Kaplan University - MAN203: Costco Supply Chain and Logistics Report

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This report offers a comprehensive analysis of Costco's supply chain and logistics operations. It begins with a brief history of the company, followed by an overview of its market scope and operational characteristics. The report delves into the specifics of Costco's supply chain, highlighting its adherence to key characteristics like flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and consistency. It further examines Costco's sustainable practices, including organic farming, fiber-based packaging, and sustainable programs, detailing how these initiatives contribute to a more responsible supply chain. The analysis extends to the essential elements of Costco's supply chain, such as procurement, production, inventory control, and transportation. Moreover, it explores the company's collaboration with suppliers and manufacturers to ensure customer satisfaction. The report concludes with practical recommendations for enhancing Costco's sustainable practices and improving its overall supply chain efficiency.
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RUNNING HEAD: COSTCO
Logistics and Supply chain management
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COSTCO 1
Executive summary
The research report focuses on the value chain of COSTCO. It includes a brief history of the
company. The next section provides information about the characteristics of supply chain and its
relation with COSTCO. It suggests that COSTCO aligns with some of the characteristics of a
good supply chain. It includes the various sustainable practices adopted the company in respect
of its supply chain process. Additionally, it comprises of elements of supply chain and the
approaches taken by COSTCO for its effectiveness. It also focuses on the practices and
initiatives taken by COSTCO in respect to its suppliers to retain satisfied customers. The last
section provides practical recommendations to generate more sustainable practices.
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Brief history.....................................................................................................................................3
Supply chain....................................................................................................................................3
Sustainable practices........................................................................................................................4
Supply chain elements.....................................................................................................................5
Collaboration with suppliers/manufacturers....................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Recommendations............................................................................................................................6
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................8
Appendices....................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
The report is prepared on the title ‘Logistics and Supply chain management’. It is a process
involving the usage of various resources and activities to distribute products to the ultimate
customer (Christopher, 2016). The key purpose of the report is to pour light on the important
aspect of supply chain. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to upgrade the knowledge by
practically applying the managerial concept to real-life companies.
Brief history
COSTCO is an American multinational company founded in the year 1983. It is a public sector
enterprise founded by James Sinegal (Successstory, 2019). It is a fashion and retail industry and
operates in the form of discount stores (Lewis , 2019). It offers multiple variety products
including electronics, jewelry and groceries (COSTCO , 2019). It has its stores in ten countries
including Australia, Spain and Mexico.
It is assessed that COSTCO has a great market in these countries as it provides the customers
with quality products at a fine price (Farfan , 2019). It is evaluated that COSTCO has nine stores
in Australian market (Real Commercial , 2018). Additionally, it is analyzed that COSTCO has
achieved a successful position in the Australian market due to a rise in customer demand
(RetailWorld , 2019). Thus, it is analyzed that high scope in Australia as it is planning to open
more stores (Hatch , 2019).
Supply chain
Following are the characteristics of a good supply chain and its relation with COSTCO supply
chain:
1. A supply chain should be flexible to meet the need of the customers. The COSTCO
supply chain follows High-volume-low-margin strategy. It deals with selling mechanized
at a high quantity at a competitive price to gain customer satisfaction.
2. A good supply chain should be of the lowest cost (Inbound Logistics , 2016). It is
assessed that COSTCO has the advantage of low labor costs. This is because it provides
self-service option to its customers. Thus, it reduces the manual requirement within the
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company. Additionally, its store hours are less as compared to other retail brands in
Australia. Example: Some of the Walmart stores are open for 24 hours. Thus, it
ultimately enhances the labor wage rate. However, COSTCO incurs less expense over the
labor wage rate. This is because its stores are open for specific hours only.
Additionally, it is engaged in production at a higher volume than ultimately enables bulk
purchasing. Thus, it helps the COSTCO to offer competitive prices in the market. It
directly buys essential product requirements directly from the manufacturers. It is also
optimizing the use of ‘Cross-docking ’. It is a logistic system used to optimize the
delivery of the shipment with minimal storage time. Thus, it helps the COSTCO in cost
saving in the distribution system.
3. A supply chain should be consistent (Inbound Logistics , 2016). In order to attain
consistency, COSTCO attains strict control at the warehouse entrance and exit. It helps
the retail brand to regulate its inventory. It minimizes the problem of inventory shrinkage
(Soni, 2019).
4. A good supply chain attains the involvement of right and skilled people (Inbound
Logistics , 2016). In order to attain quality service from its employee, COSTCO provides
its employees with the best perquisites. Thus, it was also recognized as America’s best
employer (Carthy , 2017).
Sustainable practices
1. Organic farming: It is form of agricultural practice involving ecological methods in the
farming practices. In order to ensure its supply chain is sustainable, COSTCO has opted
for organic farming. It is analyzed that its decision towards choosing organic products has
helped the company to gain global attention and grow worldwide. COSTCO has
collaborated with the suppliers that are engaged in organic farming. It chooses suppliers
like ‘Earthbound Farms’ that promote soil health, and weed control. COSTCO offers
organic products like spices, vegetables, beer to global customers. Thus, it contributes to
sustainable practices by using organic products in its supply chain (COSTCO
WHOLESALE , 2019).
2. Fiber-based packaging: It involves use of renewables and biodegradable materials in the
packaging process. COSTCO aims at limiting the use of packaging to safeguard the
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deforestation. Thus, it mainly relies on the use of certified fiber and recycles content for
product packaging. It has enhanced the use of cartons for packaging of products. It also
encourages its customers to adopt recycling by displaying such ideas on product labeling
(COSTCO WHOLESALE , 2019).
3. Sustainable programs: These are the programs developed to promote sustainable
development. COSTCO also offers chocolate products to its customers. It avails cocoa
from sustainable programs like ‘Sassandra Cocoa Program’. It has minimized the risk of
deforestation as it has distributed 1.1 million high yielding seedlings to the farmers for
replantation. This program also provides training to around 9750 farmers in the field of
pre and post-harvest techniques. It also aims at improving the yield by laying prior
attention to the adoption of pest management (COSTCO WHOLESALE , 2019).
Despite the above sustainable practices, COSTCO also emphasis on avoiding pollution,
protecting water resources, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals, pesticides and promotes
soil health. Thus, it analyzed that COSTCO is highly focused toward the health production
of goods in its supply chain (COSTCO WHOLESALE , 2019).
Supply chain elements
Following are the essential elements of Supply chain process:
1. Procurement of resources: It is the initial element in the value chain process. COSTCO
purchases its raw materials from farmers that are engaged in sustainable practices. It also
focuses on the adoption of organic farming to develop healthy essentials. Additionally, it
encourages its suppliers for the planation of buffer zones to foster soil quality and water
infiltration (COSTCO WHOLESALE , 2019).
2. Production of goods/services: In the production process, it sourced its fiber-based
products from the forests attain the certification of ‘FSC’ and ‘SFI’. It has adopted such
practices to conserve the forest for future practices.
3. Inventory control: In order to ensure inventory control and minimize its wastage and
shortage, COSTCO relies on the inventory control specialist (Indeed, 2019).
4. Transportation and control: This is the last factor in the Supply chain process.
COSTCO is highly focused on adopting the use of transportation methods that are
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engaged in low energy consumption and carbon emission. Thus, COSTCO has access to
42 electric vehicles for the supply of goods and services. Additionally, it also implements
the use of electric plugin shore power in its trucks. Thus, its usage eliminates the carbon
emission by 70% (COSTCO , 2019).
Collaboration with suppliers/manufacturers
To enhance the production of products that develops customer satisfaction, COSTCO encourages
its suppliers to focus on organic methods of cultivation. It also explores suppliers that are
engaged in Greenhouses agriculture and assists the suppliers in their work practices. It has also
provided training to its suppliers (farmers) to foster better cultivation of raw material (COSTCO
WHOLESALE , 2019). Additionally, to avail better raw material from its suppliers, COSTCO
supports programs that favor farmer’s education and health care. It also provides a fair return to
ensure long-term supply. It delivers premium prices to avail of high-quality products to attain
satisfied customers (COSTCO , 2019).
Conclusion
The research report summarizes on the title ‘Logistics and Supply chain management’. The
above discussion suggests that COSTCO is one of the leading organizations in Australia. It is
analyzed that COSTCO follows some of the features of the good supply chain. It also follows
high number of sustainable practices in its production process. It is examined that COSTCO
adopts sustainable practices in every element of supply chain process. Hence, to obtain such
sustainable practices, it provides multiple benefits to the suppliers. From the above discussion, it
is concluded that COSTCO is highly engaged in the adoption of sustainable practices in its value
chain process. Additionally, to offer more opportunities to COSTCO, a few recommendations
are provided.
Recommendations
1. It is suggested that COSTCO should develop a system of rewards for the suppliers that
are engaged in the full utilization of sustainable practices. This will provide dual benefits
to the company. It will help in encouraging other suppliers to adopt such practices.
Additionally, it will help the COSTCO to attain better quality raw material from the
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suppliers. This will ultimately enhance the operations of sustainable practices in
COSTCO.
2. COSTCO should enhance the usage of sustainable practices within its industry. This will
help the COSTCO to emerge as an industry with highest sustainable practices. This will
assist the company in attaining recognition in the global market. Moreover, it will build
competitive advantage for the COSTCO (RetailWorld , 2019).
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Bibliography
Carthy , , 2017. Costco Named America's Best Employer 2017 [Infographic]. [Online] Available
at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/05/10/costco-named-americas-best-
employer-2017-infographic/#8dc887b6022b [Accessed 1 September 2019].
Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics & supply chain management.. Pearson UK.
COSTCO , 2019. COSTCO WHOLESALE. [Online] Available at:
https://www.costco.com/SiteMapDisplayView.
COSTCO , 2019. KIRKLAND SIGNATURE. [Online] Available at:
https://www.costco.com/sustainability-kirkland-signature.html [Accessed 1 September 2019].
COSTCO , 2019. TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS. [Online] Available at:
https://www.costco.com/sustainability-support.html [Accessed 1 September 2019].
COSTCO WHOLESALE , 2019. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. [Online] Available at:
https://www.costco.com/sustainability-environment.html [Accessed 1 September 2019].
COSTCO, 2019. PACKAGING. [Online] Available at: https://www.costco.com/sustainability-
packaging.html [Accessed 1 September 2019].
Farfan , , 2019. Costco's Retail Innovation Craze. [Online] Available at:
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/costco-international-expansion-and-retail-innovation-2891768.
Hatch , , 2019. Costco eyes Aussie expansion with more stores, online sales. [Online] Available
at: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/costco-eyes-aussie-expansion-with-more-
stores-online-sales-20190102-p50p7v.html.
Inbound Logistics , 2016. GOOD QUESTION | What are the characteristics of a great supply
chain? [Online] Available at: https://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/good-question-
what-are-the-characteristics-of-a-great-supply-chain/ [Accessed 1 September 2019].
Indeed, 2019. Costco Wholesale Employee Reviews for Inventory Control Specialist. [Online]
Available at: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Costco-Wholesale/reviews?
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fcountry=ALL&fjobtitle=Inventory+Control+Specialist [Accessed 1 September 2019].
Lewis , , 2019. Costco. [Online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/retailing.
Real Commercial , 2018. Costco to open a store a year in rapid Aussie expansion. [Online]
Available at: https://www.realcommercial.com.au/news/costco-to-open-a-store-a-year-in-rapid-
aussie-expansion.
RetailWorld , 2019. The rise of Costco in Australia. [Online] Available at:
https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/rise-costco-australia/.
Soni, , 2019. How Costco Manage Inventory and Supply Chain. [Online] Available at:
https://marketrealist.com/2016/01/analyzing-costcos-inventory-supply-chain-management-
strategies/ [Accessed 1 September 2019].
Successstory, 2019. Costco SuccessStory. [Online] Available at:
https://successstory.com/companies/costco.
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Appendices
Figure 1: Diagram depicting characteristics of a good supply chain
Figure 2: COSTCO sustainability packaging
Source: (COSTCO, 2019)
GOOD SUPPLY
CHAIN
FLEXIBLE
CONSISTENT
LOWEST COST
INVOLVEMENT OF
RIGHT PEOPLE
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