生命是永恒不断的创造,因为在它内部蕴含着过剩的精力,它不断流溢,越出时间和空间的界限,它不停地追求,以形形色色的自我表现的形式表现出来。--泰戈尔中国经济管理大学MBA课件《供应链管理》学员问题探讨与案例分析(苏尼尔•乔普拉著教材)CHAPTERONEDiscussionQuestions1Considerthepurchaseofacanofsodaataconveniencestore.Describethevariousstagesinthesupplychainandthedifferentflowsinvolved.Whenacustomerpurchasesacanofsodaataconveniencestore,hispurchaserepresentstheendofasupplychain’sdeliveryofanitemandthebeginningofinformationregardinghispurchaseflowingintheoppositedirection.Thesupplychainstagesincludecustomers,retailers,wholesalers/distributors,manufacturers,andcomponent/rawmaterialsuppliers.Acustomer’spurchasemovesproducttowardsthecustomeranddollarsandinformationtowardstheretailer.Theretailerplacesanorderfromthewholesaler/distributortoreplenishstock,therebymovinginformationbackupthesupplychainwhilemovingproductdownthesupplychain.Astheorderisfilled,theretailerwillmovedollarsbackupthesupplychain.Thewholesaler/distributortransmitsinformationanddollarstothemanufacturerwhoproducesproductandshipsitdownthesupplychaintothewholesaler.Finally(orinitially,dependingonyourperspective)themanufacturermovesorders(information)anddollarstowardssuppliersinexchangeformaterialflowintotheirproductionprocesses.2WhyshouldafirmlikeDelltakeintoaccounttotalsupplychainprofitabilitywhenmakingdecisions?Dellrealizesthattheirultimatesuccesslieswiththesuccessoftheirsupplychainanditsabilitytogeneratesupplychainsurplus.IfDellwastoviewsupplychainoperationsasazerosumgame,theywouldlosetheircompetitiveedgeastheirsuppliers’businessesstruggled.Dell’sprofitgainedattheexpenseoftheirsupplychainpartnerswouldbeshortlived.Justasaphysicalchainisonlyasstrongasitsweakestlink,thesupplychaincanbesuccessfulonlyifallmemberscooperateandfocusonaglobaloptimumratherthanmanylocaloptima.3WhataresomestrategicplanningandoperationaldecisionsthatmustbemadebyanapparelretailerlikeTheGap?AsTheGapplanssupplychainstrategyitmustfirstconsiderthemarketingfunction’spricingplansinordertostructureasupplychainconsonantwiththeseplans.Strategicconsiderationssuchasthecapacityofeachsupplierandassemblyoperations,sourcingdecisionsandhowlogisticsaretobehandledareallpartofthedesign.Thesupplychainmustalsosettleoncommunicationchannelsandfrequencies.Supplychainplanningtakesthestrategicdecisionsasagivenandseekstoexploitefficienciesinthechaintomaximizesupplychainsurplus.Theentirechainshouldcollaborateinforecastingandplanningproductionastoachieveaglobaloptimum.Theforecastsshouldtakeintoaccountplannedpromotionsandknownseasonalfluctuationsindemand.Theoperationaldecisiontaketheplansasagivenandmakeday-to-daydecisionstoprocesscustomerorders,allocateresourcestocertaincustomers,triggerordersfromsupplychainmembers,anddeliverproduct.4Considerthesupplychaininvolvedwhenacustomerpurchasesabookatabookstore.Identifycyclesinthissupplychainandthelocationofthepush/pullboundary.Allsupplychainprocessescanbebrokendownintofourprocesscyclesthatconnectthefivestagesofthesupplychain;thecustomerordercycle,thereplenishmentcycle,themanufacturingcycle,andtheprocurementcycle.Thecustomerordercycleconnectsthecustomerwiththeretailer;thisconnectionismadeasthebook,perhapsSupplyChainManagementbyChopraandMeindl,isselectedandpaidforbythecustomer.Thereplenishmentcycleconnectstheretailerandthedistributorandistriggeredbytheretailer’sneedtofilltheemptyshelfspacewithanothercopyofthistome.Themanufacturingcycleconnectsthedistributorandthemanufacturer.Asdemandforthebookisrealizedanddistributorsemptytheirwarehouses,theysignalthemanufacturertoprintanothermillioncopiestofilltheiremptywarehouses.Finally,theprocurementcycleconnectsthemanufacturerandthesupplier.Themanufacturerrequiresrawmaterialinputsofpaper,ink,etc.,tobegintheassemblyprocessforanotherbatchofSupplyChainManagement.Thepush/pullboundaryexistswheredemandswitchesfromreactive(pull)tospeculative(push)production.Formostbookstoresupplychainsthepush/pullboundaryisbetweenthecustomerordercycleandthereplenishmentcycle.Thecustomerorderpullsthebookfromthebookstoreshelfbuttheinitialproductionofthebookwastriggeredbyabuildorderthatmovedmaterialsalongthesupplychaintotheretailoutlet.5ConsiderthesupplychaininvolvedwhenacustomerordersabookfromAmazon.Identifythepush/pullboundaryandtwoprocesseseachinthepushandpullphases.InAmazon’soriginaloperationsdesignthepush/pullboundaryexistedbetwixttheretailer(Amazon)andtheirdistributor.Amazonorderedproductfromthedistributorandthecustomerorderarrived.Today,Amazonhassixwarehouseswhereitstocksaninventoryofitemsitisconfidentthatwillsell.Inthisscenario,thepush/pullboundaryexistsbetweenthecustomerandtheretailer.Processesinthepullphasearetheorderfulfillment,shipping,customerreturns,andcustomerbilling.Processesinthepushphaseareproduction,stockreplenishments,shipping,andpayment.6InwhatwaydosupplychainflowsaffectthesuccessorfailureofafirmlikeAmazon?Listtwosupplychaindecisionsthathaveasignificantimpactonsupplychainprofitability.ThesuccessorfailureofacompanylikeAmazonisdecidedbytheeffectivefunctionofitssupplychain.Theflowofproductsfrompublisherstodistributorstocustomersmustberapidandreliableinorder