Assignments
Case Teams: Member Evaluation (Optional)
All members of a case team received the same points / grade for the cases submitted. If you feel that one or more members are not doing their fair share, please do the following 2 things:
- Send email to all members of your team (.cc me) indicating that you will be submitting a team member evaluation form. This step gives all members of the team the option of completing a form.
- Complete and submit the following form to me by email.
All responses will be kept confidential.
Global Supply Chain Simulation
Global Supply Chain Management Simulation
Spring 2017
We will be running the Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) simulation in class on April 24th (Monday).
In preparation for this, you need to:
- Organize into groups of two or three and have one individual from each team register for the simulation (note, only 1 account is needed per team). The registration can be completed at this URL.
An Extra Credit bonus of 0.25 point will be provided if you:
a) Complete the registration by Wednesday, April 19th (noon) &
b) Post the username and e-mail address you used to register as a comment to this post. Also mention the name of your group partner(s).
2. Read through the attached instructions before we begin the simulation. This will give you an overview of the game, how it works and what some of your activities (e.g. decisions) will be.
3. Print out the Student Record sheet (below). You will use this sheet during the course of the simulation to record your decisions and actions.
The deliverables for this assignment are:
- Student Record Sheet – please complete this as you work on the simulation. Enter detailed explanations for each decision in the space provided. Submit the completed record sheets for all 4 years.
- Table to fill only for year 4. Comment on which costs (as fraction of revenue) are high, and how you can improve.
The due date for submission of all deliverables is May 1, 2017 @ 5:30 pm (beginning of class).
RosettaNet Case
MIS 3537 Internet and Supply Chains
Due Date: April 17, 2017
Refer to the case “RosettaNet and ebXML: Betting on the Right eBusiness Standard”
Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):
1. Why are standards necessary in eBusiness?
2. Which standard do you think Developcom should adopt? Explain your answer giving reasons from the case as well as the Exhibits at the end.
3. What do you understand by the term ‘network externalities’? Why are network externalities important in eBusiness standard wars? Give examples from the RosettaNet case.
5. Which standard do you think Developcom should adopt? Why?
5. Why should a company like Developcom join a standards body? What should be Developcom’s standards body standard? Why?
Starbucks Case
MIS 3537 Internet & Supply Chains
Due Date: April 10, 2017
Refer to the case “Starbucks and Conservation Internationaly”
Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):
- What lessons should be learned from the Chiapas project? What are the factors that produced the current results of the alliance between Starbucks and CI?
- How valuable had the Starbucks-CI alliance been to both, and what should it’s future be?
- How might the Fair Trade coffee operation be related to the shade-tree conservation coffee operation?
- How should Starbucks and CI approach other roasters to adopt the sourcing guidelines?
- What is your assessment of the new coffee-purchasing guidelines? How should they be implemented?
Amazon Europe Case
MIS 3537 Internet & Supply Chains
Due Date: April 3, 2017
Refer to the case “Amazon.com’s European Distribution Strategy”
Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):
1. Explain how Amazon.com’s distribution strategy evolved in the early years (1995-1998)?
2. After the dot com crash, Amazon.com took steps to improve its operational excellence with a view to reduce costs and hence improve profitability. Descibe the main steps that Amazon took at this stage.
3. Describe the key challenges that Amazon Europe faced with respect to globalization and localization.
4. What were the main decisions that Tom Taylor faced while accessing the EDN opportunity?
5. Should Amazon implement the EDN in Europe? What recommendations would you give Tom Taylor?
All groups (expect the group making the presentation) are required to submit a printout of their answers to the instructor at the beginning of the class. Also, be prepared to discuss the case in the class.
Xbox Supply Chain Case
MIS 3537 Internet and Supply Chains
Due Date: March 27, 2017
Refer to the case “Evolution of the XBox Supply Chain”.
Answer the following questions briefly (6-7 lines each):
- Why do companies outsource production?
- List at three ways in which information technology can help in this outsourcing?
- What are five critical metrics which companies should use to evaluate the performance of suppliers (contract manufacturers)? Explain.
- What supply chain changes did Microsoft make between XBox and XBox 360? What was the motivation for these changes?
- Microsoft planned to use three EMS firms for XBox 360, all manufacturing in China. What are the benefits and pitfalls of this approach?
All groups (expect the group making the presentation) are required to submit a printout of their answers to the instructor at the beginning of the class. Also, be prepared to discuss the case in the class.
RFID at Metro Case
Case questions are in this document.
Recommend you download your copy and complete your questions within this document template.
All groups (expect the group making the presentation) are required to submit a printout of their answers to the instructor at the beginning of the class. Also, be prepared to discuss the case in the class.
Due Date: March 6
Root Beer Game – Round 2 Now Available
I was late in getting the Root Beer game reset. It’s now reset as you requested (see Single user exception below). If you requested no change – Round 2 will use same set-up as Round 1.
Single Users: The game requires all the Single users use the same setting. Since 1 person requested the shorter Shipping time – that is the configuration all Single users will have for Round 2.
If any questions or issues contact me.
Root Beer Game Deliverables: due March 20
MIS 3537: Internet & Supply Chains
Due Date: March 20
We will complete the Root Beer Game as per the following schedule:
1. Practice session in class (completed) – February 13
2. Completion of round 1 – in class February 20
3. Team decision (via e-mail to professor) on change to make in Round 2 – Saturday, February 25
4. Game reset and ready to start round 2 – February 27 (I will post a note on the blog)
3. Completion of round 2 and submission of deliverables – by March 20
Group members are not supposed to coordinate with each other during the practice session and round 1. They can coordinate for round 2.
In round 2, each team can make one of the following changes:
- Point of sale (POS) information visible to all roles (not just the retailer).
- Shipping Delay reduced to 1 week from 2
- Information Delay (orders) reduced to 1 week from 2
Note that the demand pattern may change between the different rounds. The intent of playing multiple rounds is to demonstrate how manipulating certain aspects of the game can influence the performance of the supply chain.
Here are the deliverables of the beer game (one submission per Beer game group or per person if playing single player):
1. Complete the performance spreadsheet of your group (click here)
2. Prepare a short writeup on how you played the beer game, what strategies you employed, and how your strategies changed when you played the beer game for the second time compared to the first time (you can use the questions below to prepare your talking points).
- What was your strategy in the game with respect to order placing and holding inventory?
- How was the communication and cooperation between various players in the group?
- When you played the game for the second time, how did your strategy change in terms of – ordering and inventory strategy? cooperation with team members?
- What lessons from the beer game would you give to supply chain managers?
Due Date: March 20
Alternate Case 1 Assignment: Late Enrolees
Background: A few students enrolled in the class after the lecture in week 1 and didn’t have the opportunity to join a case group prior to the first case (Crocs) assignment being due. Hence, as promised, this is the alternate assignment for those few folks. This is not an extra credit assignment.
Value: This assignment will count the same as the Crocs case assignment for those few students who didn’t have opportunity to be part of case team in time for that assignment.
Assignment: In reviewing the literature, the web, your classes, etc. there are many examples of businesses / companies that employ unique and valuable supply chains.
Select one (1) of these businesses / companies that we did not discuss in a class case. For that business /company write a 1-2 page white paper that:
- Outlines the business model and specifically the supply chain for that business.
- Describes what is unique about the supply chain or how it provides value to the company.
- Describes how the use of I/T enables the uniqueness and/or value of this supply chain.
- Defines other core competencies that assure this supply chain creates value to the company.
Note: Assume the White Paper is going to be read by busy Supply Chain Managers. These busy managers (like some professors) are not looking for lots of words and filler – they want to know all the critical facts and ideas presented in a clear, readable and compelling manner.
Due: February 20th (in-class)