SECTION A: CASE STUDY

QUESTION 1

This is an extract describing a fashion house noted for custom-made gowns in Ghana. Use the case information to answer the questions that follow. Pistis is a Ghanaian based fashion house headquartered in Accra. The company currently stands at the frontline of the fast growing African fashion industry while making major strides on the international markets. Pistis, at the core, prides itself on creating master pieces for every client and, as result, has garnered a name as the leader in special occasion clothes. From their unique hand beaded bridal gowns to their creative use of African fabrics such as kente, the brand aims at making every woman standout as royalty in a Pistis gown. All clothing are specially made to order and the organisation does not stock clothing. There are minimum slots per month for the clothes that can be made so its best to confirm an order when you are certain with the dates to start the process. The organisation has only one facility in Ghana but has a website where orders can be placed online. Pisits was started in 2008 by Kabutey and Sumaya right after graduating from Vogue Style School of School and Design in Accra, Ghana. The brand was founded on a common vision of uniquely providing the perfect fit and style to a fast evolving woman who exuberates ambition, reveres culture and embraces innovation. By acknowledging the demand in the growing African and global market, the brand, through the years, has grown expediently by focusing on providing customers with the best service through rigorous product development in regard to originality and quality. Pistis has been featured in various shows such as the Runway Dubai Season III, Glitz Africa Fashion Week 2013, Radiance Bridal Show and headlining 3 seasons of the Vlisco Fashion Show in Ghana. In addition, Pistis has had the opportunity to dress the finalists for the Miss Malaika Pageant Ghana for 2012, 2013, and 2014 seasons. Through the years, Pistis has had the opportunity to dress dignitaries, celebrities, corporate executives, religious leaders and most importantly, the hardworking everyday woman.


a. If a key need of the customer segment the organisation aims to fill is increase rate of innovation, how would the key customer need identified influence the implied demand uncertainty? (3 Mark) b. Which capabilities of responsiveness (mention 2) does the organisation’s supply chain possess (use information from the case to explain why)? c. How can the organisation use the pricing driver to a. Match supply and demand b. Increase responsiveness c. Increase efficiency?

SECTION B: APPLICATION QUESTION 2

ADJ Company Limited is an organisation that deals in the manufacturing of bespoke cars in Ghana. Its cars are held by distributors/retailers in intermediate warehouses and package carriers are used to transport the cars from the intermediate location to the final customer.   
As an expert in supply chain management, you are to analyse the operations of the company and submit a report detailing the following to management of the company:
a. Indicate the distribution design in use

b. An evaluation of the performance of the current distribution network compared to Manufacturer Storage with Direct Shipping (compare along 4 dimensions).
c. The types of customers and products (mention 2 each) which are more suited to the type of distribution design being used by the company than retail storage with customer pickup and why?

SECTION C: ESSAY TYPE QUESTION 3

The Internet has affected the structure and performance of various distribution networks in a supply chain. Using the case of Jumia or other relevant example state and critically discuss how online sales impacts on a supply chain’s ability to meet customer needs (discuss 4 elements)

Which one of the following would help reduce the level of risk when working in the warehouse?

a. Training employees in working in cold conditions.

b. Increasing the frequency of meetings.

c. Regular reviews of the accident log.

What corrective action could the two managers consider to reduce the likelihood of more employees going off sick with asthmatic conditions?

a. Reduce the length of time employees are exposed to cold conditions by job rotation.

b. Increase training and the supervision of staff wearing protective clothing.

c. Provide employees with a booklet on keeping warm.

The health and safety manager confirms the company has insurance to compensate employees who are injured or suffer ill-health at work. Which statement best explains why the company has this insurance?

a. The company has 25 or more employees.

b. Insurance to cover the payment of compensation to injured employees is a compulsory class of insurance.

c. The employees who are away sick may seek compensation from Foods Company.

To ensure employees are complying with health and safety standards in the warehouse, which directive controls could be instigated?

a. 1 and 2.

b. 1 and 4.

c. 2 and 3

Suppose the initial Brazilian real to US dollar exchange rate is 4 reals (or “reais”) to 1 US dollar. The cost to buy a specified market basket of same quality products is $500,000 in the U.S. and R$1,400,000 in Brazil. Valued in U.S. dollar terms, the market basket in Brazil costs $350,000. (This market basket cost represents the combined price of thousands of products, and so also indicates an average price for those products.)

(a) Product prices in the U.S. and Brazil have changed. Using the prices in domestic currencies

for the two countries, does the ratio of move toward or away from the initial nominal exchange rate?

· For (e and j), use the (Brazilian price/US price) ratio so as to match the (Brazilian reals/US dollar) ratio.

(b) There has been a change in the amount of imports that Brazilian firms (wholesalers, retailers etc.) buy. With this change in the buying of foreign products, what happens to the supply of Brazilian reals in foreign exchange markets? (Compared to the previous period, for example.)

(c) What happens to the price (strength, value) of the Brazilian real?

(d) There has been a change in the amount of imports that American firms (wholesalers, retailers etc.) buy. With this change in the buying of foreign products, what happens to the supply of American dollars in foreign exchange markets? (Compared to the previous period, for example.)

(e) What happens to the price (strength, value) of the US dollar?

(f) Does the nominal exchange rate move toward or away from the initial ratio for,

?

Care in this capacity can range from short term to long term based upon the changing needs of the patient. Patient age can range from pediatric to elderly. Care can be provided in the patient’s private home, group home, or assisted living setting. Medical homes fall into this category and are a new focus of Accountable Care Organizations through the Affordable Care Act of 2010. Standardization, process, attention to detail, and uniform adherence to policy are the most difficult concepts for Louis to impress on his managers. As a quality insurance director for a home health company, he continually finds errors that put the company at risk. More importantly, they put people at risk. There are three shifts and 27 managers. Most follow protocol well, but there are eight managers who have been with the organization for over 10 years who do not. When the process was revamped late last year, these eight managers rejected the changes and instructed their employees to continue charting as they had been doing in the past. This has created a great deal of confusion at shift change, as well as hostility with the other managers, who feel their teams will make errors because information was not charted within the scope of the new policy. The managers who refuse to follow the new charting process admit that they understand what is expected, but they state that the new process is cumbersome, increases error, and obscures vital data. The managers that refuse to comply with the new process are also some of the best in the organization. They say they are not objecting because they want to avoid change or work. Instead, they detailed a list of problems and risks that they identified as a result of the new process and gave it to the leaders of the home health company. This put the company in a bind. They had invested $750,000 in the new system and had service agreements for the next two years. However, they could not just dismiss the concerns or risks communicated by the eight managers. Louis’ job was a nightmare. Everything was at an impasse and people were at risk.

Write a paper. Identify the steps associated with making decisions within in health care? What types of conflict were present among the employees in the home health company? What would have been the best decision-making model to use in this case study, why? How would you use negotiation models to resolve conflict in this situation?

True/False

1. Adverse supply shocks such as late frost in orange groves, shifts the SRAS curve to the right.
2. Those people who are serving in the military are considered employed in the civilian labor market.
3. Total market value is the current price value of goods and services at the base year prices
4. The Wealth Effect refers to the impact of interest rates on the value of a person’s monetary assets.
5. The trading of stocks and bonds is not included in the GDP
6. A job loser is a person who was employed in the civilian labor force but has been fired or laid off.
7. An unemployed person will remain unemployed longer if there are no unemployment insurance benefits available to them
8. The business cycle shows us that it is natural for real GDP to fluctuate up and down over time.
9. The civilian non-institutionalized population includes people in the labor force
10. Discouraged workers make up a significant percentage of measured unemployment

3. Review Federal policies regarding the role of public lands in US development. Why did these policies evolve from lands as a revenue source to lands as a free good?

What is the main method of biodiesel production, from what biomass material, and what is its current contribution to US fuel supplies? Please cite your sources.

Sophocles once said that Euripides depicts people as they are rather than as they ought to be. Do you agree? Can this play still speak to us from across the centuries?

What trends can explain the differences in poverty rates from the 2000s to recent years in light of changes in economic conditions in the overall US economy during this period?

1. Rebates and discounts

On March 1, Martin Company sold and delivered goods to Shannon Inc. for $300,000 on account. Shannon Company has been a customer for more than 10 years and has earned a 3% rebate on the overall purchase. Prepare the journal entry to recognize revenue. The journal entry for the cost of goods sold is not required.

2. Commissions, consignee/agent perspective

Royal vacations, a high-end vacation agent, sells tickets for all-inclusive European vacations to various customers. The company sells a $10,000 package and will receive a commission of 4% of the total price. Royal vacations must also remit the sales price to European Destinations, Company. Prepare the journal entry to record the receipt of cash and remittance and revenue recognized the agent.