Supply Chain Management

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT QUESTION

(107) Explain the interfacing between logistics and functional members of the

supply chain, with examples?

(108) Logistics is a strategic resource; discuss the same in the global context?

(109) Explain global sourcing and its advantages and disadvantages. How can you

arrive at the best course of action for global sourcing?

(110) Explain world-class management model in respect to SCM?

(111) Explain in detail the process of re-engineering?

(112) What are the benefits of re-engineering in supply chain?

(113) Explain the benefits of integrated approach for implementation of SCM?

(114) It is a fact; SCM and BPR have a common goal and are interrelated.Explain the sentence with examples?

SECTION A

1. "There are many possible structures for supply chain, but the simplest view has materials converging on an organisation through tiers of supplers and products diverging through tiers of customers." Elaborate.

2. Explain clearly the meaning of "World-Class" in World-Class Supply Chain Management (WCSCM). What are the features of World-Class Companies ? Give your answer highlighting different characterisrtics pertaining to management level, quality control, operations/production and technological advances.

3. Define Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Give its tangible and intangible benefits. Why does a company pursue a new ERP solution ?

4. When Christopher says that "Supply chains compete, not companies" what exactly does he mean ? Evaluate this statement from the cost point of view.

5. Given the information below, which alternative would you recommend ?

Factor Weight Location

A B C

Raw materials 0-40 50 70 60

Market 0-20 40 40 80

Transportation 0-10 90 70 50

Labour cost 0-20 40 40 30

Construction cost 0-10 10 60 30

The score of each location pertaining to each factor is out of 100.

6. "In the era of outsoucing, third party logistics can add value to existing supply chains." Explain this statement with examples.

SECTION B

7. Read the following case and answer the questions given at the end.

Passenger Interchange

In most major cities the amount of congestion on the roads is increasing. Some of this is due to commercial vehicles, but by far the majority is due to private cars.There are several ways of controlling the number of vehicles using certain areas. These include prohibition ofcars in pedestrian areas, restricted entry, limits onparking, traffic calming schemes, and so on. A relatively new approach has road-user charging, where cars pay afee to use a particular length of road, with the fee possibly changing with prevailing traffic conditions.

Generally, the most effective approach to reducing traific congestion is to improve public transport. These services must be attractive to people who judge them by a range of factors, such as the comfort of seating, amount of crowding, handling of luggage, availability offood, toilets, safety, facilities in waiting areas. availabilityof escalators and lifts, and so on. However, the dominant considerations are cost, time and reliability.

Buses are often the most flexible form of public transport, with the time for a journey consisting of four parts :

* joining time, which is the time needed to get to a bus stop