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Amazon.com Europe Case
MIS 3537
Internet & Supply Chains
Spring 2014
Due Date: April 10, 2014
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 recommendation 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.
Many faces of outsourcing
Here are a couple of articles in NYT on outsourcing.
1. Why cost is not the only factor which affects firms’ decision on whether to outsource or not (click here).
2. Why outsourcing needs to be carefully managed, or it can be a PR disaster (click here)
Also, here is my 2-cents on this debate which was aired on KYW 1060 radio (click here)
Q&A: eFulfillment
Do you think distribution centers that supply to traditional retail stores are geared to handle online orders from individual customers? Explain your answer.
XBox Case
MIS 3537
Internet and Supply Chains
Spring 2014
Due Date: April 1, 2014
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 three ways in which technology can help in this outsourcing?
- List five metrics which companies can use to evaluate the performance of suppliers (contract manufacturers)?
- 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.
Week 9 lecture notes
Information Goods : Controlling the supply chain
Here is an interesting article on how Netflix is trying to control the supply chain (click here) by securing exclusive rights to content such as movies and TV programs. Do you agree with Netflix’s strategy – or should Netflix limit itself to online rentals which is its core business model?
Recall from our class discussion on how controlling the supply chain is a valuable tool in a company’s strategy.
Collaboration anyone!
Here is an example of the the pitfalls of collaboration – you never know who will stop collaborating. It is a game called golden balls played in Europe I believe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3Uos2fzIJ0
What would you do if you played the game?
Dutch Auction
check out a dutch auction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CK2TatM_U
Q&A: Sourcing
True or False
English auction is one in which all bidders submit their bids separately, without revealing their bids and the highest bidder wins.
Q&A: Sourcing
Recently, the “Made in China” label has attracted a lot of negative publicity due to the high profile quality issues surrounding some products. A group of customers experimented with avoiding all products with the label. Here is one such story (click here).
Look at the products that you use in everyday life and list a few that are not made in China or or other places in south and south-east Asia.