Edward N Beaver

-In this class I learned how what I’ve learned in other classes, such as ethics and technologies such as ERP, can be applied in a supply chain context. This was helpful to learn how to apply what I’ve learned outside of what was initially taught.

-I would have liked to learn more about emerging technologies that are impacting supply chain such as blockchain for example. While the technologies we learned about are foundational in the industry, I would have liked to learn more about what new technologies have been adopted in the past few years as well as technologies that are on the horizon for adoption.

-As for what have could have gone better, I would have liked to see more relevant examples during lectures. Most of the examples that were discussed I had never heard of before so the concepts being taught through those examples weren’t as clear as they could have been. Additionally, I would have liked more hands-on exercises like the beer game or the supply chain simulation. I find that, personally, I learn better with hands-on examples rather than lectures.

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 be thinking about these things,” with never enough focus on specific things or hands-on exposure to those things
– long lectures, could be shorter, broken up more

– In this class I learned the impact of IT on the supply chain. I was familiar with some of the reasons how IT impacts the SC such as an eMarketplace, but others such as information delay having a large impact on inventory were very insightful.
– I would have liked to learn some more modern applications of IT in supply chains as opposed to cases that date a few years back, since technology is constantly evolving.
– I think some of the slides could have a bit more information to help present better. When you were using examples of companies in your lectures, you only had a logo. It was confusing referring back to it after class and during review on how exactly companies such as DowChemical relate to the topic being discussed.

– What you learned?
I learned that IT is one of the factors that make supply chains successful, but human aspects are also important as technology. This is because collaboration and teamwork are critical to supply chains (and other areas of the business), otherwise, information sharing would be useless without collaboration.
– What would you have liked to learn?
I would have liked to learn about data analytics and using software like Tableau, SAP, and/or Microsoft Power BI. Knowing how IT plays a significant role in supply chains is important, but I think knowing how to use ‘IT’ is more important. Also, I know this is not a programming class, but I would like to learn a little coding.
– What you wish the professor had done different?
I would have liked to take the exam on canvas instead of on blackboard; I experienced some glitches while taking the exam on blackboard. Also, blackboard is a little outdated and I think taking the exam on canvas would have run more smoothly.

What I have learned:
-Through case studies, I have learned how IT are used in successful organizations’ supply chain. This helps me understand the benefit that IT could bring to business, such as ERP and e-commerce.
-I have also learned how to forecast and make proper decisions based on dynamic relationship between supply chain partners through the global supply chain management simulation.

What I would have liked to learn:
-I would like to learn some technical tool that were commonly used to improve the efficiency of organizations’ supply chain and a few advanced statistical tool, such as SAS and R.

What I wish the professor had done different:
-I wish we could have more or longer simulation games, because I think that helped me understand supply chain better and taught me how to solve problems.
-I wish we could have more presentation opportunities, and the format of the presentations could be more innovative and not follow the questions that we need to answer for each case, because I think that will provide us more creative space and help us improve critical thinking.

What you learned?
I have learned the importance of IT for every business and companies that adopted this technology especially in their supply chain tend to be very successful. in addition, the advancement of technology and sophisticated of ERP system allow companies to be very efficient, cut costs, and more productive. also with the internet brought a new way to do business such as e-Commerce, e-Marketplace, e- Procurement.
what you would have liked to learn?
I wish we could learn about an ERP system and practiced the difference aspect of the system.

What I learned
• I learned about how numerous businesses carry out their online supply chains
• Also, about the importance of information technology

I would have liked to learn about
• New emerging technologies like blockchain, agile, etc.
• The specific components of implementing some of these information systems

Things professor could have done differently
• Less case studies and more about actual software ex, SAP, google analytics, etc.
• More simulations

– I have learned about the way technology has evolved over time and how it had/currently has an impact on supply chains.
– I learned about the bullwhip effect + its effect on decision-making among suppliers in the supply chain.
– I would have liked to learn about the possible alternatives that each company could have chosen in the case studies (instead of just the options in these case studies).
– I would have liked to learn more about new and upcoming technology/software. It would be interesting if we have found a company today and choose a technology/software and discuss how we can improve on the company’s supply chain.

– Learned about the ways internet and technology have advanced and influenced the ways that businesses work.
– Beer game gave us an understanding of the bullwhip effect and how to properly manage inventory to keep costs down while satisfying demand.
– Global supply simulation gave us insights of the decisions that need to be made within the supply chain to get the right product to the customers.
– I would have like to run more simulations. The best way for us to learn about supply chain is to actually run one. These simulations gave us some working experience in a field that some of us are going to be working in.

In the final lecture I took away that its important to keep in mind what you’re measuring and who you are measuring for. If you’re measuring the wrong things then you’re not going to get the results you had in mind. Also, what gets measured gets done. If you’re not implementing KPI’s into daily operations and using them for review processes will not improve.

Overall Supply chains are advancing at a rapid pace with new technologies coming out and advancing. Packaged softwares like WMS, ERP, and management systems are becoming more available and affordable for smaller organizations. However, not every package is going to work for every organization. Using a bad bathing software can be worse than having no software at all.

As supply chain professionals it is our jobs to know how, when and why to implement I/T into our processes. I/T can be a great tool when used properly.

In this class, I learned how technology, innovation, and an efficient supply chain work together to enhance a business on all platforms. We competed in an global simulation and beer game that taught us two different supply chain techniques such as the bullwhip effect. You taught us the importance of emerging technologies such as the blockchain. What I found most interesting was the e-Marketplace and the procurement functions with it. I would have liked to learn how these MIS technologies and supply chain implications would have affected my career in the future. Overall, what I would have changed would of been doing more simulations throughout the class. I enjoyed these assignments as they were very collaborative and gave you insight on different positions within the business.

In this class, I learned that supply chains are evolving in various ways due to I/T. One of the things that were most interesting to me was the bullwhip effect. I had no prior knowledge of this, but it made me realize how important communication is within supply chains. Everyone in the supply chain must be working towards a cohesive goal. Inefficiency in one part of the supply chain can disrupt the entire supply chain resulting in profit loss. I also thought that in this course it was difficult but helpful to analyze cases. It made me think in a critical way rather than memorize material. I think this approach is extremely important for development in the professional world and I will take the critical thinking skills I acquired with me.

-I learned the impact of I/T on supply chain and how it is critical for companies to implement new technologies in order for it to run to maximum efficiency. I also learned a lot about different specific companies and how their supply chain operate.
-I would have liked to learn more about new emerging technologies that could be used in supply chains to keep it more modern.
-I think too much time was spent on cases in class and not enough on simulations and hands on experience

In this course, I’ve learned so much information on supply chain. Especially how impactful I/T is for it. Implementation of I/T in supply chains is so crucial, it determines the success of the business. The better the way a business can gain information and reduce inefficiencies, it’ll lead them to success. In the world today, it is important to keep on moving forward with the progressing technology. I think one thing I would change about the class is adding more simulations. I found it more beneficial learning through hands on simulations rather than analyzing for majority of the weeks of the course.

– As my first class in supply chain, I was very pleased to learn many of the fundamental concepts of supply chain and its interaction with the Internet/IT. Some of the concepts included: the effect that supply chain decisions can have on organization profitability, the importance of distribution operations and ethical goals and objectives to be sought through the supply chain.
– I would have liked to learn more about transportation and delivery of goods. However, my guess is that there are other supply chain classes that focus on this element more.
– One thing I would change about the class is to shorten the review of each case. Perhaps, each week either one group would present or the professor would go over the questions. Freeing up this time would enable more simulations, conversations, discussions etc.

– This class was valuable. I think a massive take away from this class is you get from it what you put into it.
– Every week the technologies we would talk about in class are all things I’ve heard of.. From working at whole foods to interviewing for full-time jobs doing I/T for insurance companies.
– It added value to these terms that I had all heard before. I didn’t know much about them except the basics, however, after going through this class I now know what value an ERP can bring to businesses that deal directly with consumers and supply chains.
– I can understand the future of grocers, and how important it is for them to obtain accurate purchase and shipping orders.
– All in all, it filled in the gaps that needed to be filled in. It provided me with a more in depth knowledge that betters helps me understand the applications of these technologies.

I learned more about supply chain in this course than IT, but I’d say that the mix was sufficient. We only scraped the surface of IT systems, but since I am an MIS major I would have liked to dig a little deeper. However, I enjoyed learning all about supply chain, as I did not have any prior experience with it. I am going into retail so I definitely appreciated learning about supply chain. I found it quite easy to make comparisons to work and relate to daily duties at Target. I think the cases were effective, but toward the end of the semester I don’t think many people paid attention to presentations, as they became a bit redundant. Also, I think it must have been difficult for you to record in-class participation, but I do think the online participation made up for it. Overall, I enjoyed the class and learned a lot.

I really liked this course because it is practical and ties in current events within the industry like blockchain. Overall I learned:
– how technology/IT advance supply chain
– softwares and emerging technologies through case studies
– decision making and analysis: how companies determine which decisions to make regarding this emerging technologies ie. cost/benefit analysis and what decisions they are faced with in supply chain

Things to change:
-participation: providing time in class to write about our reflections (maybe last 20-30 minutes) to write/post our discussion and discuss right away. Or giving extra points for commenting on another student’s posts
-Do the final simulation earlier on and eliminate the beer games – the final simulation was more helpful.

The class was enjoyable and I felt like I learned a lot about an industry I knew little about before this course.

I sincerely enjoyed this course for it’s practical application and the real world expertise that you brought to the table. The concepts I learned include, but aren’t limited to:
– How I/T affects traditional supply chains
– How I/T has created new supply chains
– The difference between physical goods and information goods
– The importance and benefits of green supply chains

Recommendations:
– Incorporate the supply chain simulation earlier into the course. I think it would best reinforce topics taught mid-semester.
– Encourage more class participation. The class was always the same five students participating, which is fine, but it limits the amount of perspectives brought into the discussion.

The big topic that I have learned is how IT is changing the supply chain management. How to identify the issue within the company, what is the best solution for the company to improve.
what are the green and ethical supply chain, and how it affects company to decided its SCM.
The most important is the guest lecture, providing an insight of how a real industry is doing, how a 3rd party company helps to solve supply chain management issues by using IT.

one recommendation is to have a better explanation for supply chain simulation.

I learned relevant information regarding supply chain and its activities that I can build on in my career in insurance since supply chain interruption is an emerging issue in my field. This course gave me a better understand of the risks and exposures that I would be looking for in my profession. I wish we had done more with cyber and supply chain and its risks.

1. An implementation like this would be lengthy and costly because consolidating both people and processes across many regions requires a careful approach and incurs costs along the way. First, consolidating 16,000 users into one ERP system takes a significant amount of processing time and could incur costs due to scalability reasons (i.e. price per user). Next, consolidating processes can be lengthy because of testing windows and efforts to reduce redundancy along the way. Also, consolidating processes could be costly due to the cost of the ERP system, customizing said system, or training users to use said system.
2. Dow Chemical would approve such a large investment because it could yield both process and economic efficiencies across the organization. The primary reason any company would undertake this investment is to produce a benefit somewhere in the organization.

1. Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
The sheer size of the company and the transactions that are made means lots of data to integrate and there are processes that need to be implemented as well. Additionally, due to all the changes that are happening in the IT world currently it makes things a lot more confusing and unknown. Lastly, due to the companies four separate regional systems that need to be integrated.

2. Given the information shared – why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
To bring all regional systems under one process to operate more efficiently. To also, save costs, the company does not want people doing the same things in different ways, this may potentially make things ineffective in the long and short run.

1. Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
Implementation can be complicated due to the scope of the project. First you have to find the right system that can grow and expand for its needs in the future. Integrating all the data from their legacy systems can be extensive and complicated as well. Finally, there may be a distinct lack of expertise from people of the old system or new.

2. Given the information shared – why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
The ROI and giving them a system that Dow can utilize in the future is worth the money and trouble now. This system can improve efficiency and productivity in the long run and putting it off to the future may cause more trouble later.

1. Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
When a company as big as Dow needs to pivot to a centralized system that encompasses all components of its business, it can be very expensive due to the labor resources, technology resources and training that is required to make this switch. As the implementation progresses, unexpected issues are going to occur and the timeline gets extended and those people working on the implementation still need to get paid, so the costs and time add up.

2. Why would Dow Chemical approve such a large investment?
If the return outweighs the cost, it makes sense to approve this large of an investment. At the time of this implementation, technology was steadily advancing, but it was not rapidly changing in the way that it is today. So at the time, they could safely say that this system would still be relevant and beneficial in a decade, and would make their company more efficient.

Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
-Uncertainties and risks in the early stage increased costs and slow down the speed.
-Lack of proper risk management made the process more difficult and lengthy.
-Geographic differences created more challenges to consolidate.

Why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
The company approve such a large investment due to the following reasons:
-It reduces the number of steps needed to complete business processes.
-It automatically populates data fields and improves reporting.
-It provides employees more visibility into how their work fit into the company’s broader operations.
-it identifies where certain processes got stuck or needed improvement.

ERP implementations take such long periods of time and cost so much because of their scope relative to business processes, applications, and data. An ERP acts as a hub for the entire organization and therefore needs to be used in every department, which all have unique processes and applications that would need to be normalized. This transformation effort requires workshops with employees that know the processes and applications that are being affected and therefore removing them from value added work. Most often ERP implementations also leverage expensive consultancies to help organize and lead the transformation efforts.

It makes sense for Dow to make such a large investment because it has a significant number of subsidiaries under its umbrella including Dupont and Rohm and Haas. Each of its subsidiaries presumably had different processes and applications which can create inefficiencies among the organizations core processes mentioned in the article.

1. An implementation like this takes very long and costs a lot because of the sheer size of the system. They need to make sure everybody involved is properly setup, problems and issues are ironed out, and data is carried over properly.
2. Despite the large expense, the generated value of the ERP system can be seen immediately, and its effects will carry out in the future. It will integrate the supply chain with modern technology and lessen the burden of future technological upgrades.

Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
– It takes time to clean up messy databases, simplify code and update early parts of the implementation
– $15 million is devoted to “inefficiency resources” to keep things running and familiarizing employees with the new ERP system
– Part of that went toward employee-recommended changes, e.g. automatically populating data fields and improving reporting
– People around the world performed same work differently, so it takes time to get everyone on the same page
Why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
– Decrease process cycle times, thus making Dow’s supply chain runs more efficiently in a timely manner
– Consolidated four separate regional systems into a single global ERP; thus, improving visibility
– Enables them to make necessary changes for improvements due to the improvement in visibility

Implementation Cost and Time
– This venture was completed “on-time” in 2014, however, it took a year and a half to rectify the database indomitability and simply code.
– $15M had to be additionally invested because of the inefficient implementation of the original project.

Why Did Dow Invest in This?
– Dow’s supply chain still needed to run more efficacity to be competitive
– Utilizing ERP would break down international barriers and improve visibility between silos

1) Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
– The implementation would take this long because they had to repeatedly test it to make sure it works and is mostly free from error.
– It took time to fix the errors in the system + they may have found additional errors they haven’t discovered early on in the process that they needed to fix.
– Since this is an advanced system, it takes more time and energy to have create a fully functional system, thus there is a strong cost that is incurred as a result.
2) Given the information shared – why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
– They see that there is a value from making such a large investment, such as productivity, efficiency, and more flexibility.

Why would an implementation take this long and cost so much?
-Took a very long time to make sure it works and error free. It took almost a year and a half to simplify code even though the venture met the timeline in 2014.
-Poor risk management and geographic differences were very challenging.
Why would Dow Chemical company approve such a large investment?
-Put a large value on Dow’s supply chain and create long-term value.
-Process cycle times are decreasing and its global ERP that improves visibility
-Wants to upgrade its technology to meet future demand and compete with other businesses.

1. An implementation this large takes so long and costs so much due to the risks associated with taking on so many tasks. The implementation is complex and needs every little piece to work cohesively together in order to maintain maximum efficiency. The cost is so high because there is labor along with time involved.
2. Dow Chemical would approve of this investment because it creates extremely large value for the company to improve its technology. There will be better productivity within the company.

1. An implementation similar to this would take this long for many factors. The amount of inner company communication that is required for this implementation alone is a massive requirement. It is complex and it is extremely detailed. The multiple small teams all working separately on different segments of the implementation but towards a common goal. Also, the risk management of this implementation was a challenge. Different global regions were impacted by this implementation and that requires the risk management team to take a lot into consideration.
2. DOW was happy with this investment, although the capital requirements were enormous, because it made them an industry leader. It added a large value to their supply chain. One that they knew competitors couldn’t compete with. It also promised long term value to the company that was too good to pass up.

1.
– Combining and merging disparate data sets is challenging — and its even more so in this huge scale.
– It is expected that complications will arise that will need fixing. This evident by the amount of time (half-year) that Ms. Tolliver spent on “cleaning up” after the implementation.
– It takes time to train employees and even longer for them to successfully adapt to the new ERP system.
2.
– Consolidated 4 separate regional systems into a single global ERP — simplifies and aggregates data from multiple business functions and locations across Dow.
– Employees are able to see how their work fits into the company’s broader operations — seeing their direct impact can lead to increased productivity.
– Revealed where processes were not so efficient, leading to simplification and streamlining -> productivity!

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Information technology systems can help make companies more environmentally responsible by allowing for increase visibility through their supply chain, allowing for them to monitor and stay aware of any environmental effect that occur due to the production at any give area of that supply chain. Additionally, I/T technology can help optimize a companies operations allowing for increased focus on environmental and ethical business practices.

Technology/IT helps companies become socially and environmentally responsible because:
– Paperless: We are entering in a more paperless society. We used to put all of our data and information on paper when we work (e.g. Tax documents), but now we can put the data online and send them to clients without having the need to use paper. This also ties in with how Communication using technology can help companies become socially and environmentally responsible.
– Social Media: A lot of people go online to voice their complaints about some companies not being environmentally friendly. This data is useful for companies to know what their customers are asking for, in order for them to make any changes to help them be more socially and environmentally responsible.

Technology/IT helps companies become socially and environmentally responsible by creating new materials and technologies that are sustainable and do not harm the environment. There is data to better understand and monitor the impacts of our living. Additionally, technology helps companies reduce shipping and manufacturing impact to reach a broader audience.

Technology / information systems help companies become socially and environmentally by:
– Enables green design- life cycle: i.e. Starbucks design reusable and recyclable cups
– Enables green design – waste prevention, less packaging, & life cycle: i.e. IKEA’s products are renewable and recyclable. IKEA is also using sustainable and inexpensive raw materials such as bamboo (fast-growing and environmentally friendly) and water hyacinth (renewable plant).
– Enables green marketing i.e. Starbucks is passionate about meeting important environmental, social, economic, and quality standards. By using technology, the company could promote sustainability and inspire others to do the same.

Technology and information system that enables companies to understand environmentally responsible is necessary. People can look news over the Internet, and the influence of network is vast. If companies didn’t pay attention to the environment, the adverse impact would spread quickly. For example, customers or other social media know not environmental behaviors of the company, and they will resist any products from the company. Therefore, technology enables companies to take care their corporate social responsibility

-Tech/IT helps companies become adaptable to social and environmentally friendly plus responsible partners
-We are now thriving in a paperless society
-Social media companies allow an increase in a more visible supply chain

– TRANSPORTATION: IT makes it possible to track fleets and plan their routes more efficiently, in a way that carbon emissions are reduced.
– PAPER PROCESSING: having bills and other documents available online eliminates tons and tons of paper.
– PURCHASING: IT makes it possible for companies to choose from a larger pool of suppliers, which allow them to select materials that have a lower overall environmental impact
– OVERALL VIEW OF THE SC: companies today have a much better understanding of their supply chains, which allows them to make decisions to improve sustainability

Technology such as social media allows consumers to communicate directly with a company to let them know what practices (if any) are frowned upon by today’s societal standards. With the use of social media, companies can let people know what changes they are making and hopefully regain positive brand recognition.
Information also lets companies know what part of their supply chain is inefficient or not “green” enough for society’s environmental standards. Technology allows companies to create more efficient or green materials or manufacturing practices.

It helps by making companies aware of where their materials needed for business operations come from. For example, information system like a contract management type of system can let all the people in a business know where a company is purchasing its materials from so they can source from ethical/green suppliers. For example, Zappos. Additionally, technology can help companies find environmentally friendly producers to award contracts and work to. For example, a coffee company supporting farmers in South America to make sure they have work.

I think one of the more interesting ways that IT can help companies be socially and environmentally responsible is to adopt blockchain in supply chains to source materials responsibly. This is most prevalent in the diamond industry which is adopting this technology in an effort to guarantee customers that their diamonds are conflict free and not “blood diamonds” or counterfeits.

Blockchain is a great technology to drive corporate social responsibility(CSR) because its immutability allows consumers to trust the results and forces companies to adhere to strict CSR standards

Source: http://fortune.com/2017/09/12/diamond-blockchain-everledger/

One way that technology / information systems help companies become socially and environmentally responsible is that IT reduces paper consumption. Because IT involves putting data in an online database, it allows companies to use less paper and subsequently less trees need to be chopped down. Another way IT helps companies become socially and environmentally responsible is through making it possible for companies to track transportation more efficiently. By doing this, companies can plan transportation routes in a way that carbon emissions are reduced.

One of the most important ways a company can become environmentally responsible, while increasing productivity of their supply chain is to utilize cloud storage of documents and forms. A typical office worker prints roughly 50 sheets of paper every day. Utilizing cloud storage will allow for employees and customers to quickly and easily access important documents and forms without wasting paper. In addition to ease of access, cloud storage provides increased security for information sensitive documents that would originally be a hard copy. The cost of a company cloud-based storage system would be significantly cheaper than if the use of paper documents was continued.

Information technology can help companies become socially and environmentally responsible by greatly reducing hard copies (paper waste) and increasing the ability to communicate throughout the supply chain. For example a company will know if its suppliers are using “green” standards and are being socially and environmentally responsible. By streamlining logistics, transportation costs are cut and emissions are reduced.

Technology / information systems could help companies become socially and environmentally responsible through the following ways:
-Going digital: Computers, smartphones and cloud storage allow business to use less paper than in years past, which help lessen the dependence on the world’s tree population, and reduce deforestation.
-Sharing economy: It reduces our environmental impact by enabling individuals to purchase less and use fewer materials. Services such as Netflix have reduced the number of DVD rentals in favor of online streaming, which is reducing the need for postage, transporting the items and creating physical copies of movies.

1. IT helps reduce energy consumption by way of the cloud. Cloud servers allow companies to ditch traditional servers and the energy consumption that comes with them.
2. Going paperless. IT reduces the amount of paper used by any business. For example, many invoices are now PDFs.
3. Accountability. IT has closed the gap between politicians and their constituents. Constituents are much more in tune with the actions of their representatives, which results in the representatives being held to a higher level of accountability.

Technology has the tools and potential to help companies become more socially and environmentally responsible. With many supply chains, everything can be tracked, monitored, and locate where products were sourced allowing transparent views into the SC and sources of products, labor, and what guidelines are being followed. Having real-time information on products, as well as anything that has been digitalized within the company allows for that information to be at any qualified individuals fingertips meaning real-time solutions. Additionally, being able to track and monitor everything that is being done allows companies to have positive PR as well as allowing transparency for the company and those interested in monitoring.

I/T creates a paperless world, which encourages a green society
* Technology tracks transportation routes more effectively, reducing the world’s carbon footprint
* Green design has been introduced from technology, creating environmentally friendly products

I/T can help with ethics / green supply chains in regards to transportation costs. As we know, transportation is a huge part of supply chains. Transportation is also the second highest factor in greenhouse gas emissions in our environment. These emissions essentially lead to global warming; something the whole world needs to be aware of. I/T can help those involved in the supply chain industry better track products as they move through the supply chain. Better logistics tracking via. information technology allows those involved in supply chains plan shorter routes, which in turn creates fewer gas emissions. In the future, information technology may even be a component of self-driving vehicles which would indeed help cut human error involved in transportation leading to less greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation Technology and Information systems can assist companies in ethical practices while also reducing costs and increasing efficiencies. Information technology in business supply chains can help in green supply chains by reducing the chemical footprint left on the environment by company practices for example, like with chemical companies and/or oil and petroleum companies. Information systems also help in transferring information between companies and departments with less paperwork and will also help companies better track products being shipped which will reduce gas emissions through greater efficiency.

Technology and information can help companies become more socially and environmentally responsible in a number of ways. Technology and information systems help companies be more environmentally responsible by reducing waste, creating optimization, and reducing costs. Information systems replace paper processes, and reduce the amount of paper used in an organization by sending the information electronically. Information systems optimization the supply chain process which reduces pollution, emissions, and transportation costs.

Technology / information systems can help companies become socially and environmentally responsible in terms of making renewable sources of energy more efficient. For example, technological advancement has made it possible for companies to invent solar panels as a greener alternative for generating electricity. With technology invention like computers and cloud storage, businesses are using less paper to reduce deforestation. It enables companies to send bills, newsletter and other communications over email rather than regular mail. By doing this, companies automatically helps to reduce carbon footprints and reduce harmful waste and materials that endangers the environment.

Green systems must be the way of the future. The only alternative is to keep damaging the planet through prior techniques which we know do not work, and insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Capitalism must be the driver of environmental improvement, because capitalism forces companies to compete over money and therefore they will make systems that are more efficient ecologically or risk being buried by the consumers. Green initiatives will start to increase among the richest companies in America because not only is it ethical but it can also be a cost advantage if enough initial investment is put into it. Competing for customers will spark green initiatives in companies all across the world and it will be of the benefit of both consumers and companies.

I/T can help companies become socially and environmentally responsible by enabling visibility. Suppliers can be screened to ensure they are reducing their carbon footprint. I/T can also work with personnel in departments to create sustainable products, choose socially responsible suppliers for parts, and also help the company itself to become green. I/T can reduce paper processes and thereby, reduce human error. I/T can also help the company choose the best renewable energy method and supplier.

How does technology / information systems help companies become socially and environmentally responsible? Give examples.
Technology/information systems ability to create efficiency across processes is ultimately what helps companies become socially and environmentally responsible. Some examples include:
Transportation – companies can better track routes to reduce mileage and plan the quickest way to transport goods. Also, with efficient communication drop ship efforts are increased taking out unnecessary trips between production and the customer.
Manufacturing – green materials can be more easily constructed with the use of IT and information at an affordable cost without compromising the product.

I think one of the biggest ways that IT can promote a green environment is by going paperless. IT is a streamlined version of previous processes that may have contained a lot of pen and paper or printing. With advancements in cloud technology and eventually blockchain, there should be no reason not to do everything over the internet. This makes everything able to be accessed on a computer rather than paper. In addition to paperless, IT brings greater efficiencies to supply chain. This means less waste in the company and ultimately saves on energy, time, and most importantly the environment.

-Track unnecessary waste
-Find ways to deal with it and reduce it
-RFID to find inefficiencies in the chains
-Find ways to solve those inefficiencies (e.g. going paperless to save environment)
-Store everything on clouds and reduce waste, including physical storage like filing cabinets and multiple hard drives
-Green technology allows for sustainability
-Gives platforms for customer feedback/suggestions on satisfaction regarding ethics and environmental impacts

IT has helped supply chains become greener by:
– Communicating with less paper and transportation
– Track supply chain inefficiencies
– Lower product wasted through more complex, nitty-gritty IT systems
– Lower human error –> cuts expenses

Information technology systems can help companies take more environmentally responsible actions by increasing visibility throughout their supply chain. It allows them to keep track and stay aware of any environmental effect that occur from decisions they make and actions they take. Also, Information Technology can help optimize a companies operations and improving efficiency which reduces impact and allows for
an increased focus on environmental and ethical business practices.

IT helps us to be more” green” and ethical by:
-allows us to live in a paperless world,
-it streamlines processes to reduce inefficiencies (reduces costs),
-allows for transparency of the supply chain (easier to audit/ track, etc.),
-reduced emissions from transportation costs (better routes, tracking deliiveries)

1. Decreased paper use: Before, companies used paper for transactions, contracts, inventory management, etc. Paper use has been cut drastically because of technology / information systems.
2. Warehouse energy efficiency: With new technology comes “smart” warehouses that are more energy efficient.
3. Less waste: IT –> efficient supply chains –> less mistakes/waste
4. Less transportation use: Because of technology/IT, workers can hold web conferences instead of traveling.

Technology and information systems help companies become more socially and environmentally responsible in the following ways:
– Identify inefficiencies in processes and decrease energy usage as a result.
– Identify ways to improve production, such as better resources or more efficient use of labor.

– Paperless communication: they allow for communication within and between companies to be virtual, minimizing the use of paper.

Technology and information systems help companies become more socially and environmentally responsible in the following ways:
– Identify inefficiencies in processes and decrease energy usage as a result.
– Identify ways to improve production, such as better resources or more efficient use of labor.
– Maximize efficiency and cost savings of transportation and logistics by identifying the best, shortest routes. This reduces the use of gas and oil and the subsequent release of greenhouse gases.
– Paperless communication: they allow for communication within and between companies to be virtual, minimizing the use of paper.
– Improves communication between distant partner companies. This increases transparency and helps companies determine if their suppliers/partners are acting ethically.

well IT can help:
– decrease paper usage
– increase efficiency resulting decrease in energy use
– increase transparency
– decrease physical transportation

– 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

– I/T can help reduce the cost to communicate (letters/fax/etc. use up paper, ink and other materials)
– It would also save a lot in energy (various phone calls to place one order vs. entering it into a system)
– I/T can improve communication and help unify ideas better, which can speed up the process of innovating new ideas and technologies to drive environmental improvement.
– I/T would help locate inefficiencies better, inefficiencies that may be overlooked in a paper system.

Technology / information systems help companies become socially and environmentally responsible by introducing innovative techniques, machinery and system that are more environment friendly. for example the advancement of information systems led to paperless communications. Also technology help farmers improve production by using OMGs seeds that can resist to diseases and use less chemical that heart the environment and the soil. In general the advancement of Technology / information improved overall the way companies do business by making more profit and cutting back cost while being environment friendly.

I/T helps companies to better measure and understand their processes. By measuring inefficiencies and waste a company can cut down on both and become more environmentally aware. Also in the age of social media platforms, companies are continuously in the spotlight forcing them to improve ethical initiatives to be seen as benevolent in eyes of consumers.

I/T has helped companies become greener in various ways, such as: it eliminates the use of paper, it streamlines processes within the business, increases efficiency, and also increased accuracy of information helps a company in decision making.

the main takeaway from the Starbucks case was the fact that environmental sustainability can be achieved without a reduction in profits. If implemented properly it can aid a company as it grows because it can help build more committed customers loyal to the companies brand.

Starbuck’s Case:
– SBX entering in an alliance with CI is shown to have benefits for both parties
– Companies need to consider the environmental implications when they operate a business(es)
– Communication, values, and goals are important to consider when establishing alliances

Guest Lecture:
– Elemica (although large) are susceptible to technology failure that has a major impact on and for their clients.
– All companies should prepare for worse case scenarios because Elemica faced lawsuits when a past outage occurred.

Starbucks Case:
-The following are benefits of Starbucks and CI working together: SBX is close to the root of of the SC, customer appeal, supplier development, risk mitigation and fulfill company value
-One of the key lessons learned is nonprofit organizations are critical stakeholders that can act as obstacles for the operation of a business

Guest Lecture:
-Gary works for Elemica which is the digital supply network for the process industries
-Elemica uses ROI on projects – reduced operating expenses, optimized working capital and increased sales

Starbucks Case:
– Starbucks alliance (SBX) with Conservation International (CI) enables the company to create a more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable coffee system as well as providing high-quality coffees.
– The key factors for enabling the success of SBX – CI alliance are goal congruency, value generation, communication, and managing risk.
Guest Lecture:
– Supply chain automation reduces operating expenses by some of the following: drives structural improving, supporting staff flexibility, less unscheduled overtime, and capturing early payment discounts.
– Supply chain automation increases revenue by offering better customer service, detecting and solving issues without customer impact, etc.

Starbucks
-they should consider others aside from CI (there could be better options)
-Ci is way to reach the farmers so ensure good product
Guest Lecture
– Blockchain is currently less efficient and more costly than any other method for specific tasks
-Elemica had a few crashes with there system but now there servers and information is backed up though amazons networks

Starbucks Case:
Starbucks is an example that shows some business want to make a change and become a corporate social responsibility business. The case talks about NGOs promote cooperation with companies, and find a common interest. In this process, CI achieve its environment-friendly goals. And Starbucks also achieves its cooperate social responsibility goals. The cooperation is a two-win model.
Guest Lecture: Gary Neights (Elemica):
Digital the supply chain would increase business revenue. The reason is that it integrates all relevant functions into the supply chain, which enables all information to become transparent.
Digital supply chain could increase assurance things will happen as planned, visibility, communication and get more accurate information.

Starbucks Case:
-Starbucks alliance with Conservation Alliance was valuable to both sides because it increased the quality control of coffee and enhance the environment preservation efforts.
-Fair trade coffee operation improves the world and creates a more sustainable product without financial gain being the main focus

Guest Lecture:
-Blockchain inefficiency
-A digital supply chain is an increase in business revenue
-Supply chain automation is a necessity
-Elemica implements ROI on projects

Starbucks Case:
– Starbucks has always been none to be a company that operates on ethical standards and holds the standards up high. Starbucks has an alliance with Convservation International which allows the company to operate in terms of sustainability – economically, environmentally, and in social aspects while providing a high quality brand of coffee.
– Starbucks focuses on corporate social responsibility.
– Starbucks is a leading example that a company can still be successful and profitable while operating in terms that are environmentally friendly.

Guest Lecture:
– Digital supply chains help drive business efficiency and revenue/profitability.
– Automation and digital supply chains are becoming more relevant and needed in a world of rapidly adapting, growing, and changing technology.
– Blockchain, despite the big buzz around the software, has been less efficient than other alternatives, and has come at a higher cost.

Starbucks Case:
– Starbucks and CI formed a bond sustainably sourcing coffee beans through farmers of all sizes. This was beneficial to both parties considering Starbucks supplier base was greatly increased, and CI as a business fulfilled its goal to help farmers around the world.
Guest Lecture:
– Block chain in its current state is extremely inefficient. Supply chain automation helps in reducing costs within all branches of operations and increasing efficiency, and in turn supply chain automation increases revenue for a company.

Starbucks Case
– The partnership with CI was effective due to the many training methodologies that CI provided to the local farmers.
– Starbucks wanted to develop their ethical supply chain but also wanted to set an example for the industry – encouraging companies in the industry to follow their practices.

Gary Neights
– In Neights and Elemica’s estimation, blockchain is currently not a profitable technology or investment for the organization.
– Supply chain automation increases sales processes – enables better ordering capabilities and drives revenue and profit increase.

Starbucks:
– Ci provides new and effective training for local farmers who provide produce to Starbucks
– Starbucks ethical supply chain was to be used as an example for the rest of the industry
Gary Neights:
– Neights does not see blockchain as a positive investment and his company will not invest in it
– Automated supply chains reduce costs while increasing efficiency and profit

Starbucks Case
-Non-profit organizations and companies can be serious obstacles in the way of a company’s operations.
-Coffee purchasing amounts for a small percentage of Starbucks total costs. Employee training and store set up play a big role in the costs of Starbucks

Guest Lecture
-Things like Agile and Blockchain technology are starting to make the rounds in business circles due to their potential to better improve business processes.
-Elemica helps to consolidate business information all throughout the supply chain of companies so employees can more easily and readably access information.

Starbucks Case

– Partnering with an organization that has extensive knowledge on a subject with a network in the geography you’re trying to enter has a better chance of being successful
– There are multiple ways for an organization to engage in sustainability. For example, there can be economic sustainability (CI and Fair Trade) or environmental sustainability (CI).
GaryNeights

– Blockchain in its current state is inefficient relative to incumbent products and has an unclear value proposition
– Having an automated supply chain is a way that companies are improving their bottom line.

The Starbucks case provided a unique insight into other ways companies can control their supply chain. Majority of the topics we cover in class are focused on reducing the costs and finding ways to improve the efficiency of the supply chain. But when study Starbucks we saw how other considerations can sometimes be a factor as well.

Gary was a very interesting guest speaker. I was not that familiar with blockchain prior to him speaking so I was able to learn a lot of new information which was very valuable.

Starbucks Case:
-A lesson to be learned from the Chiapas project was that In order for a partnership between two organizations to work, they must have similar principles and objectives.
-With I/T implemented within its supply chain, Starbucks will able to find solutions to minimize cost, as well as minimize its environmental footprint at the same time.
Guest Speaker Gary Neights:
-According to Neights, Blockchain is not something that he believes is a justifiable investment for his company.
-Having a digital supply chain improves business efficiency.

Starbucks Case:
-Starbucks should consider pursuing other partnerships, while continuing partnering with CI
-Starbucks heavily focuses on their social and environmental impact
Guest Speaker:
-Inefficiency of Block Chain in its current state
-Supply Chain automation is a crucial aspect of any company’s success
-Even large companies, such as Elemica, face technological issues on a large scale and face long durations of downtime in certain conditions

Starbucks case:
-Alliance was based on mutual agreements towards business practices
-The role IT played greatly helped Starbucks supply chain
-Starbucks is an advocate for social and environmental causes

Guest Speaker:
I thought it was very interesting having Gary speak in class because he brought real world examples to what we are currently learning and how important Information Technology is to a successful supply chain. It was also interesting to learn more about the company because one of my good friends works there so I already had a basic understanding of what they do but Gary went more in depth.

Starbucks case:
-Nonprofit organizations are critical stakeholders that can act as obstacles for the operations of a business.
-Organizations such as Starbucks that care about social responsibility will have more successes in the long run.
-Information technology could be effectively used to support Starbucks. For example, Blockchain to trace bean origin from grower, roaster, distributor and retailer.

Guest speaker:
-Automation could help reduce costs, sales process, and improve supply chain efficiency.
-The inefficiency of blockchain and the reason why it is not a good investment for many companies.
-Going digital increases the efficiency of the company’s operation.

Starbucks Case:
– Partnering with nonprofit organizations like CI can be a profitable venture in the long term despite the significant investment in the short term.
– Starbucks reaps the supply chain benefits of partnering with nonprofit organizations like CI, so why stop there? There is potential to partner with even more similar organizations.
Gary Neights:
– There is a market for third-party intermediaries to streamline the flow of data from company to company.
– Blockchain can be inefficient and isn’t always the best investment for companies
– Automation generally results in cost savings for all industries

Starbucks:
– Showed how teaming up with another company sharing goal congruency, and the want to positively contribute to communities and environments being used.
– Additionally, how the partnering achieved value generation, non-profits are critical stakeholders that can act as obstacles or encourage changes in business operations
Gary Neights:
– Automated supply chain provides transparency, and the tools to decrease operation costs and increase revenues
– Blockchains’ current state is not refined, trusted, or tested enough for businesses to find value in it at this time.

Starbucks
* Sustainability is becoming a core competency in business, Starbucks relationship with CI is enabling this competency
* I/T has enhanced Starbuck’s supply chain and shows how technology can improve efficiency
* Having a relationship with an organization in an international region helps with understanding the environment in which Starbucks is operating in

Gary Neights
* Blockchain isn’t always the best idea for an investment
* Automation helps with costs throughout a companies’ supply chain

Starbucks Case:
I’m glad I waited a bit to write this response. Specifically because of what just recently happened in Philadelphia with Starbucks. I believe that Starbucks plays a leadership role in companies that care greatly about public image. Part of this ‘alliance’ that we talk about in the case is to help promote a better global image and enhance their brand. However, you can never account for random public disasters like what occurred in Philadelphia.
Also,
– A big learning point was seeing how not only I/T can play such a major role in supply chain but also how environmental issues can support it.

Lecture:
-What seems like the obvious answer and investment choice may not always be the best
-Automation always has its benefit.. Transparency, Cost-savings, Efficiency

Starbucks Case:
-Nonprofit organizations like CI are critical stakeholders that can act as obstacles to the operations of a business.
– Starbucks did a good job on creating guiding principles, which contribute a huge positive image to the communities and how suppliers can do better on environment & profitability that lead to our future success.
– IT continuously helping to improve the sustainability of the supply chain (edesign), increase the transparency on the immutable ledger, which allows to track and trace each bag of coffee.

Gary Neights
– what is blockchain, the issues with blockchain, and what is the business driver of it?
– the cost for implementing blockchain within the business is high, as well as the consulting fee and it only addresses part of the business.
– issues will agile software development, and scrum: lack of design, a lot of trial and error learning, cost overruns and consulting fee.

Starbucks Case:
-Starbucks has a strong relationship with Convservation International which allows the company to operate economically, environmentally, and create good PR for their brand.
-Starbucks supplier base was greatly increased, and CI as a business fulfilled its goal to help farmers around the world.

Guest speaker:
– Blockchain in its current state is extremely inefficient.
– Digital supply chains help drive business efficiency and revenue/profitability.
-Supply chain automation is a necessity

Starbucks Case:
– I think it make sense for for Starbucks to pursue environmental projects with CI and small farmers in Chiapas because it improves Starbucks’s brand image which helps to appeal more new customers.
– Some of the key factors that leads to the success of Starbucks – CI alliance was that it generates value for both companies in terms of utilizing each company’s core competencies
Guest Lecture: Gary Neights (Elemica)
– Blockchain promotes transparency in the supply chain industry, however Neights does not see that it could bring much benefit to the company

Starbucks case:
Good move by Starbucks to market themselves as a friend of the environment because many people that drink Starbucks are very involved in caring about the earth- appeals to their demographic
CI alliances is a win win because it generates revenue for both entities which constitutes a strong business deal and supports farmers around the world who might otherwise be opposed to big corporations.
Gary Neights
Basics of blockchain, problems with blockchain
Improvements in supply chain with blockchain
Automation almost always reduces cost

Starbucks Case
Starbucks focused on sustainability and social environment causes. Through its partnership they were well connected to a network and new geography, making the initiatives much easier than if they did it by themselves. IT was helpful in making this initiatives more efficient.
Guest Lecture: Gary Neights (Elemica)
Gary talked about blockchain and how it effects supply chain. He also talked about how the automation of supply chain can have a positive effect on the company’s bottom line.

Starbucks Case
– SBX maintains its mission statement by sourcing responsibly from small farmers from Chiapas
– Strong Customer Appeal of ethically sourced coffee
– Coffee is < 5% of TCGS

Guest Lecture
– Gary talked about issues affecting blockchain at the moment
– Agile software development is not necessarily the ideal route. It is possible to pull off but can be wasteful of resources

Starbucks Case:
– Starbucks prides itself on sustainable sourcing practices and it proves to work as it is very applicable to their customer base
– IT played a huge role in Starbucks success and will continue to do so in the future

Guest Lecture:
– I was surprised to hear about that actual downsides of blockchain and the difficulty with it because up to this point I had only heard of good things
– There was a large emphasis on technology being a huge improver of efficiency

Starbucks case:
-Ethical sourcing attracts customers
-CI alliance is strategic because it allows collaboration and sharing of strong traits
-IT can help improve supply chain and reduce costs in the long term

Guest lecture:
-Blockchain can provide transparency but is not refined enough to implement yet
-Automation will help reduce costs throughout the SC

Starbucks: They were able to leverage their relationship with CI to improve sustainability within their supply chain without a lot of cost increase to them.
Guest Lecture: There is a lot of interest in Blockchain technology but there is not a real use for it now. Industries can do what blockchain does at a fraction of the price.

Starbucks Case:
-Starbucks’ guiding principles include profitability and sustainability which at times conflict with each other
-You can leverage the power of IT to continuously improve products to ensure sustainability
-7 C’s of strategic collaboration:

Guest Lecture:
-agile Software development should really only be used with people who are really familiar with the process, otherwise the whole project will most likely crash and burn.
-Blockchain’s purpose doesn’t really have a role in our society yet, but Its gaining a lot of transaction so we’ll have to stay tuned.

Starbucks:
Starbuck’s goals to contribute positively to our communities and our environment and profitability is essential to our future successes’ may contradict each other and create an ethical challenge for the company. There must be the correct balance to manage and monitor these goals so they continue to make sense and improve the company.
Guest Lecture:
Supply chain automation increases revenue, optimizes working capital, and decreases operating expenses. Also how to take those claims and demonstrate supply chain automation’s value to specific organizations or clients of the speaker. Blockchain is a buzzword but once analyzed, does not solve the business need at large currently.

In the Starbucks case we learned how Starbucks redesigned their supply chain to positively impact the environment and also the other players within their supply chain. They also managed to work ethical practices to their business processes. During the guest lecture, we learned how technology helps to improve supply chains by increasing efficiencies through automation and reduces costs such as freight spend and operational expenses.

– Starbucks-CI alliance was valuable to both because it increased the quality control of coffee and enhanced the environment preservation efforts. Starbucks business and social strategy was able to strength the overall well-being of small coffee producers.

– Starbucks is taking a leadership role in terms of coffee purchasing guidelines. They only buy coffee beans from ethically sourced farms with help from Conservation International.

– A lesson that could be learned from the Chiapas Project is it is smarter for an NGO to grow a partnership, rather than threaten a business. This encourages them to develop a strategy and continue to pursue it.

Starbucks:
– Starbucks’s environmental strategy turned out more beneficial than negative.
– Customers care about environmentally friendly companies.
– The goal of having an environmentally friendly cup of coffee (cup and coffee beans) is still in the distant future.

Guest Lecture:
– Learned about the shadiness of some block-chains. Anonymity of transactions is not needed in the business world (except for very few cases) but it sees use in the other side of the law.
– Learned about Elemica’s role as a third-party to help members of a supply chain communicate. Thought companies all did it on their own and didn’t hire help in this role.
– Learned about the importance of having a back-up. Back-up servers helped get rid of the risk of power shutting down in one of their locations. They are helping manage many companies that amount to billions of dollars in total, and a day of server down-time can lead to a huge lawsuit.

Starbucks Case:
– Starbucks and CI collaboration was a success and was beneficial for Starbucks that cares about the environment and for CI that helped the farmers to produce better quality coffee while using these environment friendly techniques. Also, this partnership had a positive impact on starbucks image and helped CI to grow as a non-for-profit organization.
Gest Lecture:
– Blockchain technology is of today isn’t efficient and doesn’t worth it to invest on it.
– Elemica is a company that help large companies by its expertise to improve their supply chain by using its automated network in order to cut costs and increase sales and make more profit.

Starbucks is advancing their supply chain into a more supplier relationship heavy setting. They have realized the value of sustainable farming of their beans for taste, quality, and future viability.

Starbucks gets better product and the farmers get suatianable relationships and support from green organizations and Starbucks themselves.

Guest Lecture:
SC automation can add a lot of value to processes. Over automation can actually hurt companies though (ex. Tesla).
Blcokchain is thrown around a lot these days but not every transaction really needs that level of investment. There are coffee companies using blockchain to trace beans from source to shelf. By scanning a barcode customers can trace their product origin giving them a unique experience. As of right now blockchain is a little gimmicky.

I have read a lot of places that Amazon is a terrible company to work at for numerous reasons. I understand that Amazon is trying to cut down costs by using independent contractors so they are not responsible/liable for insurance, maintenance, taxes, fuel, and other associated costs. I understand the goal of a company is to maximize profit but this is just bad business practices. These delivery drivers are clearly getting taken advantage of. Amazon should work out some sort of deal with these independent contractors so they are obligated by a signed contract to give them better compensation. However, I doubt this will ever happen and Amazon will probably just keep getting hit with class action lawsuits.

The issue that Amazon faces is its relationship with its independent contractors. These contractors are acting like Amazon drones as they hustle to meet next-day and same-day delivery from online retailers. These delivery drivers are getting paid $1.50 for each address it visits. This totals to be $225 a day, which seems like a pretty good deal. This is not the case as these contractors do not get compensated for gas, auto insurance, and even parking tickets that may occur. Amazon is abusing its power by operating in a system that shifts the costs associated with employment away from the company and onto the buyer. These contractors need to be compensated more and receive benefits to solve this issue. If not, Amazon will continue to receive lawsuits and be recognized as a unsustainable business.

Amazon needs to take a more proactive approach to its relationship with its drivers. The drivers are necessary for their business model and core competency of achieving “the Amazon effect” of incredibly fast shipping. Amazon has its drivers as contractors which means that they are not compensated well and receive low pay. While it would be harder for the contractors to band together since they are contractors and can’t unionize, if they could manage to get together and strike, it would deeply impact Amazon in many ways. Along with Dan, I have also heard that they aren’t a great company to work for corporate or not.

Amazon can handle this PR problem by placing some of the costs onto its end customers. They can charge more for expedited shipping and same day delivery to their customers so they can have more of a margin to work with. Additionally, Amazon can enhance and quickly develop its drone technology so more shipments can be delivered with drones instead of through a saturated third party contracting system. Additionally, Amazon can add benefits through these contracts with 3rd party logistics companies to make it so their contractors get a better deal. These benefits include giving money to drivers who stick an Amazon or their company contractor logo on their vehicles and paying for gas if exceeded by a certain amount.

The delivery drivers, classified as “independent drivers,” are essentially Amazon real drones. However, they work under a system that forces them to carry all of the costs of making deliveries, such as gasoline, (potential) parking tickets, car maintenance, etc. They also have to pay extra weekly fees including, “administrative,” “insurance,” and “radio” rental fees. And companies like Amazon uses independent contractors to avoid paying payrolls, workers’ compensation insurance, health coverage, and 401(k).
To handle this PR problem, Amazon should treat its independent contractors more appropriately. This can be done by offering compensations and benefits or even a higher pay. Also, the company could reimburse the drivers for the costs of making deliveries and avoid charging them unnecessary weekly fees (as mentioned above).

Amazon can handle this PR problem by developing guidelines for their last mile shippers to follow that mandate that they pay their contractors at least minimum wage and develop systems to help contractors cover costs. By setting these guidelines, Amazon will be able to tell the public that they are taking steps in the right direction to handle the issue. Another way Amazon could handle this if the above proposition does not work is it could sever ties with the last mile shippers who fail to comply and give contracts to other similar companies with more favorable contractor/employee terms.

In my opinion, I think this issue should be solved by adding different ways employees, or independent contractors, get paid. The two ways that first came to mind were implementing hourly wages and/or establishing incentives like bonuses that can be reached by performing well. Handing out minimum wages plus $1.50 per delivery box may be too costly for Amazon, but it is absolutely not impossible, considering Jeff Bezos is worth about $100 billion. The option that may be more feasible is offering bonus cash offerings, similar to something like Lyft. Lyft offers bonus cash rewards for driving during peak (rush) hours and giving more rides per week, as well as having a 90% acceptance rate. A incentive like this could motivate workers and boost both moral and efficiency.

Problem: Amazon could provide cheaper and fast shipments, which increase customer online shopping experience. The main reason is that Amazon transfer financial responsibility to drivers.

In my opinion, Amazon should change its delivery strategy and recovery company images. I think it needs to take charge of delivery cars( oil, repair fee) because independent contractor works for Amazon’s shipment. Then Amazon could provide the bonus to drivers if they have good performance. Finally, Amazon can tell people that it has been changing strategies, and offers benefits to drivers. They also make efforts to help drivers to get better treatment.

I have never really thought about how Amazon was able to continuously have cheap delivery all of these years until I read the article. I didn’t realize that they worked with delivery services that hired independent contractors, although they are technically employees. It is unfair for Lasership along with other big name delivery services to treat their workers unfairly (not giving them proper compensation and benefits). Amazon should work on slowly delivering orders themselves and allow other delivery services to handle large orders. Once Amazon is able to show that they can efficiently manage delivering orders, they should phase out hiring delivery services (Lasership, Fedex) to deliver their orders.

Unfortunately, the independent contractor system works, according to industry experts. Former Fedex Ground executive, Ivan Hofmann, explained, “The faster you worked, the more money you made. Your income wasn’t fixed. You could make a lot of money if you were smart and you hustled.” While this is true to an extent, it is also unrealistic (problems arise), and the system must be revised to avoid further PR nightmares. First of all, to obtain maximum efficiency, I believe Amazon should develop a system in which delivery workers are rewarded for working quickly. However, they need to receive a reasonable base pay and have at least some expenses covered as well. I understand that customers demand free and fast shipping, but Amazon needs to be creative and cut costs elsewhere instead of creating unbearable employment situations that also pose a risk to the brand’s reputation.

The current layout for Amazon delivery is very unfair to the employees or “contractors” who spend almost all their time delivering. This unethical practice turns people off to Amazon because they believe that they treat their employees wrong. In order for Amazon to handle this PR nightmare and to win back the hearts of consumers, they need to create a new, innovative way to deliver products without taking advantage of employees. The idea they are currently working on, the Amazon drone, is the answer to this problem. Drones will be able to deliver products all over the world (with some technological advancements) in a shorter amount of time. Amazon will not have to pay the drones because they are not people. The only change Amazon would face is the R&D and implementation cost of the technology. I believe the replacement of delivery service will be more acceptable to consumers than taking advantage of people in order to make money.

Unfortunately Amazon does not own all of its distribution network and has to outsource their excess to contractors like LaserShip. The fault is not Amazon’s, other companies also ship using services like LaserShip. However, if Amazon wanted to protect itself in a PR situation and be a champion for workers rights they do have options. The first that comes to mind would be to leverage their power over LaserShip to make sure that all Amazon packages are delivered by driver who is paid fairly as well as compensated for their variable costs. Amazon also has the ability to purchase a smaller company and label them as Amazon delivery to draw business away from unfair companies.

The goal of every company is to maximize revenue, while minimizing costs. Amazon trying to reach top performance, while saving money is understandable, but when employees lives and payroll are affected, it clearly means something must change. The simple, yet slightly costly solution to Amazons poor PR problems would be to provide it’s package drivers with a company owned vehicle. I believe that Amazon’s focus should be protecting its brand name and customer loyalty, rather than squeezing employees for as much money as they can. A happier and better equipped employee would most likely result in higher deliveries per day, increasing customer satisfaction, attracting new customers, and retaining current ones.

Amazon has been called the “Walmart of the internet” for good reason. The company is able to offer same-day or next-day delivery to its prime customers at the expense of under-paid workers across their supply chain — from warehouse employees to “last-mile drivers.” This problem could be solved if Amazon were to pressure delivery service providers, such as LaserShip, to pay a fair wage to its drivers. This would however, raise the overall cost. Another option would be for Amazon to charge more for faster delivery or charge more for heavier items. This would make it possible for Amazon to absorb the cost of enforcing guidelines regarding the delivery services it employs.

Amazon can emerge as a shining white knight, despite engaging in predatory business practices. This can be best achieved by implementing some base level of benefits for all Amazon affiliated couriers. I believe increased wages and a 401k for all affiliated couriers is the best long-term strategy for Amazon’s PR. An investment in Amazon’s labor base will yield a return for the company via increased efficiency, higher morale, and a better brand image. This will be expensive, but it will retain Amazon’s current market share and build a foundation to further grow from.

I think the best way to solve this issue is to give the independent contractors more ways to be incentivized or paid. One way this could be done is by simply adding a minimum wage system for these drivers and not base their pay only off the amount of addresses that a driver visits. Another possible solution could be charging customers a higher cost for fast shipping such as next-day delivery, and then using those higher costs to give drivers a bonus for increased efficiency. By giving these drivers more ways to earn cash, they would be able to cover the high maintenance costs they are stuck with and have reasons to want to work harder.

Amazon can resolve this PR issues by helping finding a solution to the drivers problems. Either, increasing pay for these shifts to compensate for driver induced costs, or perhaps offer a reimbursement option where Amazon can pay a percentage of the drivers costs resulting from being a contractor. Although much easier said than done, there is probably a way for Amazon to find the money to compensate these drivers. By using these contractors they are saving huge amounts in delivery and overhead costs they would normally incur, by increasing costs for expediting these shipments, or simply due to the money being saved it can reimburse or redistribute that money to keep the contractors coming back.

The issue with independent contracting is exactly what we see in this article. Simply put- ’employers’ cannot treat independent contractors like they own them, because they don’t. What stood out to me was the fact that the drivers are required to wear uniforms bought with their own money. If they are independent contractors- Amazon cannot force them to wear uniforms, unless they fund them. Amazon needs to realize that if they want independent contractors to act as though they are employees, they have to take on some costs associated with employment like healthcare, 401Ks, and so forth. The only way Amazon can fix this issue is to stop treating independent contractors in ways that are simply not okay. If Amazon wants something delivered, they need to pay for the costs associated with the vehicle delivery. There is not any way around it. Unfortunately- I am not surprised by this. Amazon must change their actions entirely.

Since Amazon is a large company, and its key value drivers are its logistics and supply chain, this could lead to a huge problem, and the company needs to be proactive to protect what is valuable to the company – drivers, to maintain the delivery process smooth and efficient. Amazon needs to give more pressure on its suppliers, providers, etc to maintain the quality and efficiency, not to solve it internally, which either increase pay or increase the number of shifts so that drivers can take a break and let the other group handle it. Avoiding the problem will not change the situation, it is better to act quick and responsible as to solve the PR problem.

I think the best way to solve this issue is simply to pay the employees hourly. By paying the employees a set rate per hour, there is no reason that these individuals would not be paid for there work. Also it would be a good idea for Amazon or the individual contractors to provide benefits for the workers. Maybe after the busy season (holidays) allow the employees to take a personal day. Or maybe allow them to use the Amazon Prime service for free. This could help Amazon’s PR problem by acknowledging the problem and making better of the situation.

Amazon is such a large company that their logistical problems could compound into something that hurts their profits badly. They are reliant on delivering many packages with near perfect timing for their business model, and any disruption in this could spell trouble for Amazon. Amazon needs to start treating independent contractors with much more success or they will lose trust in Amazon and corrupt the business relationship. We as customers need to understand that a company whose practices are obsessive over the lowest price- Amazon and WalMart, tend to treat their employees like they are just a number who is there to make them profitable. This seems to be more pronounced in cost driven companies like Amazon and it will surely come back to bite them.

The problem that Amazon is facing right now is dealing with their independent contractors that doesnt pay their employees “enough”. These independent contractors are avoiding paying payrolls and taxes on its workers which hurts their employees daily income because they had to pay for their own gases and insurance. To combat this issue, Amazon or the independent contractors should provide benefits like car insurance and gas money so the employees are more incentivize to do their work. Another thing that Amazon could do is to increase the workers commission than they currently offered. This is highly important for Amazon to keep their brand loyalty and also customer satisfaction if their customer knows that Amazon is treating their employees right.

This article was actually news I have not heard before. I am shocked by the lack of reimbursement Amazon delivers receive. This makes me reflect a lot on the idea of ethics in the supply chain, in this case, the transportation of packages from warehouses to consumers. I realize that two days is incredibly fast, and I as a prime customer do not actually spend that much for an annual basis fee to equate the sheer amount of products I buy from Amazon Prime. Amazon should absolutely pay their deliverers more – or at least reimburse them for them somehow for the plethora of expenses they occur while performing the transportation operations.

I have read a lot of places that Amazon is a terrible company to work at for numerous reasons. Amazon does not give independent contractors much wiggle room in their duties because of their heavy workload; they also are not responsible for insurance, maintenance, taxes, fuel, and other associated costs. This creates a lot of risk for the driver and independent contractor if something were to happen while working under Amazon. Amazon is being continuously talked about as being a terrible company to be an employee of especially in their warehouses and to their drivers. Amazon pushes people to the point where workers must piss in bottles out of fear that they will get reprimanded by superiors for going to the bathroom. Amazon has terrible PR due to this.

In your own words, explain how Amazon can handle this PR problem.
Amazon should first and foremost pay their drivers more. I think that overall, they should be the first to create some rules in place to help to manage this issue and correct the damage that they have done so far. This will show that Amazon has acknowledged the issue and is serious about correcting what went wrong. Additionally they could stop doing business with shippers that practice this way.

The problem with Amazon is using drivers classified as “independent contractors”. These drivers are forced to purchase cargo vans, pay for their own gas, and are obligated to purchase uniform without reimbursement. Additionally, they do not receive employee benefits and are forced to take sudden pay cuts. It makes it impossible for non-employee drivers to make a living. This creates a terrible PR for Amazon because Amazon is using and supporting a company that does not let employees make a living. Amazon should have brought these problems with LaserShip to work out an agreement for a living wage for LaserShip drivers. LaserShip would have to listen because Amazon can leverage its amount of business it provides.

The biggest problem with Amazon in this situation is the unethical treatment of their independent contractors. The fact of the matter is that Amazon is not directly employing these workers because they work for small shipper that Amazon uses. In order to combat this PR nightmare, they could approach these small companies they are using and say that if they do not treat their employees ethically and give them a reasonable wage with reasonable benefits from the company, then they will stop using that shipper. Since Amazon is most likely these companies’ biggest customer, their words will hold a lot of weight and spur the change that needs to be made by these companies. This will benefit both the independent contractors and Amazon by eliminating the bad press.

Most people don’t think of the infrastructure needed to support the demand for cheap and quick products to satisfy today’s consumer. In the age of Amazon, consumers want what they brought, yesterday! Amazon changed the industry and now facing a PR nightmare for the unethical treatment of their independent contractors. In order to fight this, they went to their smaller shippers and demand better treatment for their employees or face the possibility of losing their business.

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 more explicit about the investment costs drivers have to incur and the real wage they are earning after those costs.

Amazon is facing this PR problem because it fails to manage the relationship with its independent contractors. It has been focusing on cutting costs and pushing pressure to independent contractors, but the PR problem will raise other costs resulting from lawsuits. In order to solve this problem, Amazon needs to lower costs properly. For example, Amazon could increase proper benefits for independent contracts, provide more flexible schedules, and commissions to reward some remarkable employees. In addition, Amazon could increase its profit margin by charging customers at higher but reasonable prices if they want faster delivery, so the company would be able to pay independent contractors more. Amazon could also invest more in the development of its drone technology, which will be a great way to lower costs in the long run.

Amazon Europe Case
– Amazon had to consider a variety of logistic issues before entering the European market including, but not limited to, shipping and distribution center locations
– Learned about the history of Amazon and how it went from a book company to the massive e-tailer it is today

Lecture
– How ethics comes into play in supply chains such as with child labor, and pay discrimination
– How companies can implement policies to ensure ethics in their supply chains such as those that outline appropriate supplier conduct.
– The internal tensions of organizations to choose between ethics and profits.

Amazon Europe case
1. They way Amazon went from a small book shipping company to a multi- billion dollar enterprise.
2. All the hurdles they faced .com bust, entering into new markets i.e. Europe,

Lecture
1. Although going green in scm can be beneficial it is often hard due to things such as child labor, political climate, etc.
2. The company and the company’s top level management’s attitude truly determine if ethnics and sustainable supply chains will prosper within a company.

Amazon Europe case
-Amazon first started out selling books
-They also recognized many of the challenges they would face going into Europe such as, Different forms of payment, Shipping methods, banned products etc.
Lecture
– Ethics has to be implemented in supply chains when considering things like child labor etc.
– we also learned about some products that have a higher or lower footprint on the earth such as Plastic bags vs. Paper bags, Plastic bottles vs. glass bottles

Amazon Europe Case:
Amazon knows the Internet Influence, and its mission is that provides fastest and easiest service to customers by the Internet. Amazon establishes excellent distribution center, and it uses six sigma and TQM to reduce errors. Amazon is an ambitious company. From 1996-1997, it established the second distribution center in Delaware. The purpose was to serve customers through America. On the other hand, Amazon also sold music and DVDs after 1998, and it entered the European market. Amazon hopes to take more market share.

Lecture about Should I be Green? How Easy is it to be Green (and Ethical)?
It is not easy to be green. If the business wanted to make more profits, it would not obey the rule of ethical. Sometimes, they need to take market advantages and opportunities and have to take unethical behaviors. Business cannot control everything. For example, they cannot manage third-party companies that have unethical practices.

Amazon Europe Case:
– Amazon Europe has to deal with the cultural differences in terms of language, buying differences (what they buy, where they buy), and the payment options (different payment methods)
Lecture about Should I be Green? How Easy is it to be Green (and Ethical)?:
– I learned that there are challenges in ensuring ethics in supply chains due to competition, complexity and globalization
– For example, when a company is outsourcing their product, it is hard to ensure that the company that they are outsourcing from practicing ethical concerns (eg. discrimination, child labor) in their business as it may affect them negatively

Amazon Europe Case:
– Localization: If Amazon wants to continue doing business in Europe, they must consider the cultural differences of the continent and the resources they have there.
– They must consider the advantages and disadvantages of whether it is worth it or not to have a single DC or multiple DCs and where they should implement these DCs.
Lecture:
– Although people in the supply chain want to make money and produce at the lowest costs, they must consider the ethical issues that arise while doing this (e.g. child labor).
– People in the supply chain have a duty to consider the environment impact and think about sustainability while conducting business.

Amazon:
– Amazon started as a book company and grow into the multi-dimensional conglomerate that it is today. Amazon is still looking to expand into new markets and industries.
– There are plenty of things for Amazon to consider within their supply chain and business model if they are going to successfully enter the European market
Lecture:
– Questionable/unethical methods are a reason that companies can offer products or services at a low price.
– We learned about the carbon footprint certain products leave throughout the production process and after use. In order for a product to be truly “green”, the supply chain needs to be green.

Amazon Europe
– Even the best products and services often times require reworking of business processes to ensure international success.
– Globalized markets reflect the necessity for adaptable supply chains.

Lecture:
– Defining morality, ethics, green principles is a complicated process.
– Ethics are subjective. – Typical American Corporate Ethic policies may not yield the desired outcome in an international context. (Regulating child labor may force children into underground / black market occupations)
– Customers have varied perspectives on green and sustainable products – will sometimes pay more for a green service or good.

Amazon Europe case:
-How Amazon went from a small book retailer to one of the largest online retailers in the world
-Amazons logistic choices including distribution centers
-How Amazon would deal with postal services in different countries
Lecture:
-How companies can become corporate socially responsible
-“Green” standards including environmental footprint and sourcing
-The challenges companies face being “green” and just chasing profits
-Companies being more transparent to its customers

Amazon has done a great job adapting their business models throughout the years. They started strictly as a books marketplace but have evolved into a distribution and reseller giant. Amazon has adapted their distribution and product lineup perfectly across the countries and cultures. They have pioneered and continue to influence the logistics industry with their ever evolving strategies.

When looking at a discounted product its important to wonder who lost out in this transaction. Was the environment or employees taken advantage of. How ethical is it to actually be green and is a company treating being green merely as a marketing tool or does it actually coincide with their businesses values?

Amazon Europe Case:
-Amazon actually started off selling only books and now has transformed into one of the largest e-commerce retailers in the world.
-Early on, Amazon’s strategy was to hold modest inventory and then order from wholesalers, in order to build its vast selection of books in its online catalogue.
-Challenges Amazon Europe faced with respect to globalization on the seller’s side would be cultural differences between other countries, doing business with language barriers, payment methods, and different regulations.
Lecture:
-Some concerns involved with having an ethical supply chain include issues with child labor, harsh working conditions, and strong arm tactics.
-Some of the things that define a green supply chain are sustainability, long-term commitment, and having the entire supply chain involved.

Amazon Europe:
– eCommerce strategies differ across different countries as a result of things like culture, geography, and the political environment
– Selecting new distribution centers much be effective to efficiently serve customers and reduce shipping costs
Lecture:
– The key to having a green supply chain is being sustainable
– Green supply chains can increase supply chain costs, but retain customers in the long term

There are few key takeaways I got from the Amazon European case:
-The advantage and disadvantage of different ways to locate distribution channels.
-Decisions on transportation should be based on the demand from different countries, and regulations.
-The barriers and tension between localization and globalization and how to overcome that, such as difference in languages and cultures.
-value in understanding global (and local) issues.

Amazon Europe
– To understand the history of Amazon is to understand Bezos’ quote on the lemonade stand. He wanted to start a ‘lemonade stand’ and eventually continuously grow it into a lemonade and hotdog stand, then to a lemonade, hotdog and popcorn stand and so on until he owns the entire market.
– However, it’s a bit different when you want this lemonade stand to compete in the e-commerce industry.
– The focus on your distribution part of the supply chain is more complex. The decisions that are involved can vary based on your region if you compete internationally.

Amazon Europe:
– The growth of Amazon from its beginning until now, and some of the major changes that happened to expand and continue operations during its growth
– Steps taken to improve operational excellence and improve profitability (focus on warehouse/inventory costs, transportation costs, improve inventory systems)
Lecture:
– Maintaining a reliable supply chain has many aspects outside of just financials and logistics, the ethics behind it can affect the bottom line
– The trend in “green” supply chains can lower profit margins as well as draw new customers

Things Learned in Week 10:

Amazon Europe Case:
– Amazon had to decide how to split up distribution in Europe, considering its vastly different barriers
– Things like language, buying habits, shipping companies and regulations, all had to be considered before implementing any decision
– One warehouse? North and South Warehouse? Multiple warehouses?
– Jeff Bezos started his idea with Amazon with a little doodle of his operations on a dinner napkin

Lecture:
– Having a green supply chain is the same as having a sustainable one
– Starbuck’s Fair Trade agreements and shade-grown coffee sourcing tactics are good examples of green supply chains
– Although green supply chains may end up adding costs to your SC, they can retain customers which evens out the costs if not makes up for it and then some

Amazon Europe:
– Strategies need to take into consideration of local cultural, geographical, and political environment.
– Distribution Centers are highly affected by the resources within the local community such as UPS availability.
Lecture:
– There are many level of consideration to develop a “green” supply chain, such as sustainability and ethics.
– Green supply chains can increase supply chain costs but can result in long term stability, however, it needs the involvement of every aspect of the chain.

Amazon in Europe

Key things I learned from the case were some of the challenges Amazon encountered in Europe and how they overcame those challenges and mitigated risks. Challenges they faced while improving their supply chain internationally included cultural differences, political climate and trends overseas and payment methods they were unfamiliar with initially. They also had trouble in the beginning dealing with cross border logistics, tariffs and taxes.

Key takeaways I received from the lecture was the social responsibility Amazon took upon itself with its corporate ethical practices in its supply chain. Also, Amazon’s commitment to staying green with its Supply Chain was a topic of interest in last week’s class.

Amazon:
-there is much to be considered when entering new countries with different cultures and laws
-because of the way Europe is set up, it proved difficult to figure out where and what products should be at each DC

Lecture:
-being green is more than just cleaner processes; it also includes sustainability and ethics
-they should be willing to sever ties with unethical companies in order to promote their ethicality

Amazon Europe Case:
– Growing the company and different markets bring on a variety of challenges that have to be solved differently than in previous markets
– What is the optimal way to set up distribution / customer service locations

Lecture:
– Competitive factors make green supply chains more difficult to achieve
– Need to set company values so that you can align business partners and processes to maintain the company ethics
– Becoming a green or ethical company will improve your brand value which leads to more sales and better image

Amazon in Europe
– when Amazon is considering its solution of logistic issues in Europe, it is very important to consider benefit-cost, locations, maximizing the efficiency
– it also involves multiple risks, such as culture risk, logistic carrier preference, single country vs. multiple countries, currency risk, selling regulation from government, etc.
Lecture:
– ethical and green SCM
– requirements of a green supply chain: sustainable, long-term commitment, influence the entire supply chain, considering all stakeholders not just shareholders.
– steps in being green and ethical: green design, supplier screening, green production, green distribution
– the end goal here is to benefit the society as a whole.

Amazon EU:
-Amazon was challenged by the differences in business processes between other countries with language, payment methods, delivery, etc.
-To continue to be successful they must master handling the differences.

Lecture
-Very hard to convert to green
-Going green should be required in businesses.

Amazon Europe Case:
-Some of the key problems Amazon faced were localization, cultural differences, buying differences and the Amazon Europe Organzation
-The main decisions Tom Taylor faced were the impact of implementation on the internal departments, transportation and where to locate the distribution centers
Lecture:
-There can be challenges to ensure ethics in supply chain such as outsourcing, globalization, complexity and competition
-It is beneficial for the environment to operate under the “green” mindset to live more sustainably

Amazon Europe Case:
– Cultural differences will always have an impact on how a business needs to operate when going global, regardless of the size of that business
– The shift from a single, large country with one central mail system like the US is not typical – the EU has many different postal methods with their own regulations
– DC placement in the EU is impacted greatly by ease of access in terms of country policy and geographical landscape
Lecture:
– Defining what is good can be difficult and will vary by organization
– Things to consider when trying to achieve an ethical standard are what your suppliers suppliers are doing in terms of ethical business practices, what impact will you have on an area your warehouses are operating in and your customers

Lessons From Amazon Europe:
– beware of differences in business culture as you expand internationally or suffer the consequences
-other countries have increased regulatory standards regarding transportation and other aspects
– understand the logistics but also beware of tariffs and tax protocol for countries you are expanding to
– use distribution center placement as a key decision regarding accessability
Key takeaways from class:
Amazons corporate responsibility is one of their key initiatives
Maintaining a responsible supply chain effects every part of your business including bottom line profits

Amazon Case
* Amazon had logistic issues before entering the EU which included, distribution centers, shipping and transportation and adjusting to different legal regulations.
* Review of Amazon’s business model from beginnings as an online bookstore to its current status as e-market for virtually anything today.

Lecture
* Ethics effect on supply chains such as with sourcing and pay discrimination
* Companies policy implementation to ensure ethics are upheld in supply chains and business operations.
* Cost Benefits of Ethics in Business

In week 10 we started out by talking about Amazon and their challenges when it came to being able to distribute products in Europe. They faced challenges like cultural differences, regulatory laws, payment methods, procurement strategy, and post services. They had 3 decentralized distribution centers that created a lot of deficiencies in their supply chain. Through the European Distribution Network, Amazon was able to improve customer service, expand their product selection and create the ability to go into new markets more smoothly. Outsourcing, globalization, complexity, and competition are things that effect business ethics. Often times unethical behavior includes slave labor in regards to cheaper outsourcing. This usually is in relation to the supply chain. Green supply chains are often difficult to start up because they are a long term commitment, but once started, it is definitely worth it for the environment and for businesses.

Amazon Europe Case
Amazon faced cultural challenges in Europe as well as various risks with currency and other logistics that come with doing business in a foreign country. Amazon had to understand the most efficient and cost effect way to ship its goods here.
Lecture about Should I be Green? How Easy is it to be Green (and Ethical)?
Policy implementations and cost reductions is what helps companies go green. It can be difficult to shift over to great practices but it is ethical.

Amazon Case
– Amazon had to take into consideration some logistic problems before entering the European market such as using smaller 3pl as FedEx and UPS sized organization does not exist there.
– We also learned a bit about Amazon’s history and how it got to where it is today.

Lecture
– We learned how different ethical factors can influence your supply chains such as with child labor, and pay discrimination
– We learned how some companies can implement policies to promote ethical decision making and action in their supply chains such as those that having appropriate supplier conduct.

Amazon Case:
-The company had to adjust to a different culture in Europe to fully leverage it’s impressive distribution strategy.
-The company also had to deal with different regulations, tensions, and other local issues when expanding into Europe.
-How Amazon rose to its current industry status

Lecture:
-Ethics play a big role in supply chains, especially when it comes to outsourcing, fair trade products, and labor regulations.
-In regards to transparency, most companies should strive to make ethical decisions regarding supply chains if only to avoid negative publicity.

Amazon Case:
This case demonstrated how creating a business strategy leads to supply chain strategy leading to IT strategy. Also the challenges associated with meeting universal needs while honoring local customs and culture.
Lecture:
There are challenges to create and maintain an ethical supply chain, but is it important to start off with suppliers who align with your organization’s values. Being “green” is a long term effort that requires constant attention to improve on.

– Jeff Bezo created Amazon in July of 1995 with the mission to use the internet to transform book buying and differentiate itself form competitors.

– In Europe, Amazon faced challenges such as cultural differences and required a different assortment of products. Amazon wanted to bring a universal product base that would serve the needs of all countries amazon had a presence in.

– Amazon should implement EDN in Europe because it would reduce operation costs, reduce risk, and help share the load at the distribution centers.

Amazon Europe:
– Amazon’s environmental strategy turned out more beneficial than negative.
– Customers care about environmentally friendly companies.
– The goal of having an environmentally friendly cup of coffee (cup and coffee beans) is still in the distant future.

Lecture:
– Competition and costs deter companies from investing in an ethical supply chain.
– Would require cutting “unethical” suppliers, suppliers that may be cheaper than ethical alternatives.

1. Does it make sense for Starbucks (SBX) to pursue environmental objectives with CI and small farmers in Chiapas? Why?
○ Gets Starbucks close to the root of the supply chain
○ Customer appeal
§ Image/brand of Starbucks
§ Leverage as positive social responsibility message to consumers
○ Supplier development
§ CI is a path/support for working with these suppliers
§ Supporting supply of high quality beans in the market
§ Environmentally smart supports Starbucks need for quality product
§ Increase supply of high quality coffee while being environmentally friendly
§ Basis to expand into similar initiatives in other parts of the world
§ WIFM (what’s in it for me)
□ Farmers perspective: supporting money and knowledge for a positive change for the farmer
§ Coffee attract, motivate, and retain employees

2. Is CI being exploited by Starbucks? What is value/benefits to CI for working with Starbucks?
○ Enhance support/visibility of CI’s initiative
§ Publicity
○ Assures LT sustainability- Starbucks in for the long term
○ CI can leverage Starbuck’s name, clout, commitment to the initiative
○ Starbucks provides some funding along the way

3. Just because there is value on both sides- doesn’t guarantee success. What were key factors enabling success of Starbucks-CI alliance?
○ Goal congruency
§ Project directly related to what both organizations desired to happen
○ Clear mission
○ Communication
§ Continued communication and lessons learned
§ Joint trip to meet farmers & bonding trip
○ Generated value
§ Utilized each company’s competencies
§ Success early on that helped lead to more success
○ Top level support
§ Management air cover
○ Managing risk
§ Starbucks didn’t have to buy
§ CI could sell to anyone
§ Starbucks funds linked to specific responsibilities, time limited

4. How does Starbucks-CI relationship compare with relations with Fair Trade movements Global Exchange/TransFair?
○ Fair Trade focused on $$ and licensing
§ Their only focus
§ No way to support Starbuck’s goal of quality coffee
○ Fair Trade not collaboration minded (accept terms or no deal)
○ Starbucks has access to ethical suppliers with CI and Fair Trade
○ Goal congruence was limited
§ Fair Trade didn’t want to train farmers
§ Limited Fair Trade goal of quality coffee

5. What is your assessment of the new coffee-purchasing guidelines?
○ Quantifiable scoring
§ Incentive focuses vs. penalty
○ Demonstrate leadership in ethical, sustainable purchases
§ Shows how Starbucks was trying to work on the industry wide issue
□ Target retail (5 giants- Nestle)
○ Reasonable guidelines
§ Gave low cost fertilizer, support along the way
○ Not replacing existing suppliers, partnering for new/better world

6. What would you recommend to Starbucks regarding the future leadership with CI?
○ Keep it or move on

7. Is there any I/T component to green/socially positive supply chains?
○ Continuously improve environmentally sustainability
§ eDesign principles
○ Immutable ledger- track and trace each bag of coffee
○ Communication between suppliers and improved infrastructure
○ Geospatial analysis
○ Critical to keeping score, gathering and managing supportive data

Lessons Learned:
– Nonprofit organizations are critical stakeholders that can act as obstacles for the operations of a business
– Starbucks’ guiding principles (from mission statement) include:
○ Contribute positively to our communities and our environment
○ Profitability is essential to our future successes’
– These can (but not always) conflicting goal- like other tensions requires management attention to manage, monitor, and drive success

This is a service that I expected Amazon to release, considering their business models and fortunes in recent years. I would definitely pay an extra 6-7% max, but no more. I would not pay much more because how many times are we really in a dire emergency? Everyone that lived before us had to deal with their problems and could not be lazy and just pay a little extra. Additionally, I am skeptical about how these employees are being treated. If I ever read more about Amazon workers being treated unethically, I would never pay for this service.

I believe this service will be the future of delivery however I think they need to account for inclement weather because from the looks of it the package is exposed to the elements during delivery. This may damage the package, I would rather wait an extra day to ensure that the package arrives safely and undamaged. I think this is better than their current delivery method where the delivery driver has access to your house when you are not home to drop off your package. I feel like it is a huge security issue because their systems can be hacked leading unwanted entry into your home. I personally would never give amazon or any delivery driver for that matter access to my house when I’m not home.

What is your reaction to this delivery method of the future? or is the future now?
I think Amazon will use this method in the future. Firstly, drones could attract customers, and it enhances the customer experiences. Then, Amazon needs to increase its supply chain operation such as the delivery speed. Obviously, drones could increase the transport speed for not-too-distant, which increase the customer satisfaction.
Would you pay extra for this service?
I would pay extra for this service. As a customer, I don’t like spend five or seven days to wait for products that I purchase online. If I can immediately get shopping products online, I will feel happy. Also, the fast delivery enables me to prefer to shopping online.

What is your reaction to this delivery method of the future?
– Drone deliveries is definitely a fascinating idea, but I don’t think that this is a practical delivery method. First, there is no guarantee that this method would be a cheaper alternative to the existing delivery methods. Secondly, drone deliveries would need to account for safety concerns; there is an uncertainty of whether drones would perform/operate safely, which poses a threat to human lives and property. Birds could also be a potential problem for drone deliveries – they can inter with drones. Likewise, drones could harm birds.
Would you pay extra for this service?
– I would not pay extra for this service because I have other alternatives to choose from. I prefer their current Amazon Prime delivery method. Roughly speaking, their current delivery method is pretty quick, so I do not mind waiting about two days for my orders.

The idea of packages being delivered to your backyard by drone is a marvel of modern technology, but I don’t think it is a necessity for really anyone. It is a luxury themed idea in my opinion as anyone can go to purchase these items at their local store, or wait a day or two and use expedited shipping. Although it is a great idea and delivery option I don’t think I could ever justify using it unless I was in a blizzard in Alaska with no way to any store, and just so happened to have the landing pad in my back pocket, with wi-fi in my stranded location. I could understand the need to charge more for this service but I do not believe I would pay extra for it, regardless of my reasoning to not go outside.

The idea of delivering packages via drone is extremely innovative and something new to delivery services. Getting something quick and practically instantly without leaving your home is really fascinating. However, I don’t think it’s practical as people really aren’t in dire need of this service. Do you really need something that fast? It also brings the concern of safety, privacy and weather. I would not pay for this service as I never need something that quick – but if I do, I just drive to a store and pick it up. It will definitely evolve over time.

I think what Amazon is doing with drone delivery is a great innovation that has a multitude of benefits. First of which is the speed and convenience of delivery. I think a customer segment that will derive the most value from this are parents who are already spread too thin and looking for ways to multitask efficiently as well as deal with the risks inherent with parenthood. I think there are also secondary societal benefits that can be realized. With the ability to deliver smaller packages with drones, there may be fewer cars on the road from fewer people going to stores as well as fewer delivery trucks.

In theory, I would definitely pay for this service. However, this service looks more targeted at rural areas and because I plan to live in the city it might not be available for me to adopt.

I think this is a fascinating idea and definitely the future, but I probably would not use it (at least right away) because:
1) I imagine it would be prohibitively expensive.
2) I live in an apartment and don’t have anywhere for a drone to land.
3) I live close to a plethora of stores, so in 30 minutes, I could get almost anything I needed.
For me, Amazon same-day delivery is sufficient, although not always reliable. If I were Amazon, I would focus on perfecting services I already offer before experimenting with new ones.

This is a very neat service to have if you are in desperately in need of an item quickly or you need an item to be dropped off at a location other than your home. With this service, the issue is that you cannot deliver items during bad weather conditions (like rain or snow) because the item may get damaged. I would pay for the service if I needed an item to be delivered to me as soon as possible. Otherwise, I don’t think I have a need for it because it is usually not urgent that I need the item soon. Overall, I think the suppliers’ costs and the price t to use this service will increase because there is a max weight that the drone can carry. Furthermore, each drone will probably only carry one package for a certain household versus carrying multiple packages for various households.

Several people who have commented above have pointed out one of the most difficult problems with this technology: what to do about people in the city? If this technology were available today this would be one of the most convincing reasons to decide against paying extra for it. I think one interesting thing to consider is how current shipping companies will react if this technology is fully developed. Will UPS and FedEx begin developing their own drone technology? How will they develop their capabilities to remain competitive? While I would not pay more for this service now, I do think that it will radically change e-commerce and fulfillment in ways that will effect all participating companies.

I agree with most of the other students in that this is most likely the future of delivery. However, I am currently doing a case study on Amazon in another class so I think about this and the costs that become associated with it. Currently Amazon is struggling to even create a net profit, but yet they won’t stop trying to show what is to come in the future. Imagine the high costs that become associated with guaranteeing a ~30 minute delivery. The warehouse and storage costs of making sure majority of your necessities are within that 50 mile range that a drone can fly. Also, what about air navigation? Will drones not be allowed to come within a certain milage of an airport? It’s an interesting futuristic idea, but I doubt it will ever get implemented.

My reaction is one of amazement. This is the case because the fact that you can search Amazon and pick out what you need and have it delivered to you in record time is awesome. The wide selection you can choose from and the incredibly fast shipment time is something neat. I do think that this may potentially change the transportation industry considering the “last mile” of a delivery can be done with a drone. I personally would not pay extra for this service because I cannot imagine wanting anything so urgently.

Convenience is key especially when people want their deliveries yesterday. This technology is innovative, as Amazon is known for. I currently do not pay for Amazon Prime because I do not order much online, but I would reconsider my decision making if it meant ordering online is just as easy as going into the nearest store to purchase items. Amazon should release free trials of this service to attract subscribing customers. I know I would try and likely pay for this service.

Amazon has always been on the cusp of innovation. I believe that this will be the delivery method of the future. It will cut down on the number of cars/trucks on the road, contributing to the reduction of emissions gases. Something they will need to account for are:
– Inclement weather: bad weather could ground these crafts or cause problems with delivery or travel.
– The number of orders could cause heavy traffic in the sky

I would pay a little more for this service because it would be here in 30 minutes or less and it would be very convenient

While the concept of drone delivery sounds exciting and fascinating, we must look at the bigger picture. If many other companies were to adopt drone delivery, the airspace would be much too crowded, making it unsafe for passenger planes to operate. Once the final stages of the Amazon delivery drone draws near, the government is most likely going to step in and implement regulations on delivery drones to prevent a disaster. Personally I am excited for drone delivery, and would pay an additional fee for the service, yet I do not believe that they will be approved by the government.

I think Amazon’s concept of fast drone delivery is very cool and interesting. However, it is hard for me to be able to trust the possible reliability of this service. Things that need to be taken into account are weather conditions and technological failures. Also, if more companies were to take up this type of delivery service, it could lead to increased sky traffic and many complications. Although the convenience that comes with this type of delivery service could attract many more customers, there are still certain things that need to be taken into account. I think that I would probably pay an additional fee for this type of service because I am not the type of person who likes to wait 5 to 7 days for a product to be delivered. This type of service would also make me want to order more products online than purchasing them in a store.

The future is always now. Humanity doubles its knowledge every 1-3 years now, with the prior rate being every 300-500 (about) years. Drone delivery service could be very effective if done properly, but the metrics I have seen state that it costs more in energy to use the drone than the potential money it would make. This will obviously go away with more technological advancement, but then the issue would likely become security. There will be people hunting down these drones out of the air to steal the products, and if the drones become armored to prevent this, then they will cost more in energy to transport a heavier vehicle. All this being said, the prospect of same day delivery via drones is terrifying and exciting.

I would definitely pay extra for this fun, interesting, service if it is becoming a real service one day, its good to see the innovation and think about how they think through the service, supply chain flow, and risk management. Although there already have some regulations set up for the drone flying in the air, if Amazon can consider the delivery method that within the approval guideline, it will push our living style to another level, as well as creating more option, the possibility of future.

I would definitely pay a few extra dollars to get my package delivered this quickly. I think one of Amazon’s (much like Zappos) goals is to get you as close to a brick and mortar retail experience as possible, and this is just one more step toward that. Being able to order something to your house and get it within the hour would be a giant revolution in the advancement of shipping gin retail. Although this concept is incredible and would really satisfy a lot of customers, there’s a huge risk with it including people tampering with or trying to steal the drones as well as dealing with different living situations like an apartment vs a standalone home. These are all details that still need to be worked out, but this is certainly an incredible step in the right direction for Amazon and retail as a whole.

While I think that this technology will be more widely adopted and commonplace in the future, it will not revolutionize/change the delivery logistic industry very dramatically. This technology is great for last mile deliveries, speed, and reaching remote areas, however, it would be difficult to scale. This would be expensive to implement for every single delivery, there are risk for drone damage and lost as well, and there is already an extensive infrastructure in place for quick deliveries. I believe that this system will mostly be use for time sensitive deliveries or to remote location which will keep cost fairly high. If this system is in place I will use it if cost are not extremely higher than current options and for the novelty.

The convenience and efficiency of Amazon’s new packaging service will revolutionize the logistic industry for the future. I would most likely pay for this delivery system as you get your online purchase order the same day. It will allow for online e-commerce businesses to blossom and fulfill customers demanding needs. Drones can cover a lot of area and will offer another method of last mile delivery services. Although there are a lot of positives to Amazon’s new drone delivery, we can see negatives occur as well. For example, there are regulations to drones and privacy concerns could arise. I would pay for the extra service fee as I am a customer that usually wants it products the day of or pay the next day shipping fee.

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 paying a (small) premium for this service, but only in rare instances.

I think that drones will be used eventually, though I’m not entirely sure how common they’ll be. There are a lot of problems with this from regulations to the cost of maintaining drones and that it only works in certain areas, such as not the city. I think if Amazon can figure out how to make it work in the city, it has a lot of potential. I think that I would pay a little bit extra but it couldn’t be too much because otherwise why wouldn’t I drive to get what I’m looking for. This is mainly for people who live in suburbs, so maybe if I wasn’t close to a store where I could get it and I really did need it immediately. However most of the time, I can wait a day or two. However, who knows, maybe that’ll change, people used to be happy with a week shipping and now they need it within 2 days.

Drones are definitely an emerging factor in transportation industries. The use of them to deliver time sensitive items almost immediately coincides with the speed at which we expect our technology to move these days. I thought the technology seemed a little gimmicky at first but after thinking of practical applications I believe the future is now. It will be exciting to see how drones are implemented further and further into our daily lives.

First, I do not think drone delivery will be the delivery method of the future. With that being said, I think some variation of drone delivery will be the future. I foresee a major merger or acquisition of a ride sharing service like Uber or Lyft to use drivers as couriers. I would certainly pay more for a service like this, but there are also times when I wouldn’t. Similar to a convenience store, I would use this service as a convenience, not as a regularity.

I think the concept featured in ‘delivery method of the future’ with amazon prime air is a cool concept and certainly something that would attract a lot of demand. Who wouldn’t want delivery within thirty minutes?! On the contrary, my concern is that some drones may have certain instances where the tracking singles malfunction and they are not aware of their surroundings. One can only imagine what would happen. People could be physically harmed by drones, and they could end up in the wrong locations. Also, I am not sure that the drones would be protected against theft and damage. Teenagers or kids may have the urge to play with the drones or damage them. The result would be extremely costly and disappointing. I cannot predict the future, but before Amazon implements such an ambitious and advanced technology- they should take these issues into consideration for the means of avoiding what could be a costly consequence.

I think it is a very interesting idea and I would just try it once. I wouldn’t rely on this mode of delivery because they may have some kinks and problems they may want to smooth out first. Overall, this was a good move for Amazon because they are basically marketing themselves as the future, and people are attracted because they want to try the future for fun. I think they still have a very long way to go before they call this the future.

I think the “air delivery” service is an interesting idea to be implemented by Amazon but I would definitely not prefer to pay extra for this delivery method because there could be some error to it especially if I am requesting a heavier item which the drone might not be able to lift. Also, it seems impossible for me because I live in an apartment so there are no space for the drone to land on. It may also be a problem for Amazon to further implement this because of the government’s regulations where drones cant fly higher than a certain height due to invading the privacy of the housing area.

I think air delivery is the next step in the advancement of Amazon’s business model. One of the clear best practices Amazon holds is reliable and fast two-day shipping, for which other competitors are beginning to catch up. If Amazon is able to implement this on a consistent basis, they will yet again be the powerhouses in delivery. This, of course, brings up a slew of air transport, liability, and security issues, which legal teams will have to sort through. However, I think if the service was offered, I would be willing to pay for it, depending on how urgently needed the product is.

I think the Prime Air delivery is a very interesting concept. Especially when I was younger, and even now, as soon as I place my order I can’t wait to get it. Obviously this is great service for purchases that are very urgent, but I also think that a lot of the Prime Air customers will be ones that are just less patient. Receiving something in the mail is exciting, and I definitely think there are a lot of people out there who would pay for the quick delivery. I would certainly try it a time or two.

think this is a great and innovative idea. If someone needs a product quickly, they can have it at their house in less than an hour. There aren’t many other services that can do this right now. People would love this commodity, especially because it’s cool to see a drone arrive at your front door with your package. This could bring Amazon’s delivery and customer service to the next level above anyone else. I personally wouldn’t pay extra for this service because i’m able to run up to the store or wait for my product to come, but I could see many circumstances where people would pay extra for this.

What is your reaction to this delivery method of the future? or is the future now?
I really like this idea and I think that it makes sense for Amazon. I would say that this is pretty futuristic since there are no other companies doing this and some might be skeptical to utilize this feature right now.
Would you pay extra for this service?
I would not pay extra for this service because I don’t really find myself in situations where I need to buy something from Amazon immediately, but if it was included in Prime that might influence my decision to purchase a membership (just in case).

Amazon air may be the future of delivery. It would not surprise me if Amazon were to start fast delivery using drones because Amazon is very innovative and are always trying to find faster new ways to bring products to customers. When and how Amazon air would work is an important question. Becuase there are government laws and regulations that can slow the process of the release of this new future of delivery. The concept is simple. Quick convenient delivery to prime members house. In certain circumstances like emergencies, customers are likely to pay extra to use this service.

Drone delivery is a technology that I very much expected. Amazon is the king of the logistics game right now and I’m honestly a little surprised that they don’t have any other technologies to utilize. I would definitely pay more for this service if it was an emergency (ie. need a gift asap, need an article of clothing, a business needs products..etc.) but not for every day items.

My reaction is that Melanie Kalmar has the good qualities of a good CIO (the ones you mentioned above). She is a leader that knows that DOW’s culture must evolve in order to change. She knows that employee experience, customer experience, market listening are fundamentals that are important to consider when the company is thinking about change. Overall, I think she is a future-looking leader that knows where she wants the company to head in the long-run; in addition, she knows who and what can get the company to where she wants it to be.

Overall, I found the article to be insightful not only to the qualities needed in an effective CIO, but the transitional steps required beyond just physically changing the technology in a company. Creating a more creative work environment utilizing SharePoint as well as focusing on other aspects of bettering the employee experience. Understanding the different aspects technology can affect is a huge asset to Melanie as she is currently in the process of merging two major corporations, so having the right technology implemented can help to ease the transition and keep productivity and efficiency at a high level.

My reactive is that I think Melanie Kalmar not only focus on the IT work but also pay attention to employees’ cooperation and communication. In my opinion, excellent communication and collaboration play vital roles in the teamwork. Sharing idea enhances the work efficiency. In addition, Melanie prefers to create a comfortable work environment, and she cares about her employees. It is another way incentive working hard, and improve the team collaboration

Overall, the article was very interesting and touched upon Melanie Kalmar intriguing qualities as a CIO. Melanie shows excellent communication and marketing tactics to incorporate change in the company. Because of this, she plays a vital role in enhancing work efficiency and productivity. In the future, Melanie is an important leader in the company and will help the company benefit in the long-term.

Based on the article, I find that Melanie Kalmar has exhibited qualities of a good leader. Melanie, for instance, has a forward-looking vision; she strategizes and plans for the future and she drives innovations. What makes her a forward-looking leader is not only because she thinks and plans for the future, but because she can actively display and communicate her visions and goals for the company. Melanie, for example, stated that “a large part of our focus in terms of digital transformation is about having a plan in place… there needs to be a focus.” Her statement supports my claim that she is forward-looking.

The article was very interesting as it talked about how Melanie exhibits qualities of a good leader – as she understands what employees want and need to be in a successful work environment. She has great knowledge of technologies and how to implement them into the company which will better the company. Additionally, she uses innovation in her work which is translated into goals for the company which will be a long term benefit for the company.

-I think that, while Melanie seems like a talented individual, I wonder why she is saddled with so much responsibility. I think it is especially strange that Dow is putting cybersecurity concerns under the CIO and not the CISO.

-I really like how she called out people using “digital” as an all-encompassing suitcase term and said she is focusing efforts on defining the term before developing a strategy in the space.

-I also like how she is developing an IT strategy for the whole organization, not just the IS department. I feel like this is a wise strategic move.

-It seems like DOW is adopting a large portfolio of emerging technologies which appears to be a step in the right direction, but I fear that there will be culture clashes and barriers to adoption given the organizations age.

I think that one of the most insightful remarks she makes is found on the first page when she says, “I want to be clear it is a collaborative effort, that engages all facets of the company. That is how I like to operate, by engaging with the other executives and being extremely transparent about what we are doing”.

Her remarks about transparency and collaboration demonstrate her effectiveness as a leader and a molder of people. She utilizes this effectiveness when discussing the transformation of business processes to digital with the help of business unit leaders across the organization.

I agree with all three qualities that you share in your post. However, I may add that a great CIO will know the industry that their business is competing in. The ins and outs; the competition; the competitive advantages; and more. I think what a CIO really brings to the table is knowledge and expertise of technologies, but if they don’t know how each technology will impact the business standing within the industry then they’re just gambling.

I think for all that she has on her plate she does an incredible job. With the merge between the two companies and all the new technologies emerging the management and information that needs to be looked at is a lot. Furthermore, her ambition is really great as well. She not only handles technical work by also engages with helping the end customer and people who work for the company to be the best that they can be and increasing the overall communication and teamwork of the company as well. Also she really is an impact full and meaningful leader.

Melanie is truly inspiring with the amount of work and responsibility she handles day-in and day-out. She is a leader in her field and in her workplace, and she is concentrated on helping and protecting the business as a whole. With the crucial role which she plays at such a large company, it is key that she prioritizes cyber security just as much as integrated new technology to process and streamline the business efficiently.

– Its great to see IT innovation creating a new form of profitability for companies. IT is helping drive profits because of its ability to derive information from customer and employee experience.
– IT also allows companies to be more collaborative and efficient with its processes, saving money every step of the way.
– Melanie is truly a leader in the workplace, taking on extreme amounts of responsibility and driving positive and innovative change for DOW.

I thought the article was informative and inspiring. I learned alot about how IT innovation can make a company far more profitable and innovative. Monitoring employee happiness and customer experience is so important in today’s day and age. Melanie is very inspiring with her work ethic and commitment to leading from the front. A true leader takes ownership for all their actions. While she focuses on streamlining, she should also emphasize security because that seems to be the downfall of many great firms in today’s day and age.

My initial reaction is “Wow! How does she do all that?” Melanie Kalmar’s position is the highest level of accountability regarding information technology in an organization. It’s really interesting that someone at a C-suite level is so wrapped up in some of the day-to-day activities of the organization. It really goes to show that you don’t have the full picture until you get down and dirty. Another interesting aspect of her job is that she does more than just technological functions, for example she’s heavily involved in real estate as well.

The article has provided a very simple practical explanation on a CIO day-to-day job, and she gave an in-depth description of how she did the way she does things. I can see the topics that we learned from class is being applied to the role of CIO and the continue evolving responsibilities. transparency, communication are the keys to be successful. She is very detail oriented, care about the company’s stakeholders both externally and internally.

My initial reaction to this article was “does this woman sleep?” She is very clearly an impressive CIO and impressive leader in her company and I admired how much she does and is in charge of. It was interesting to learn how much technology is involved in here day to day life and the day to day of the company. She talked about how it was less a focus on the physical technology but more how it powers Dow and its everyday processes. Melanie certainly does a lot and she relies on the technology to get her through.

Melanie’s views on collaboration seems important to any business. Communication, collaboration, and marketing strategies proved effective to be a good CIO. Being strong in these fields makes her a good leader. Having knowledge is also a very important factor. Finally, being aware of and integrating useful technology leads to meeting goals and achieving success.

– A CIO’s duties are ever-evolving and overlap with many business functions
– Melanie’s position is extremely demanding and she has a lot on her hands
– She enforces the importance of collaboration and transparency across the company

One of the most interesting and important sentences in the article to me was: “Digital is not just about technology implementation. People often jump straight to all the cool new technologies and capabilities, but it is about creating solutions and services that help drive innovation and growth across Dow and driving business outcomes.”
I think this is really important because new technologies can be great but they are basically meaningless if you can’t make them work for you and solve problems that exist. This makes me think a lot about Bitcoin and blockchain, which is a new technology that has a lot of people buzzing but at the moment, companies are struggling to actually implement into their businesses.

Melanie seems to view communication and collaborate as the most important thing which I would agree with. Working together is the best way to get the best product most of the time.

I think it is really amazing how she could carry such responsibility for both IT and the corporate infrastructure. Melanie is a perfect example and role model for other leaders out there because of her passion and drive to help not only the company but also customer and employee. Another trait about her that makes her a good leader is her interest in engaging with other executives and being extremely transparent about what they are doing. I feel like transparency is the key to a clear understanding on how the company works and also encourages better corporate culture among employees. Overall, she is a great inspiration for all of us to strive for the impossible.

I found the Melanie Kalmar article very insightful on the qualities needed in an effective CIO, and the transitional steps required to remain on the forefront of technological development. She did not only focus on technology but created an environment of creativity, encouraging communication and collaboration between employees. Because of this, she played an important role in enhancing work efficiency and productivity. Her actions can contribute to long term benefits to her organization which makes me believe that she is an effective leader.

What I noticed most from the article was Malanie’s awareness of all aspects of the company. She knows the importance of digitization, but also knows that it is equally important that the whole company buys in to the new initiatives. I think a lot of times, upper level management can make a decision and leave it to the rest of the company to adapt, but it seems like Melanie really recognizes the importance of making sure everyone agrees with the direction of the company. The building of open concept offices and more collaborative workplaces is something that wouldn’t work in all companies, but because she knows the identity of the company and its employees, the project is much more likely to be successful.

From the article, I learned about Melanie Kalmar’s job as a CIO and what she does to effectively excel as a leader. I think her excellence most likely derives from her communication with her team and her risks to try to evolve and use the advances in the tech world. She has no problem with adapting and teamwork makes the dream work! Melanie seems to love to work as a team and it has been successful as we all can see.

My initial reaction is that Melanie not only is focused on IT but really values communication and employee teamwork. I feel like this quality is sometimes missing in other CIO/ CTOs; often it seems like these corporate executives only care about technical-based work. Melanie’s inclusion of all things within the company makes her really stand out.

The article does reveal that Melanie Kalmar acquires many great qualities of a CIO, however the portion of the article that stood out to me the most was Kalmar’s emphasis on working towards creating a place of collaboration among all employees, including between the C-Executives and Kalmar. Kalmar emphasized on the creation of buildings and facilities that better allow employees to collide and create better flows on new information and communication. Kalmar focuses on innovation in the I/T segment of the company while still taking her employees into consideration, supporting and promoting collaboration, teamwork, and communication within the work space.

When Kalamar stresses the importance of an enterprise collaborative effort, which engages all of the company’s silos, she ensures a well-incorporated operation. This set up allows decision making to see impacts on other lines of business, and ultimately help the overall organization.
She heavily is a proponent of collaboration and transparency. She utilized IT innovation to bolster the employees’ productivity through collaboration and communication.

Melanie is an excellent leader with great communication skills and drive. Melanie wants to create as efficient and productive work environment for her company. In her to do that it’s vital that she keeps up to date on the newest technology and IT coming out. Companies have to keep themselves updated to keep up with competition. Even more so Melanie sees the importance of developing IT strategy for the whole company, and not just that sector. It’s important that communication and knowledge be shared throughout departments and the company.

Reactions?
I liked learning about Melanie’s career because she has a landscape of knowledge in the industry. IT in her experience brings value to cybersecurity, analytics, supply chain and overall helped in a complete digital transformation. She manages technologies on a global scale with experience in successful acquisitions. One of my favorite parts of the interview was when Melanie was talking about market listening to understand customer needs. I think that this is a great initiative for innovation for the company and shows that Melanie is truly invested in her role as CIO – even going beyond what is traditionally expected of this position. Overall, Melanie is exemplifies model leadership going above and beyond the call of duty and creating change within her company.

– 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 provides more evidence for the fact that IT can help improve supply chains

(Group 8)

Reflection week 8:
-Hulus strategies- Partner affiliation, efficient, ease of use, user feedback.
-Hulu is starting to develop there own content
-Advertising on Hulu and other similar platforms is more expensive because it has a better target audience.
-Digital technology lowers barriers to entry.
– reverse auctions- sellers compete by pushing down their prices
-Auctions are used to buy materials, auction off excess inventory, and auction off excess factory capacity.

HULU CASE
– Digital channels have greatly disrupted the creative industry, forcing traditional distributors and broadcasters to create an online presence
– Advertisers must be more creative since people no longer sit through long ads to watch their favorite movies and tv shows
LECTURE
– Procurement is a process (series of steps) that is performed across various business functions in a company
– eProcurement creates a much more competitive enviroment, since firms have access to suppliers across borders
– eProcurement is broken into eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFullfilment, and ePayment
– It reduces administrative costs and enables access to better suppliers
– Strategic sourcing is not only concerned with lowest cost, but with best value (not necessarily just moving production to a low-cost country)
– Strategic sourcing is data-driven, continuous process

Takeaways from Week 8:
Hulu case:
– Changes in technology are disrupting and changing the way businesses conduct themselves and what channels they choose
– TV shows without yearly contracts, shows you want when you want them, tailored to you
– Disrupted television and viewing competitors, affecting advertisers methods of distribution, frequency, and collecting data allowing for ads to be more specialized to consumers
Lecture:
– How eProcurement has changed with technology, business processes are done differently, more data analyzed and tracked to find best fit and price matches
– Strategic sourcing utilized to minimize costs, and increase service. With the internet now much easier to compare suppliers, prices, quality in a matter of minutes to select source.

Hulu Case:
-There are three segments for Hulu: content, distribution, users/viewers, devices
-Distributors bring content to people, then people to content
-Hulu drives its success through its customers: advertisers, viewers and producers/broadcasters
Lecture:
-Procurement is the process to acquire raw materials, components, from supplier to execute operations
-E procurement uses to internet to facilitate and integrate procurement process
-Companies outsource for cost and quality benefits

Hulu:
Digital Platforms lowers barrier to entry from content creator
Consumers value convenience
Leverage new technologies (broadband)
Streamline the channels between content creator to end consumers..

Lecture:
Procurement is an integral step within supply chain
Procurement advancement with integration of technology
Strategic sourcing use to reduce cost and increase service.
The internet makes comparing suppliers, prices, quality easier

Hulu case
-How content streamers are disrupting and putting pressure on the established players in the market such as cable
-How technology is affecting the creative industry in general
-A clear understanding of a non-physical supply chain like that of Hulu

Lecture
-The difference and interrelation between a business function and business process.
-The eprocurement process works and how to extract value from it.
-The different types of auctions: American and Dutch

Hulu Case:

* Never understood supply chain in the internet industry
* Supply chain starts with the network to Hulu making strong partner affiliates.

Procurement

* Technology has influenced eprocurement making routine buys easier. The internet can provide analysis and make the lowest price products more accessible to buy.
* Outsourcing is a popular strategy in procurement for the benefit in cost and quality.
* Sourcing is a strategic data -driven process.
* There are four times of online procurement: eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFulfillment, and ePayment.
*

Hulu Case:
– I finally understand how revenues and deals are made between large companies and small start ups like Hulu
– I learned how much companies like Hulu rely on their partnerships with their affiliates
Procurement:
– Procurement has had a profound impact from the internet and e-commerce
– Sourcing is much more than picking a good product, its about building a relationship with the company
– Outsourcing is a popular option when it comes to procurement

Hulu Case:
– Although digital technology has its benefits, there are downsides: More social awareness; security/piracy; increased advertising costs.
– Hulu has a lot of controls over various aspects of distributing content.
– Hulu has to be more aware of its competitors who are trying to do similar activities (streaming content online).
Procurement:
– Procurement is significant because it represents a majority of Cost of Goods Sold.
– Spend Management is a great tool to find out what you are buying and whether you are getting a deal (less costs) for it.
– Auctions are a useful way of getting inventory and selling off inventory at an expected price (one that the buyer usually wants).

Hulu
– One of the most important lessons from the Hulu case was the operational flow of a non-physical supply chain. In general, learning this operational flow yields a better understanding of disrupters like Hulu in the creative and television industries.

Procurement
-The interrelation of business processes and business functions. Typically, business processes can involve business functions across the entire span of an organization.
– Sourcing, like the rest of business processes, is about relationships, relationships and relationships. A good relationship with a company leads to better sourcing.

Hulu Case:
– Digital channels put pressure on existing business models for firms like broadcasters, distributors, and advertisers.
– Hulu stands out by choosing wisely within balancing act between the competing interests of advertiser, viewers, and content providers.
– Strategy management, timely decisions, excellent execution are driving Hulu to success.

Lecture:
– eProcurement divided into eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFullfillment and ePayment.
– These are under Spend Management.
– Global outsourcing can identify a strategic mix of suppliers broadly to fulfill demand to improve cost and service.

Hulu Case:
– Digital channels have disrupted the creative industry by pushing broadcasters, distributors, and advertisers to have their presence online.
– Hulu is multi side platform that provides a wider choice of content for its customers at their own schedule.
Lecture:
– Procurement is vital for any business so with advancement of technology help firms to make the process more efficient.
– eProcurement consisting of eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFullfilment, and ePayment is used by spend management in order add value to their company.
– Companies are outsourcing because of costs and quality benefits.

Hulu Case
1. Digital supply chain is complex with with many pros and cons to it.
2. Hulu did a great job in managing their supply chain when it came to producers, networks, advertisers and viewers
3 Hulu has been growing at a good pace in terms of its customers

Lecture
1.Sourcing is an integral part of an organization
2. Strategic sourcing helps businesses by making meaningful relationships with its suppliers for the short and long term
3. Many type of auctions a company can choose from like American and Dutch

I learned how companies like Netflix and Hulu control the supply chain of digital content acquisition and distribution. some of the examples include:
-Flexible to changes to the digital technology, which drives consumer behavior.
-Different channels to reach end-user.
-Having targeted customers and making advertising less expensive.

Additionally, I learned about Hulu and Netflix’s supply chain strategies, such as:
-Control the device
-Control the price
-Control the App–features
-Control their self-advertising social media.

Hulu Case:
– Hulu and those alike force businesses to innovate and create a digital presence
– Flexibility to changes in digital technology drives consumer action
-Hulu has a lot of control over its supply chain and the creation and distribution of content
Lecture:
– All suppliers are not alike and a supplier that works for one business or industry could not work for another
– Technology and relationships are extremely important for a company to improve and grow

Hulu case
-Content acquisition/distribution
-Streamline the process of getting content to the end consumers and at their convenience
-Offer a better user experience than traditional TV
Lecture:
-Strategic sourcing is driven largely by information technology and it enables a business to reach the right suppliers for them
-Helps create relationships with different parties in the supply chain instead of having information “silos”
-Can give a business an advantage and help its ability to grow

Hulu has done a really fantastic job of carving out their own niche in a market that didn’t really exist until recently. They have found a way to fill the needs that customers wanted but did not exist. They offer a different and better experience to their users and it allows them to differentiate themselves. The lecture from last week showed us a continued trend of technology changing how supply chains operate. Companies that are active in using this and on the forefront set themselves up to be successful and ahead of the trend.

Hulu Case:
– Hulu’s three segments: content providers, distribution, viewers
– Third party distributors bring content to people
– Hulu success depends on its customers, who are advertisers, viewers, and content producers

Lecture:
– Procurement: Process acquiring raw materials from multiple suppliers to carry out operations
– E-procurement uses the internet to integrate the silos in the procurement process

Hulu Case:
I learned about how Hulu controls and licenses content to maximize consumer needs
How hulu must adhere to the number of social issues people are worried about in this day and age
How hulu controls its distribution to max profit.
Lecture:
How internet based sourcing reduces information block ups and increases transparency across suppliers
How procurers use multiple sourcing to maximize profit.
Strategic sourcing focuses on relationships to maximize goal achievement.

Hulu Case:
-Digital channels put pressure on existing business models for firms in the TV industry because they have extensive content that can be watched at almost any time at the viewer’s own discretion.
-Hulu’s three segments are content providers, distribution, and viewers.
-Companies such as Hulu and Netflix have the ability to create and overall better watching experience than traditional TV.

Lecture:
-eProcurement is the use of Internet, or I/T, to facilitate, integrate, and streamline procurement processes
-The things that constitute eProcurement are eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFulfillment, and ePayment

Hulu Case Takeaways:
-Physical and Digital supply chains differ through infrastructure and operation
-Streaming services compete directly television networks for consumers and content
-Digital services collect revenue via advertisement in addition to the service offered
Lecture:
-E-procurement is divided into four different channels
-Procurement has evolved and greatly impacted digital services

Hulu Case:
I learned that Hulu has a focus on three segments: content, distribution, and users/viewers/devices. The way it works is the distributors bring content to the people and then bring people to the content. Also, creative industries are affected by digital technology in many ways, such as they are flexible to changes, drives lower cost production, etc.
Lecture:
What I learned from lecture is that eProcurement is utilizing the IoT to streamline procurement processes. Also, the difference between business functions vs processes. Functions consist of operation or group who perform related tasks. Processes are a series of logically related activities performed together, a series of steps that occur.

Hulu Case:
-Firms such as television are being threatened by virtual services such as Hulu and Netflix
-Such outlets are very flexible and can easily keep up with changing trends
-Traditional media outlets must offer more to stay competitive
-Hulu plans on expanding globally, spreading this sort of service and threat globally
-Spreading internationally comes with the obstacle of strict data regulations

Lecture:
-eProcurement uses the internet to facilitate, integrate, and streamline the procurement process
-eProcurement constitutes of eRequisitioning, eContracting, and eFulfillment
-This can be very useful for businesses to purchase materials nationally and internationally
-Overall, the use of technology and internet allows companies to increase their success greatly . It allows them to reach more areas of the world with little cost.

Week 8 Reflection:
Understanding the flow of creative content through its respective SC is just as important as understanding the SC of physical goods through theirs. The digital distribution of content is an ever changing landscape that requires quick adaptation to changes in consumption and competition. In order to stay competitive companies must have quality market insight, act on that insight quickly, and execute to the best of their ability on their solutions.

-In our class on week 8 we discussed how Hulu has become an extremely successful television streaming service. By the year 2015 it had 9 million subscribers and they are at an affordable price of 7.99/month. They even offer an advertisement free option for 11.99/month which is still affordable and worth the extra few dollars in my opinion since Netflix is close to that at 9.99/month.

-Hulu takes a different approach than Netflix by creating a partnership with content providers to offer television content and airs television shows next-day. I think if Hulu can remain advertisement free they will continue to be very successful.

-In addition to talking about Hulu, we learned more about the procurement process in depth. EProcurement uses the internet to facilitate, integrate, and streamline the procurement process
-eProcurement constitutes of eRequisitioning, eContracting, and eFulfillment

Lecture: Information technology change traditional procurement. E-procurement uses internet to facilitate, integrate and streamline procurement process. The e-procurement executes a completely digital trade. It includes e-Contracting, e-Requisitioning, e-Fulfillment and ePayment, which means companies can get more accurate data about the procurement process.
Hulu Case：Hulu is similar to Netflix, the main customers of Hulu are content, owners and advertiser.
I am interested in the content distribution way. It has more than 30 affiliated websites, and use could go across destination to connect content owners and bring content to the audience. This is an effective way to promote Hulu.

The lecture consisted of IT change in traditional procurement. The process of eProcurement uses the internet to facilitate and integrate the procurement process. Two applications to eProcurement would be eContracting and eFulfillment. Another advantage is that eProcurement can reduce administrative costs, better sourcing and sustainable sourcing, and finally enable better supplier management.

The Hulu case talked about the compare/contrast between Hulu and Netflix. Both television streaming services offer segments such as content providers, distributors, and viewers. Each service is very flexible and unique, effective ways to promote content.

Hulu Case:
• Hulu competes strategically by eliminating physical infrastructure from supply chains (digital SC)
• Digital channels are putting pressure on existing business models

Lecture:
• eProcurement = eContracting + eRequisitioning + eFulfillment + ePayment
• eProcurement is revolutionizing procurement reduce administrative costs, enable better sourcing and supplier management, enable supplier benefits, increase competition, etc.
• Companies outsource for cost, quality, and aggregation benefits

Hulu case:
1. One of Hulu’s competitive strategies is that it eliminates physical infrastructure from its supply chain and adopts a more digital supply chain.
2. Hulu and Netflix both offer similar content and it’s important for Hulu to come up with ways to remain unique.

Lecture:
1. E-Procurement utilizes the internet to facilitate and integrate procurement processes
2. Outsourcing is used primarily to reduce costs and increase quality
3. Procurement is defined as the process to acquire raw materials from the supplier to execute operations.

Hulu case:
– A digital supply chain is similar, yet different to physical supply chains
– Creative destruction occurs with advancements in technology
– Companies like Hulu and Netflix partner with broadcasters for content
Lecture:
– eProcurement can be beneficial if done correctly by affecting cost of goods sold which is a large cost within production.
– It is run through the use of the internet and involves eContracting, eRequisitioning, eFulfillment, and ePayment.
– Another form of eProcurement is eAuctions where bidding and negotiation is involved with acquiring a desired product.

Hulu:
– A digital supply chain in any industry disrupts the existing traditional supply chains
– Digital supply chains generally have lower costs, but are much easier to replicate
– Traditional broadcasters have changed their strategies to compete with streaming
Lecture:
– eProcurement helps streamline the supply chain process
– eProcurement enables global and transnational partnerships
– Companies primarily use outsourcing to reduce costs or reap the benefits of the other companies learning curve

Hulu:
Changes in technology can disrupt new streaming companies such as Hulu or Netflix, both of which rely on technology. The digital supply chains for Hulu and Netflix describe how they acquire content for their networks.

Lecture: eProcurement helps doing international business easier because it is through the internet and it can also lower costs throughout the company. eProcurement also give a company different options for contracting, procurement, fulfillment, and payment.

– Hulu teaches us the importance of finding and creating a niche which has the potential to be incredibly popular
– Technology has the ability to help companies gain competitive advantages
– Supply chain involves more than just physical goods, it can include non-physical items as well, like TV shows, information etc
– Technology can really help supply chain in many ways: the systems have the ability to improve supply chain processes such as procurement.
– Digital supply chains face many of the same problems as physical supply chains but also many other challenges

Hulu Case:
– One of Hulu’s strategy in the supply chain was establishing trusted relationships with its suppliers
– Another strategy for Hulu was to leverage user feedback to ensure that they are meeting customers’ wants and needs
Lecture about 3Procurement and Global sourcing / outsourcing:
– eFulfillment has definitely changed the supply chain industry in delivering goods and services because it enables visibility of information and it helps to reduce errors by making sure the good delivered has the right quantity

Things learned in Week 8:

Hulu Case:
– Hulu’s mastery of digital channels to distribute their products and generate ad revenue has upended the traditional creative industry’s distribution channels
– Digital supply chains can be used to visualize how companies like Hulu and Netflix acquire the content for their websites and applications
– Even though a digital supply chain can be smaller when mapped, it can still be just as effective as a physical one
– Traditional broadcasters are struggling to keep up with the shifting dynamics of consuming streamable media

Lecture:
– eProcurement is a cheaper and faster way for international companies to procure business for their supply chains
– It is often much cheaper than other traditional methods of distribution, mainly because it is facilitated over the Internet

Hulu Case
-Companies like Hulu and Netflix are controlling digital content acquisition and distribution by creating their own content.
-Hulu is becoming more vertically aligned
-Digital channels are threatening the creative industry, I believe in a good, but putting pressure on them to become more innovative and original

Lecture about 3Procurement and Global sourcing / outsourcing
-eProcurement leverages internet of things technology to streamline procurement processes
-Reduces cycle time
-eFulfillment is a lot more efficient
-ePayment offers increased convenience to the consumer

Hulu Case Takeaways:

Hulu Case
Hulu utilized customer feedback and leveraged supplier competencies in supply chain.
Overall, companies like Hulu are controlling the supply of content.
Lecture about 3Procurement and Global sourcing / outsourcing
E-procurement is a more efficient and less costly way of securing goods. its done through the process to epayment, erequisition, and efulfillment. This method helps to reduce errors and and increase transparency and communication in real time.

Hulu Case:
Know your customer base and leverage technology to help meet their needs and improve your business to be sustainable.
Lecture:
E-procurement reduces costs, enables better sourcing and supplier management, enables supplier benefits, and increased competition leading to lower supplier costs. It provides an easier method to process payments and fulfill orders.