Austin Severns

Benefits:
– increased accuracy
– increased speed
– decreased labor costs associated with time spent looking for goods
Pitfalls:
– expensive
– largely unnecessary for most warehouse operations
– security concerns
– training costs associated with implementation

Is this really a technology with potential impact the Internet had?

With my necessarily limited understanding of blockchain, I would guess that no, it will not have the impact that the internet would. The invention of the internet was unprecedented, where blockchain feels like a process improvement, or an invention at the margin. Artificial…[Read more]

– Melanie has so much work on her hands that it seems detrimental to me, could probably be delegated to more than one person
– Not sure why real estate management would be under her purview, seems unrelated enough to be counterproductive
– She makes a good distinction regarding digital as not always being new technology
– this interview…[Read more]

Amazon can combat this PR issue by increasing wages, increasing benefits, providing trucks and upfront costs to drivers, providing an hourly wage, allowing drivers to unionize, or hiring drivers directly instead of using a middle-man company. However, all of these solutions would likely hurt Amazon’s bottom line. At the very least, Amazon could be…[Read more]

– Increased accuracy and data could lead to better overall decision making
– decreased use of paper
– increased precision in terms of inventory and orders could lead to less spillage or waste – ordering exactly what you need
– increased visibility, social pressure/groups can more actively see what “green” companies are doing

What I’ve learned:
– reiteration of and expansion on the bullwhip effect – the beer game was the most memorable part of the class
– how IT and supply chain intersect – takeaway: in a myriad of ways, with long-term/important implications for my career
What I wish I learned/was different:
– Message of the class felt like “here’s how you should…[Read more]

Username: AUSTINS@TEMPLE.EDU
email: austins@temple.edu
Partners: Caroline Davies, Patrick Nelson

It is difficult to tell whether or not drone delivery services will become as household as suggested by this video. Laws and regulations regarding privacy and flying drones over properties will pose a threat to this service, and it’s unlikely this service will be useful anywhere other than affluent suburbs near Amazon DC’s. I can imagine myself…[Read more]

I would likely not feel uncomfortable shopping in the Amazon Go store, as other students have mentioned, but would probably just pick visiting another store over it. Convenience aside, it is concerning to me that a company would be (and already is) stockpiling information about your preferences and habits.

Additionally, I believe consumers will…[Read more]

Austin Severns
Patrick Nelson
Matthew Miller
Kamal Patel

The main takeaway from Class 2 and our analysis of the Crocs case is that a company’s supply chain can be of its core competencies, and be very consequential in a competitive market. Crocs’ combination of their patent footwear design and their vertical supply chain helped give them a competitive advantage in their market.

MIS professionals probably need to have a basic understanding of what a supply chain is and how it works – MIS professionals are often tasked with creating or implementing systems that facilitate cooperation between different business functions. The “supply chain” is a series of processes that weave between standard business functions like…[Read more]

Key takeaways:

In our first class, after doing quick introductions, we began to discuss what the “supply chain” is and its relationship with IT.

The supply chain is the entire process from procurement to manufacturing to the eventual delivery of a product, and IT can complement and make the process more efficient in many ways.

Austin Severns
Supply Chain Management/Risk Management and Insurance Majors
Interned for a 3PL throughout college career – exposed to most parts of the supply chain