidelines include: notices encouraging social distancing and mask-wearing, mandated masks for employees, and easy access to sanitary supplies. This cultural shift is motivating restaurants to search for a quick, cheap, and easy fix to adapt to the increased demand of take-out and delivery methods. This increases their plastic consumption of items such as plastic bags/paper bags, styrofoam containers, and beverage cups. Plastic is the most popular takeout material because of its price and durability as well as allowing for limited contamination and easy disposability.<br/>Almost all food products come in packaging and this, more often than not, is single-use. Food is the largest market out of all the packaging industry, maintaining roughly two-thirds of material going to food. The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that almost half of all municipal solid waste is made up of food and food packaging materials. In 2014, over 162 million tons of packaging material waste was generated in the states. This typically contains toxic inks and dyes that leach into groundwater and soil. When degrading, pieces of plastic absorb toxins like PCBs and pesticides, and then each piece will, in turn, release toxic chemicals like Bisphenol-A. Even before being thrown away, it causes negative effects for the environment. The creation of packaging materials uses many resources such as petroleum and chemicals and then releases toxic byproducts. Such byproducts include sludge containing contaminants, greenhouse gases, and heavy metal and particulate matter emissions. Unlike many other industries, plastic manufacturing has actually increased production. Demand has increased and especially in the food industry to keep things sanitary. This increase in production is reflective of the increase in waste. <br/>Although restaurants have implemented their own sustainable initiatives to combat their carbon footprint, the pandemic has unfortunately forced restaurants to digress. For example, Just Salad, a fast-food restaurant chain, incentivized customers with discounted meals to use reusable bowls which saved over 75,000 pounds of plastic per year. However, when the pandemic hit, the company halted the program to pivot towards takeout and delivery. This effect is apparent on an international scale. Singapore was in lock-down for eight weeks and during that time, 1,470 tons of takeout and food delivery plastic waste was thrown out. In addition, the Hong Kong environmental group Greeners Action surveyed 2,000 people in April and the results showed that people are ordering out twice as much as last year, doubling the use of plastic.<br/>However, is this surge of plastic usage necessary in the food industry or are there methods that can be used to reduce the amount of waste production? The COVID-19 pandemic caused a fracture in the food system’s supply chain, involving food, factory, and farm. This thesis will strive to tackle such topics by analyzing the supply chains of the food industry and identify areas for sustainable opportunities. These recommendations will help to identify areas for green improvement.
ContributorsDeng, Aretha (Co-author) / Tao, Adlar (Co-author) / Vargas, Cassandra (Co-author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Konopka, John (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis paper is to discuss the life cycle curves of today’s innovation-driven digital services and how these life cycles can be extended. To decide on this subject, four supply chain management seminars were attended and summarized, and personal notes were added. After analysis of the seminars, the paper will dive deeper into the topic discussed by Professor Adegoke Oke of Arizona State University in his lecture on innovation-driven life cycle curves and their exemplification of the shark fin curve. This paper will analyze the nature of product life cycle curves, discuss three PC games and their life cycle curves, and evaluate the best methods for creating life cycle extension.
ContributorsDriscoll, Trevor (Author) / Oke, Adegoke (Thesis director) / Printezis, Antonios (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
As sustainability has become more prevalent it has become clear that companies have a pressing need to incorporate sustainability into their business. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ways that integrating sustainability can actually provide a financial benefit for a company. Through interviews and extensive research, we will target sustainability initiatives that work for both small and large businesses. This is another key part of our research; addressing the discrepancy in how businesses of different sizes are able to use sustainability, and then finding sustainability initiatives that recognize this discrepancy and are effective for businesses of all sizes.
As sustainability has become more prevalent it has become clear that companies have a pressing need to incorporate sustainability into their business. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ways that integrating sustainability can actually provide a financial benefit for a company. Through interviews and extensive research, we will target sustainability initiatives that work for both small and large businesses. This is another key part of our research; addressing the discrepancy in how businesses of different sizes are able to use sustainability, and then finding sustainability initiatives that recognize this discrepancy and are effective for businesses of all sizes.
Through the interviews of three large corporations (Amazon, Dell, and Lowes), and four small businesses (Exel Shirts, Goode Deals, Desert Dream Ice Cream, and FitzGerald and Sons Contracting) we were able to discover several very effective sustainability initiatives, such as ocean plastics recycling at Dell or packaging advertisements at Amazon. This thesis then discussed what characteristics of these plans are easiest to transfer and implement for businesses of all sizes, classifying the “ideal” sustainability initiative. Possible revenue earners like reusing scrap, and the intangible benefits like saved labor of telecommuting as some of the most significant financial value that sustainability can provide for companies of all sizes.
As sustainability has become more prevalent it has become clear that companies have a pressing need to incorporate sustainability into their business. The purpose of this study is to analyze the ways that integrating sustainability can actually provide a financial benefit for a company. Through interviews and extensive research, we will target sustainability initiatives that work for both small and large businesses. This is another key part of our research; addressing the discrepancy in how businesses of different sizes are able to use sustainability, and then finding sustainability initiatives that recognize this discrepancy and are effective for businesses of all sizes.
Through the interviews of three large corporations (Amazon, Dell, and Lowes), and four small businesses (Exel Shirts, Goode Deals, Desert Dream Ice Cream, and FitzGerald and Sons Contracting) we were able to discover several very effective sustainability initiatives, such as ocean plastics recycling at Dell or packaging advertisements at Amazon. This thesis then discussed what characteristics of these plans are easiest to transfer and implement for businesses of all sizes, classifying the “ideal” sustainability initiative. Possible revenue earners like reusing scrap, and the intangible benefits like saved labor of telecommuting as some of the most significant financial value that sustainability can provide for companies of all sizes.
ContributorsFitzgerald, John Haviland (Author) / Keane, Katy (Thesis director) / Iryna, Printezis (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate Company F’s inventory management practices and make recommendations on how to improve ordering and reduce inventory carrying costs. With today’s software programs we are able to run analyses’ almost instantly that show us the relationship between demand and inventory. Ideally, every company wants to have enough inventory to meet customer demand, but not so much that carrying costs skyrocket. Not only does it cost more to store inventory, but it also ties up capital which is difficult to liquidate. Finding a happy medium between customer service level and carrying costs will keep company F’s franchisees satisfied and the company profitable. Using different forecast analyses’, I will be evaluating Company F’s fastest selling category of 5 products with the goal of finding the most accurate forecast model. I will also determine reorder points and reorder quantities for the rest of Company F’s SKU’s based on average usage, lead time, and safety stock. The result of my findings will provide cost savings for the company which affects the bottom line.
My recommendations to the company will be based on the findings of the analyses’ used. There may be multiple conclusions in the recommendations for demand forecasting based on each individual forecast used. However, I will give my insight on which forecast I think is more accurate and why this one would be the best to implement in terms of accuracy. Going forward, the company will be capable of implement these models and fine tune them as necessary to help streamline their inventory needs.
My recommendations to the company will be based on the findings of the analyses’ used. There may be multiple conclusions in the recommendations for demand forecasting based on each individual forecast used. However, I will give my insight on which forecast I think is more accurate and why this one would be the best to implement in terms of accuracy. Going forward, the company will be capable of implement these models and fine tune them as necessary to help streamline their inventory needs.
ContributorsCurran, Andrew Thomas (Author) / Printezis, Antonios (Thesis director) / Oe, Adegoke (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05