Internet Enabled Supply Chain

MIS 3537   Internet and Supply Chains

Due Date: April 17, 2017

Refer to the case “RosettaNet and ebXML: Betting on the Right eBusiness Standard”

Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):

1. Why are standards necessary in eBusiness?

2. Which standard do you think Developcom should adopt?  Explain your answer giving reasons from the case as well as the Exhibits at the end.

3. What do you understand by the term ‘network externalities’?  Why are network externalities important in eBusiness standard wars?  Give examples from the RosettaNet case.

5.  Which standard do you think Developcom should adopt?  Why?

5. Why should a company like Developcom join a standards body?  What should be Developcom’s standards body standard?  Why?

MIS 3537   Internet & Supply Chains

Due Date: April 10, 2017

Refer to the case “Starbucks and Conservation Internationaly”

Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):

1. What lessons should be learned from the Chiapas project? What are the factors that produced the current results of the alliance between Starbucks and CI?
2. How valuable had the Starbucks-CI alliance been to both, and what should it’s future be?
3. How might the Fair Trade coffee operation be related to the shade-tree conservation coffee operation?
4. How should Starbucks and CI approach other roasters to adopt the sourcing guidelines?
5. What is your assessment of the new coffee-purchasing guidelines? How should they be implemented?

MIS 3537   Internet & Supply Chains

Due Date: April 3, 2017

Refer to the case “Amazon.com’s European Distribution Strategy”

Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):

1. Explain how Amazon.com’s distribution strategy evolved in the early years (1995-1998)?

2. After the dot com crash, Amazon.com took steps to improve its operational excellence with a view to reduce costs and hence improve profitability.  Descibe the main steps that Amazon took at this stage.

3. Describe the key challenges that Amazon Europe faced with respect to globalization and localization.

4. What were the main decisions that Tom Taylor faced while accessing the EDN opportunity?

5. Should Amazon implement the EDN in Europe? What recommendations would you give Tom Taylor?

All groups (expect the group making the presentation) are required to submit a printout of their answers to the instructor at the beginning of the class. Also, be prepared to discuss the case in the class.

MIS 3537  Internet and Supply Chains

Due Date: March 27, 2017

Refer to the case “Evolution of the XBox Supply Chain”.

Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):

1. Why do companies outsource production?
2. List at three ways in which information technology can help in this outsourcing?
3. What are five critical metrics which companies should use to evaluate the performance of suppliers (contract manufacturers)?  Explain.
4. What supply chain changes did Microsoft make between XBox and XBox 360? What was the motivation for these changes?
5. Microsoft planned to use three EMS firms for XBox 360, all manufacturing in China.  What are the benefits and pitfalls of this approach?

All groups (expect the group making the presentation) are required to submit a printout of their answers to the instructor at the beginning of the class. Also, be prepared to discuss the case in the class.