Response to 4 classmates discussion

Response to 4 classmates discussion

Respond to classmates

QSO 300 Question asked

In this lesson, we discuss the importance of integrating sales and operations. This idea of integrated management is indeed a key tenet of supply chain and operations management practices today.

Summarize the ways through which sales and operations planning can be integrated. Then, extend your findings to additional supply chain management processes that you feel could be better integrated.

Which two (or more) processes did you integrate? Why and how?

Susanna

Hi everyone,

Sales and operations planning, or S&OP, is an integral part of a business and a successful plan can create a plethora of opportunities for business to thrive in the market. Integrating the processes helps the business focus on customer service and improving business performance. It is best for any business to integrate these two departments to have the best business possible.

In my opinion, the best processes is sales forecasting and supply planning. I feel it is crucial for a business to anticipate how much business the company can expect in the upcoming fiscal quarter to better plan how much product is needed and for when. For example, in my current job we did a huge overhaul of what courses we are offering and spent the last 2 months building a better customer base and analyzing who needed which courses to make better decisions of when to offer what. It was a lot of work, but I know it will pay off because we will be better able to accommodate more of our customer-base and help more people complete the program.

Sarah

Sales and operations planning (S&OP) are a business management process where the executive leadership achieves synchronization of functions throughout the organization. The S&OP process includes an updated forecast that leads to a sales plan, production plan, inventory plan, customer lead time, new product development plan, strategic initiative plan and a resulting financial plan. Done well, the S&OP process also enables effective supply chain management.

A properly implemented S&OP process routinely reviews customer demand and supply resources and re-plans as needed. The re-planning process focuses on changes from the previously agreed sales and operations plan, while it helps the management team to understand how the company achieved its current level of performance, its primary focus is on future actions and anticipated results. The ability to use the S&OP to re-focus the company toward success needs to be made a priority. This ability to react in real time to unpredicted changes in the budget or plan is what sets companies apart from their competition.

OL328 Question asked

The previous discussion asked you to look back at the leadership definition that you drafted in Module One. In this discussion, you will be looking forward. Provide a thorough response to these questions:

How do you envision using the leadership development action plan that you have created?

Reflect back on the entire course. What are some of the takeaways from this course that you intend to keep with you as you advance your academic and professional career?

Christopher

My vision of leadership is probably much different than others and it has not changed through this course. I am still a firm believer that there are no bad troops just bad leaders. I say that because if you are a good leader you will get rid of the bad troops. In the line of work that I did my entire adult life you have to get rid of the bad people in your unit and that is the leaders job. I have been in that situation before and had to get rid of some people. In the civilian world you can use the same ideas and I have done that. What I have learned from this is that even though I knew nothing about them before this course I was using the five practices. In my current business I just have one guy that drives for me so those really don’t come into play like they would with a large company but you can use them. That would be the best take away I can take from this course.

Lisa

Hello All,

Applying my leadership development action plan:

My leadership development plan is to serve as a role model, maintain a positive attitude and to set definitive goals and follow concrete action plans to achieve those goals. Throughout the course I was able to apply key concepts of each of the five practices of exemplary leadership to help me identify how I can improve in these areas. My definition of what I think a leader is or should be, is in line with the five practices. As I meet challenging situations, I will remind myself that how I handle the situation will either demonstrate good leadership, or not so good leadership.

The department I work in is undergoing major changes, including the outsourcing of my primary functions. My development areas are ones that will be key to becoming a good leader. The next few months will provide ample opportunity for me to apply the five practices and work on my leadership development plan.

Takeaways:

The biggest takeaway for me is that leaders are not “born.” There is no genetic difference between those who are leaders and those who never get the opportunity to lead. Everyone can be a leader. Better yet, anyone can be a great leader. I always had my idea of what a good leader should be, and this course has shown me that my idea is not far off the mark. Now that I know the behaviors behind being a good leader, I feel confident that I can begin to adopt these behaviors and evolve into the leader I want to become.