Question

1. Supply chain management is the management of activities that transform raw materials

into intermediate goods and final products, and that deliver those final products to customers.

   True False

2. The challenges of the global supply chain include:

1. geographical distances
2. foreign market forecasting
3. exchange rates fluctuations
4. infrastructural inadequacies
5. all of the above

3. Describe the bullwhip or whiplash effect in the supply chain. How do you propose

to minimize its impact in your individual project?

4. Forward integration activities are a way for a company to address specific situations

in the supply chain, but also to engage in activities that are substantially different from its core

business. Cite examples of such activities for your individual project.

5. Modularization is a product design approach in which the product is assembled

from a set of standardized constituent units.

   True False

6. Explain the reasons for the complexity of the strategic planning for global facilities

network orientation. How do you address those in your individual project?

7.Apply to your individual project the three basic options for a company to focus its

global facility network: market focus, product family focus, process focus.

8. Discuss the interaction between marketing requirements and manufacturing complexity

with regard to your individual project. Relate to question 7. above.

9. One of the ways to exploit global sourcing is by switching among suppliers globally.

   True False

10. Why does an operations and logistics manager need to worry about exchange rate

fluctuations? Illustrate with your individual project.

11. The factors a firm needs to consider in assessing its operating exposure to real

exchange rate shocks are:

1. customer reactions
2. competitor reactions
3. supplier reaction
4. government reaction
5. all of the above

12. New information technologies integrate globalization by:

1. listing and storing basic information
2. transferring information
3. transforming data into information
4. all of the above
5. none of the above

Answer 1

Ans to Q No. 1:

1. Supply chain management is the management of activities that transform raw materials

into intermediate goods and final products, and that deliver those final products to customers.

True /False

The answer is True as Supply chain management is the distribution of goods and services from the business side to its eventual customers.

Ans to Q No. 2:

2. The challenges of the global supply chain include:

1. geographical distances
2. foreign market forecasting
3. exchange rates fluctuations
4. infrastructural inadequacies
5. all of the above

The answer is 5) all of the above. Geographical distances are always a big challenge for supply chain management. Longer geographical distances lead to uncertainty in delivery time. Foreign market forecasting and exchange rates fluctuations raise questions on the demand of products and thus possess a challenge for supply chain management. Lack of infrastructural resources like manpower, skill labor, adequate suppliers, etc can hinder supply chains.

Ans to Q No. 3:

3. Describe the bullwhip or whiplash effect in the supply chain. How do you propose

to minimize its impact in your individual project?

The bullwhip or whiplash effect refers to the phenomenon in which small variations in the supply side eventually leads to huge fluctuations on the demand side.
The ways to minimize the impact of bullwhip are as follows:

a) Make better forecasts of demands so that there is always adequate supply at all times.

b) Have an effective demand-driven supply arrangement that supplies inventory in accordance with the requirements.

Ans to Q No.4:

4. Forward integration activities are a way for a company to address specific situations

in the supply chain, but also to engage in activities that are substantially different from its core

business. Cite examples of such activities for your individual project.

An example of Forward integration activity is setting up a brick-and-mortar shop of the final goods to directly engage with the end-users.