AMB303 INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS
Assessment 2 - Semester 2 - 2021
Assessment Item 2: Case-Study
This assessment targets the students’ knowledge of logistics concepts, terminology, functions and procedures and the ability to formulate solutions to logistics problems. Place yourself in the role of a newly hired operations manager for an international company where your job is to assess the logistics environment and create a logistics/SCM-plan for your CEO, i.e., what to do and why (including comprehensive revenue-cost-profit outcomes etc.).
Coverage and Duration: 2500 words (+/- 10%) excluding a 1-page mandatory Executive
Summary, table of contents and supportive appendices (max
40 pages). Diagrams, pictures, and graphs etc. should be in
the body of the text (these are not included in the word count).
Group or Individual: Individual assessment
Optional or Compulsory: Compulsory
Learning outcomes: AoL 2, 3, 4: KS 1.2; HO 2.2; PC 3.1.
Format: Written report using size 12 pt. Times New Roman font with 1.5 line spacing, 1-inch margins. APA Referencing required.
Instructions:
• First, read and analyse the provided case study at least 3-5 times.
• Second, complete all the 12 mandatory appendices (‘A’ to ‘L’ below). These provide you with an overall necessary context-knowledge, and a tool to create logistic-systems. It also covers associated models (risk assessment, tactical procurement plan), and instructions (mapping the input- and the output side of the value-chain) so that you have an in-depth understanding of what the different solutions results in. Remember to also complete all the spreadsheets (excel) at this stage.
• Three, compile your insight based on the findings from your appendix-based research and start writing the report. Present realistic recommendations on what you (being the operations manager) should do to create and manage the overall situation and its challenges (including at least one key topic from each of the Week 6-13 content list below). Create a checklist so that you do not forget to address all objectives.
• Four, remember to support your recommendations and arguments with additional sources as needed (quality information from e.g., academic journals, industry reports, business news sources, corporate- and watch-dog websites, ranking institutes etc.). Remember to include the financial outcomes (the excel workbooks) in your rationale.
• Example of space allocation: once you have completed your foundational research you can start compiling your insight and commence writing your report. How you structure it is individual but remember it must read as a professional business report. You do not need to restate the case. Suggestion: (500 words) target country geography and specific logistics challenges, target country market conditions, location of customer clusters, suitable means of transportation in target country. Then, write your recommendations to meet the case objectives (500 words); justification of the recommendations (1000 words); performance (logistical and financial) outcomes and results of your recommendations (500 words). Use support from all your appendices.
• Five, when you are ready to submit: write the Executive Summary and submit.
An assessment submitted after the applicable due date will not be marked and will receive a grade of 0%. If special circumstances prevent you from meeting the assessment due date, you can apply for an extension. If you don’t have, or are not granted an approved extension, you should submit the work you have completed by the due date. Such submission will be marked against the assessment criteria and enable the student to potentially receive partial grades.
Lecture Topics Readings
Elements of Logistics that you MUST cover in depth!
a) Customer Service: how to ensure it from the logistics perspective Ch. 7
b) inventory: classification and inventory-related costs
c) Ordering: When to Order and How Much?
Ch. 8
d) logistics Network Configuration: what it should look like to meet all objectives
e) facility Location Decisions: how to make these decisions
f) finding the Optimal Location: where to locate your HQ
Ch. 9
g) types of Warehouses & DC’s
h) number of Warehouses & DC’s
Ch. 10
i) packaging Fundamentals
Ch. 11
j) transportation attributes and mode selection
Ch. 12
Note: the grading procedure is discretionary and considers for example the quality of the report; how professional it is; content covered and its value contribution for the client and the reader (i.e., your 2x bosses from the case-study). See also the grading criteria.

APPENDICES A-L (foundational research) to complete:
Appendix A ‘Map of the MENA region’
How to complete: Research (for example but not limited to) distances (km) of the overall region. E.g., N-S, E-W, and distance in kilometres and travel-time between each capitol.
Appendix B ‘Map of Target Country’
How to complete: Research (for example but not limited to) distances (km) of all key locations. E.g., N-S, E-W, and capitol to each border, distance in kilometres and travel-time from the location choice of your HQ/main warehouse to minimum five of your key customer clusters.
Appendix C ‘Target Country Description’
How to complete: Describe (at a minimum) the country in general, its geography and climate, the transportation options, market conditions, its legal and political systems, national safety issues etc. Use the WorldFactBook.
Appendix D ‘Corruption Index’
How to complete: Research (for example but not limited to) the above index and write your interpretation of the target country’s performance, challenges, and contextual consequences from this perspective.
Appendix E ‘Ease of doing Business Index’
How to complete: Research (for example but not limited to) the above index and write your interpretation of the target country’s performance, challenges, and contextual consequences from this perspective.
Appendix F ‘Logistics Performance Index’
How to complete: Research (for example but not limited to) the above index and write your interpretation of the target country’s performance, challenges, and contextual consequences from this perspective.

Appendix G ‘Risk Assessment’ (RA)
How to complete: research, assess, and describe the Top-5 potential risks for this venture. Then place [drag-and-drop] the numbered stars (labelled 1-5) to the applicable grid-position. That is, locate each star regarding the probability of an event to occur and the level of severity (consequence) for the company should it occur. Finally, describe and recommend how to mitigate each of these risks.
Short-term (ST) = 6 months Medium-term (MT) = 12-24 months Long-term (LT) = 24 months
R. # Time
frame Risk description: Recommended Mitigation:
1
2
3
4
5
Appendix H ‘Tactical Procurement Plan’ (TPP)
How to use TPP (i.e., the Krajlic) Model: Once you selected your market entry mode into the Egyptian marketplace, decide what properties each of your three core input categories (the fruit/berries; milk/cream/sugar; packaging material) display. For instance, whether packaging would be considered to have high/low importance in combination of high/low complexity. Map these input categories into correct quadrant [drag-and-drop] and assess the impact in your logistics plan (report).


Appendix ‘I’ ‘Customer Description and Cluster Locations’
How to complete: Research the number of target customers that exists in this country (checkpoint: who are your customers? How many do you need?). Remember to be specific regarding customer categories. You should only research the specified category. Use e.g., Trivago, TripAdvisor, or the likes. Then, plot them on a map to ‘see’ where your clusters are (i.e., in which cities/areas do most of them reside). Then measure the distance from your main HQ/Warehouse/Distribution center to each of these customer clusters (i.e., by road (km and time); train, sea, air cargo).
Appendix J ‘Logistic Network and Locations’
How to complete: given your overall business needs (number of customers to service, inventory etc.), what type of warehouses do you need (inventory aspects)? How many do you need (locations)? What category of warehousing do you need (technical aspects)?
Appendix K ‘Description of Transportation modes’
How to complete: Use all the information from the other indexes and describe what type of transportation mix you need ensure your logistic objectives. Remember that you will always need more than one transportation mode or type.
Appendix L ‘Description of your Value-Chain’
How to complete: Briefly describe (two-three paragraphs) each of the value-chain components. Cover how you intend to design, operate, and manage each of them. Remember to cover both capacity (input and production) and capability (output to serve your market). Be specific as they are NOT the same thing.
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