100 second reflection for Week 9
Think for 100 seconds, and summarize the key things that you learned in the class during Week 9:
Xbox case
Lecture about Optimal methods of delivery?
MIS 3537 – Spring 2017
Think for 100 seconds, and summarize the key things that you learned in the class during Week 9:
Xbox case
Lecture about Optimal methods of delivery?
When thinking about the content in Week 9, there was one big takeaway that stuck with me. For one, referring to the Xbox case,, it really struck me that supply chains are always evolving, and need to keep changing to be successful. As stated in the question about how the supply chain changed between Xbox and Xbox 360, in such a short period of time, the amount of different supplier changes and overall changes to the supply chain were vast, and is what allowed Microsoft to cut major costs and increase profitability. If a company sticks to the same supply chain year to year, there is no way for them to increase efficiency, and thus their bottomline will suffer.
In this week’s class we discussed the way Xbox has improved over time and eFulfillment. We learned why companies outsource: lower costs, leverage others knowledge, and diversification of suppliers. Microsoft used eFulfillment to cut costs and make deliveries faster. Xbox was able to sells games digitally with add-ons and provide subscription services such as Xbox live. We learned last week that eProcurement helps the business while eFulfillment benefits the customer more. With these continous improvements, Xbox as become more of a powerhouse in the gaming and entertainment industry.
In this week’s class, we discussed the Xbox case and their motive to improve their production and manufacturing strategies from their first console (the XBox) to their revolutionary gaming system, the XBox 360. Two methods they made to do this was outsourcing their design and contracting their own chips. In terms of their outsourcing, Microsoft moved from an outdated, bulky system to a sleeker, in-house design. For their chip manufacturing, Microsoft was able to achieve lower costs and control their own destiny. This was interesting to me because it truly made the XBox 360 as successful as it was. In addition, we also spoke aboue E-Fulfillment. One interesting takeaway I had from this discussion was the two core principles of the process: improve the use of information and leverage existing resources. I thought these were important because they are a viable strategy to follow for all levels of the supply chain in order to improve efficiency, production and the end product.
This week’s case study about xbox was interesting and I felt there was a good amount to be taken from it. There were many changes that Microsoft had to make from the first xbox to the xbox 360 in order to stay competitive with the playstation. One major change was outsourcing the design of the xbox 360. This was done due to the backlash from the consumers about how bulky the first xbox was. Along with outsourcing the design, they also outsourced their production to China in order to save on labor and operational costs. Our lessons in e-fulfillment was also useful in that it gave tips to effect all aspects of the supply chain. The two concepts about improving the use of information and leveraging existing resources displayed this effectively.
In week 9, we discussed the Xbox case and e-fulfillment. We saw firsthand through the Xbox case how companies such as Microsoft outsourced the production of the Xbox to multiple companies to cut down on costs and be more efficient to manufacture the part needed. Other benefits of outsourcing the process are increased capacity, improved quality, speed, as well as flexibility and scalability. As we also learned, e-Fulfilment is the process of leveraging technology to deliver product to the customer faster and at a lower cost. This is possible through the use of information and leveraging resources.
This week we discussed the Xbox case and how Microsoft competes with Sony for market share, as well as optimal delivery methods. I found the xbox case to be very interesting and informative. I had not previously thought about how many components there are in manufacturing gaming systems, and how each step in the process must be carefully thought out and strategically planned either in house or outsourced. It surprised me to learn that companies producing gaming systems will actually lose money selling the systems, bringing in the most revenues from the games themselves. And the more I read about efulfillment and what companies are doing to take it to the next step, the more I realize that more and more companies will have to be on board with digitizing everything to keep up with competitors. Dell in particular seems to be having the most success by staying current with technology in this way.
This week, during the lecture portion of the class, we learned about the concept and importance of efulfillment. With efulfillment the customer can expect on-time delivery, speedy delivery, and tracking capabilities. Some challenges with efulfillment would be high customer expectations, faster delivery, total cost, and international supply chains. This subject lead directly into the e-distribution topic. E-distribution is used to improve the use of information and to leverage existing resources. I also learned about the different models for e-distribution – including traditional and merge in transit.
This week we discussed the Xbox case and how it utilizes e-fulfillment. One aspect of the XBox case that I found to be interesting is how much they worked off of their customers’ opinions of the products. Once XBox discovered that its customers were displeased with the size of the console and controller, they made plans to change. This design change also lead to a change in supplier and location which shows how important it was to the company to ensure customer satisfaction. Additionally, XBox takes advantage of e-fulfillment, by offering their product at a lower cost to the customer, and faster due to their use of technology. This is key to the companies success because they are taking advantage of e-fulfillment which ultimately benefits their customers, whereas companies that do not utilize e-fulfillment strategies will likely not survive without it.
Week nine consisted of the Xbox case and eFufillment. We learned that Xbox utilizes eFufillment and how valuable it is. Xbox is able to take advantage of outsourcing to their benefit and relay that to consumers. This always companies to realize benefits in capacity, quality and cost savings. After the introduction of eFufillment, Xbox has taken advantage of the wide array of suppliers available to them.
One thing that stuck with me when assessing the Xbox case was how much they changed when considering the Xbox and Xbox 360. To keep up with the technology they added many more elements to the console which ultimately changed their entire supply chain. I never new how many different companies are needed to come together to create the system. I also found it fascinating that video game companies like Microsoft and play station lose money on the console itself and rally only make their money from selling the games which shows how they had to be cost driven when it came to creating the console. Optimal methods of delivery was an interesting lecture to learn about how companies are taking the next step to ensure customer satisfaction and saving costs in terms of delivery. Efullfiment and other technologies have made this possible.
The Xbox case we discussed this week serves as a good example of how a company could leverage eFulfillment to reduce their production costs and improve efficiently through outsourcing their production. However, there are still some concerns over outsourcing production, such as quality of products and the deliver time. The second half of the class we developed a deeper understanding of how eFulfillment could impact the whole SC. The two core principles of eFulfillment are improving the use of information and leveraging existing resources. Through engaging in eFulfillment, companies will be able to implement a set of distribution strategies to deliver faster at the lowest possible cost.
Last week we talked about the evolution of Xbox. The creation of Xbox was a way for Microsoft to enter the gaming market. However, their market penetration has been challenging by different incumbents such as Sony. Microsoft who was specialized in software development was forced to outsource some the production of some key components of Xbox. Outsourcing allowed Microsoft to reduce the cost of production of Xbox and stayed focus on their core business process. At the same time, Microsoft was able to increase the game users experience with innovating feature such as online gaming, subscription to video contents, buying games online, and 3D motion sensor.
This week we talked about how Xbox’s supply chain has evolved and become more efficient over the years with technological advancements. We discussed how they chose options such as outsourcing as a way to save money. It helped them reduce their cost of production but keep their quality where they want it. Additionally, we learned how gaming companies make the majority of their profits from selling their games, which I thought was very interesting. We discussed how Xbox takes advantage of efullfillment in order to keep their supply chain efficient.
In week 9, we discussed the Xbox case and how Microsoft altered its supply chain model from the original Xbox to the Xbox 360. It had to improve its distribution strategy due to the major success of Sony’s PlayStation 2 (which outdid the original Xbox in popularity). From this case, it is evident that company’s need to change its supply chains frequently because of the competition making adjustments to its model. During the lecture some of the topics that we went over were eFulfillment, dematerialization, clicks-and-mortar. The concept of eFulfillment is delivering goods or services as well information online. A click-and-mortar establishment is popular currently because the customer can chose what products they want online and then go to the local department store and pick it up.
In week 9 we discussed Xbox and optimal methods of delivery. In the lecture, we talked about what companies can do to deliver faster and smarter to customers. It is important to remember to pick the right strategy for your business. For example, stores with a physical location would be wise to implement in store pickup for the ease of the customer and no shipping costs to the company. However, an online business must be strategic in placing warehouses or DCs to make sure that delivery time is minimized due to the absence of a physical location.
In week 10 we talked about Xbox and their e-fulfillment strategy. We learned that e-fulfillment is the process of a business selling their products online. Xbox sells digital games, game add-ons, and subscription services such as Xbox live and Xbox music through their online marketplace. The way they minimize their costs is that they sell everything digitally so there is no physical production or supply costs except for the maintenance of the marketplace. They used to have production in China and sell physical products, with the release of the Xbox 1 most consumers shifted to purchasing digitally.
In week 9’s class, I learned of how Microsoft was capable of increasing their market share of the gaming industry. From my own personal experience, I owned a PlayStation 2 and didn’t hear much about the Xbox. When the Xbox 360 came out, I became an owner and never switched back to Sony, although I did love their consoles. I now know the reason for this. Sony beat Microsoft to the market with the PlayStation 2, but Microsoft beat Sony to the market with the Xbox 360. They also moved to a sleeker design by outsourcing and contracted their own chips. I also learned about how important eFulfillment was to a supply chain. The ability to give customers the option to purchase their products at home allows for a quicker and more streamlined supply chain.
This week in class we discussed a lot about Xbox and how they made their name in the gaming industry. What Microsoft did was quite remarkable, considering they entered an industry previously dominated by Nintendo and Sony, and they came out as a competition for both of them. I personally owned an Xbox, so I firsthand know some of the reasons they were able to compete. Firstly, they were able to beat Sony to market while releasing their consoles. Second, they have exclusive video games that would make one want to purchase an Xbox over a Nintendo or PlayStation. I also found it interesting how video game producers lose money while producing a console, but they more then make up for that with video game revenue.
In class this week the Xbox case was presented. This was an interesting supply chain because most of the product was done through outsourcing. Learning how to measure an outsourced supplier was fascinating. I never knew that both Microsoft and Sony lost money on the consoles and made its money on the games. Our conversation about eFulfillment gave insight into how IT can streamline a companies supply chain and even the playing field between buyers and sellers.
The Xbox case was interesting to dissect because it exemplified how companies evolve their supply chains over time by learning through experience to increase efficiency and meet consumer demand. Microsoft used it different sourcing strategies to help give it an advantage over Sony in terms of its timeline for the release of the Xbox 360. By eliminating redundancies in some areas, and recruiting other experienced professionals to supplement laggard processes, Microsoft’s overall supply chain strategy shifted and helped to create a successful gaming console.
This week, we talked about Xbox and its e-fulfillment strategy. We learned that e-fulfillment is the process of a business selling their products online. With e-fulfillment, the customer expects on-time, and speedy, delivery along with tracking capabilities. There is also a click-and-mortar establishment. This is popular because the customer can chose what products they want to purchase online and then go to a local store and pick it up the order. Click-and-mortar stores benefit companies because studies show that when customers enter a physical store location to pick up their online purchase, they are likely to purchase other products along with their order.
For week 9, we discussed the xbox case in depth. It was interesting to discuss how a software company decided to create a physical product. I had never thought deeply about this, but as of result of this case, I realized how abnormal it was for Microsoft to build hardware. That being said, it made more sense when Microsoft decided to outsource for the Xbox 360, while they maintained design of its software. By shifting the supply chain, Microsoft was able to free up space to do their in-house software design, which was congruent with the company’s past successes. By talking about the Xbox case, we were able to tie the lecture into e-fufullment. This is a vital part of the supply chain for Xbox, but also many of the big companies (Think Amazon).
For week 9, we spoke about Microsoft and their immense success with their second generation console, Xbox 360. During the early 2000’s, Microsoft (Xbox) had to face competition from both Nintendo (GameCube) and Sony (PlayStation 2); Sony being their main threat. The PlayStation 2 still holds the record for the best selling video game console of all time at more than 155 million units; however, the Xbox only sold 24 million units. In order to make a greater impact, Microsoft created a strategy that involved launching the Xbox 360 nearly one year earlier than the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. This early entrance into the market allowed Microsoft to gain large market shares, and Xbox 360 became the preferred console of the generation. Besides the advantage in popularity, Microsoft also leveraged many third party manufacturers of internal components. This allowed the Xbox 360 to utilize high tech components without Microsoft having to develop them internally, which saved tremendous costs on R&D.
On week 9 of class we went over the Xbox case. Microsoft dove into a new market of video games when they were only a software company. Microsoft had sony as their competitor which made the playstation. Xbox had to develop and whole new supply chain to create and distribute the xbox. Xbox in the end was able to produce and ship the product before sony could get theres are which gave them a huge advantage. The case was interesting because Microsoft decided to outsource some of the components because they knew another company could do it for cheaper and better. In the lecture portion of class, we talked about eFullfilment. Companies are working everyday with the use of technology to produce and ship their products quicker and more efficiently.
This week we talked about Xbox and Microsoft’s venture into the the video game industry. The company had historically been a software only company so when they decided to produce hardware it was a new challenge for them. This was made more practical when they decided to begin outsourcing the Xbox 360, leaving room for a heavy focus on the software component of the machine. In the lecture we talked about e-fulfillment and it’s impact on the supply chain. E-fulfillment is essentially the process of delivering the goods to a customer through technology, improving efficiency and reducing costs.
In this week, we discussed the topic about e-Fulfillment and e-Distribution. The e-Fulfillment helps company delivery goods quicker and keep a very low cost by improving the use of information and leveraging existing resources. Additional, the e-Distribution strategy helps company to realize a considerable spending save of physical supply chain and production cost. By well designing of the eDistribution Networks, companies are able to own higher profitability.
I thought that week 9 was particularly interesting because we discussed a brand that is popular among the college age group. This week, which focused on the Xbox case and how Microsoft managed to adjust its supply chain model to change from the original Xbox to the Xbox 360. Due to high competition from sony’s playstation 2, which sold more units than Xbox, they needed to create a better distribution strategy. Companies need to have a flexible supply chain that has the ability to meet the current demand of the marketplace. Other things mentioned such as efulfillment and click and mortar were new terms that proved how technological advances are changing tradition retail.
The Xbox case was pretty interesting because of the competition between the Microsoft and Sony. Microsoft considered its the competitor’s strategies when it was trying to design Xbox in terms of what functions it needed in order to compete with Sony’s PlayStation. More importantly, such consideration directly affected the Xbox’s supply chain management decisions such as where do we manufacture Xbox? who are the suppliers? and how do we manufacture Xbox? In order to compete with Sony, it was critical for Microsoft to have an efficient Xbox supply chain to keep cost down and to provide faster delivery.
In week 9, my group presented on the Xbox case. One of the most important concepts to take away from this case was the benefits that can be realized from outsourcing. By outsourcing the design of the Xbox 360, Microsoft was able to reduce production costs and remain competitive. We also learned about eFulfillment, using technology to enable quick delivery of products. eFulfillment increase delivery accuracy whether it be the actual product or on-time delivery. Digitalizing a process like this gives a company a competitive advantage over those who don’t, soon this will be a necessary step to remain competitive.
In week 9, we discussed the Xbox case and the many different decisions that Microsoft had to make before releasing the Xbox 360. This includes the interesting choices made within their production and manufacturing departments to help the compete against companies like PlayStation and Nintendo. Then in the lecture portion of the class, we discussed the importance of eFulfillment. We learned how most companies now use technology to complete their orders and how eFulliment is much more efficient and cost-effective it can be. We then brought the conversation full circle and showed how Xbox used eFulliment to beat their competitors and reduce their overall costs.
This week’s discussion started off about the Xbox case and how they managed to change their supply chain to maintain their competitive edge in such a booming industry. Their decision to outsource the design of the Xbox was a huge one that ended up paying off tremendously for the company. In order to compete with other gaming systems at the time, Xbox really stepped back and started asking basic questions about their current supply chain. It all went back to a make v buy decision and then further logistical choices were made from there. But it really did revolutionize their process, starting with that simple question.
This week we discussed Xbox and how Microsoft utilizes e-fulfillment. The competition between Sony and Microsoft is fierce so they both have to make sure they listen to customers. Both products are very similar and come in at a similar price point. One change was the size of the console and this design change also lead to a change in supplier and location. Also, XBox takes advantage of e-fulfillment, by offering their products at a low costs to the customer. This is key to the companies success because they are taking advantage of e-fulfillment which ultimately benefits the growth of their console and consumers.