Using the company you choose in Module One, create a supply chain evaluation in which you assess your company in terms of its demand forecasting, sourcing, transportation, and warehousing processes in order to develop SCM recommendations that will reduce costs and risks to the business operation. It is strongly recommended that you thoroughly review the prompt below before you read the case study, and you should continue to refer to the prompt as you read. You should format your analysis and recommendations as if you were a consultant hired by your chosen company.

Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Executive Summary: In this section, explain the purpose of your brief and highlight key information and findings that will aid the understanding of the more in$-$depth analysis and recommendations to follow.

Demand Forecasting: In this section, first assess the supply and demand side of your company$$s product flow, including the customer$$s needs and the supplier$$s capabilities, in order to then identify potential alignments that will keep cost and waste at a minimum.

Evaluation

Analyze your company$$s suppliers in terms of their abilities to meet the demand of customers during steady$-$state and peak operations. How effective are each supplier$$s inventory reorder points and economic order quantities? Support your analysis with quantitative examples.

Additionally, describe demand$-$forecasting constraints that exist within the supply chain. For example, consider the distance of the stores and the compatibility of the products in terms of shipping, storage, and so on$.$

Recommendations: Based on your evaluation, recommend strategies for better aligning the supply and demand side of your company$$s product flow that will keep cost and waste at a minimum.

Sourcing: In this section, first evaluate the network sourcing strategy of your company in order to then identify possible areas in need of improvement that will leave room

Evaluation: Assess the network sourcing strategy and determine whether or not the number and quality of suppliers is the optimal mix for the operation. To what extent do the suppliers meet steady$-$state and peak demand? Are they consistently providing products that meet or exceed your company$$s quality standards? Defend your assessment with examples.

Recommendations

Recommend a strategy to optimize the sourcing network that takes into account operations and leaves room for future expansion. Be sure to consider any alternative sources of materials available to the organization in your response.

Recommend a standard procedure for vetting suppliers to ensure that they are compliant with the corporate social responsibility guidelines of your company.

Make sure that you have recommended the best sourcing practices for your company using appropriate quantitative methods.

Transportation: In this section, first consider the effectiveness of your company$$s transportation network in order to then determine possible cost savings without sacrificing performance.

Evaluation

Identify constraints within the transportation network and discuss the impact they will have on the overall supply chain operation. Be sure to provide specific examples to illustrate.

Analyze the transportation network and determine whether or not the correct modes of transportation are being used based on time, cost, and quantity.

Recommendations: Make recommendations on how to improve the transportation network given the constraints you identified, using specific examples to illustrate and justify your claims.

Warehousing: In this section, first analyze your company$$s warehousing network to in order to then determine requirements and develop recommendations for adequately meeting present and future storage needs.

Evaluation

Analyze the existing warehousing infrastructure to determine if the warehousing network adequately meets storage needs. Additionally, consider eventual expansion requirements of your company$$s operation. What are the constraints or restrictions involved in the possible locations?

Identify considerations for special handling of hazardous materials and describe their impact on warehousing for the mix of products that your company$$s SCM is handling, using specific examples.

Recommendations

Determine warehousing requirements that will ensure adequate availability of resources for the organization. Support your proposed requirements with given production and demand elements from the scenario.

Based on your determination of requirements, recommend a warehouse design that will minimize movements between functions and reduce costs. Explain how your recommendation will drive this improvement throughout the network, considering facility costs, inventory carrying costs, personnel costs, and equipment costs.

Conclusions: In the final section, take a critical look at your various recommendations in order to develop final conclusions for your company.

Prioritize your demand$-$forecasting, sourc