Assignment 1 (Individual work)

MANU2117, Semester 2 2024

Due Date: 28 August 2024. Penalty for Late Submission

Total = 35 Points

Answer all the questions.

Question 1.  (You need to write in your own words. No Copy and paste. Cannot copy diagrams from other sources to answer any question. Follow the word limits). (5 points)

Question 1a). How can systems thinking enhance the understanding and management of a logistics system as a whole rather than in isolated parts?(Maximum 150 words limit)

Question 1b). Provide an example of how systems thinking has been used to solve a complex problem within a logistics system, detailing the specific systems approach applied. (150 words)

Question 1c). In what ways does systems thinking help in understanding the dynamic interactions between different stakeholders in a logistics system? (Maximum 150 words limit)

Question 2 : Designing a Logistics System (750 words limit and write in your own words)

Objective: Develop a comprehensive logistics system for a company of your choice, considering key factors such as supply chain integration, transportation, warehousing, inventory management, and technology integration. Your design should address the specific needs of the company, optimize operational efficiency, and ensure cost-effectiveness.

Details required:-  (8 points)

1. Company Overview:
   • Select a real or hypothetical company. Provide a brief overview, including the industry it operates in, the products or services it offers, and its target market.
2. Logistics System Design:
   • Supply Chain Integration: Describe how you will integrate the various components of the supply chain (suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers) into a cohesive logistics system. What strategies will you use to ensure seamless coordination and communication across the supply chain?
   • Transportation Management: Outline the transportation strategies you will implement. Consider factors such as mode of transport, route optimization, and cost management. How will you balance speed and cost-efficiency in the transportation process?
   • Warehousing and Inventory Management: Design a warehousing strategy that supports the company’s inventory needs. How will you manage inventory levels, and what methods will you use to optimize storage and distribution? Discuss the role of technology in tracking and managing inventory.
   • Technology Integration: Identify the technologies (e.g., ERP systems, IoT, automation, data analytics) that will be integrated into the logistics system. How will these technologies improve efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making?
3. Sustainability:
   • Discuss how your logistics system design incorporates sustainability practices. What measures will you implement to minimize environmental impact and ensure long-term viability?
4. Systems Thinking Application:
   • Explain how systems thinking principles were applied in your logistics system design. How did you ensure that all components of the system work together harmoniously, and how did you address potential feedback loops and interdependencies?
5. Implementation Plan:
   • Develop a step-by-step implementation plan for your logistics system. Include timelines, resource allocation, and any potential challenges you foresee during the implementation process.

(No “copy & paste” of any diagram or table from the literature)

Question 3:-(Maximum 550 words limit, Write in your own words) (6 points)

Choose a real-world logistics company (different from company in Question 2 above) and conduct a case study analysis of its resource management practices. Identify the key categories of resources required and the resources the company prioritizes and how these contribute to its overall logistics strategy.How can this company ensure that it has the right mix of skills and manpower to meet operational demands?

Predict the future trends in logistics resource requirements. How might advances in technology, changes in consumer behaviour, or global supply chain dynamics influence the types and quantities of resources needed in the next decade?

Question 4:-  Airport Services Design  (10 points)

At Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, it typically takes 6 minutes for a plane to land once it receives clearance, with landing times following an exponential pattern. Although planes have scheduled arrival times, the variability in these times causes them to arrive randomly, averaging 7 planes per hour. This sometimes leads to backups that can be dangerous and costly. Under these conditions, how long, on average, will a pilot spend circling the airport before landing? If the air traffic controller wants to reduce the maximum waiting time in the air to 6 minutes, what would be the best recommendation?

After landing, passengers walk on a moving walkway to the Immigration counters for processing. On average, 1.3 passengers arrive at the counters per minute, with arrivals following a Poisson distribution. There are five counters open at Terminal 3, with each officer able to process 18 passengers per hour, and the service times follow an exponential distribution. What is the average waiting time for passengers in line at Immigration? If the goal is to keep the waiting time under 4 minutes, what changes need to be made to the number of counters or the system design?

After clearing Immigration, passengers go to the Baggage Claim area. Assuming passengers arrive at Baggage Claim at the same rate as they were processed at Immigration, and that all passengers have checked luggage, with each passenger taking an average of 5 minutes to find and collect their bags from a single moving conveyor (with time following an exponential distribution), how many moving conveyors are needed at Terminal 3 to keep the maximum wait time under 10 minutes?

Considering the optimal number of conveyors, use the overall service rate at Baggage Claim to redesign the Customs and Quarantine area.

After Baggage Claim, 25% of passengers have nothing to declare at Customs and exit through the green channel to the Taxi stand at Terminal 3. The remaining 75% go to the Quarantine area, where three X-Ray machines and inspectors are available. On average, it takes 8 minutes for a passenger to complete the X-Ray and inspection process before heading to the Taxi stand. If you were one of the passengers, what would you recommend as the optimal number of X-Ray machines and inspectors? Comment on the current facility design.

(You also need to include the software output page copy or screen shot with the solution).

Question 5:-Managing Ship Unloading at Seaport Berths (6 points)

A seaport has 12 berths available for unloading ships, and seven dedicated unloading crews. Ships arrive at the port following a Poisson process with an average of every 75 minutes. The time it takes to unload a ship is exponentially distributed, with an average unloading time of 8 hours.

a) On average, how many ships are at the seaport (either waiting or being unloaded) at any given time?

b) What is the average time a ship spends at the port, including both waiting time and unloading time?

c) What is the probability that all 12 berths will be occupied simultaneously, causing newly arriving ships to be diverted to an overflow facility 30 kilometres down the shore?

d). What is the average arrival rate at the overflow facility?

e). If the port wants to reduce the average time a ship spends at the port to 10 hours, what changes should be made to the current unloading process or resources?

            (You also need to include the software output page or screen shot with the solution)