“Information Technology and the Supply Chain” I) Question 1: Summary: This case indicates that WoodSynergy Inc. is a midsize corporation in the fine woods supplier business, and the enterprise had lately launched Information technology based supply chain management schemes and was concerned in evaluating the development. They realized that efficiency can be improved by integrating information technology into their systems. They were capable of figuring out the importance of having information which is aligned with their business data. Enhanced data sharing would allow the company to meet order demand and deliver on time with the highest quality. The Chief information officer of the company explained to the Chief executive …show more content…
It identifies diverse procedures that lead to client contentment. It is used to depict development opportunities and is based on process modeling, performance measures, and best practice sharing. It helps the companies measure the flow of information and physical goods and consists of three levels, the scope and content of the supply chain ( level 1), the supply chain strategy is configured ( level 2) and aligning available and forecasted resources to meet expected demand (level 3). II) Question 2: The main strategies that WoodSynergy uses to enhance the Supply Chain performance and that are discussed in the case are classic disintermediation, remediation and net-work based mediation. In the first case the firm attempts to remove all of the intermediaries of the supply chain in which case the suppliers are in direct contact with its customers providing real-time interface. Besides providing consumers with a more direct convenience when it comes to making the goods more accessible, it can potentially translate into prices that are lower since supply chains are rationalized and the cost that is expected from these distributors is reduced. Furthermore, a firm is going to proceed to disintermediation when the cost to have a business relation with its intermediaries is higher than the importance that it is worth. Given the era of information technology, a firm that encounters high information intensity can now go without intermediaries since a website
The Home Depot had faced issues that affected its performance. One of the issues was that its supply chain activities were too decentralized and, therefore, each Home Depot store was responsible for “ordering, replenishing, and managing inventory, which consumed as much as 60% of store labor” (Bond, 2015). Similarly, the company’s suppliers and vendors would deliver their products directly to the retail stores which led to having less customer-associate interaction. Also, the company realized that a structure that was too decentralized can lead to having less control over its activities, may drift away from the company’s vision and mission, and may also lead to fragmentation. Thus, the Home Depot sought to improve and enhance its customer experience in order to have a better shopping experience. Hence, the company decided that the best
The Supply Chain Management System used at Lowe’s is a collaboration process. According to LeRoy Allen, Senior Vice President of Logistics for Lowe's Companies, as cited by Real Results Magazine (2012), Lowe’s has more than 3,000 suppliers and having effective communication with all of them is difficult. Providing them with key information helps them, not only run their own business but assists Lowe’s in running theirs. This model was designed to efficiently run the supply chain together (para. 2).
Details: The internet has created new ways to do business for organizations with much less capital planning as opposed to the high capital needs of traditional brick and mortar organizations.
Businesses are discovering the Internet as the most powerful and cost effective tool in history. The Net provides a faster, more efficient way to work colleagues, customers, vendors and business partners- irrespective of location or operating system harnessing this powerful resource gives companies strategic advantages by leveraging information into essential business asset. The "technology of the future" here today. This is a fact. Businesses making the transition will, and are prospering; however those that do not will most certainly suffer the consequences.
* It details all the steps that go into efficiently running a supply chain and how they are interrelated including: analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
It begins with the suppliers of raw materials and ends through direct retailers of finished products sold to consumers. Companies rely on effective Supply Chain Management to ensure that throughout the life stages of procurement, development, production and retail, all stages are handled optimally and that the best outcomes are achieved. to improve on Alpha's current supply chain management system they should focus on three key area's:
This is a case study that is about Bose, a manufacture of luxury audio systems, and the details of how Bose creates an efficient supply chain, while producing high quality products, through certain techniques, contracts, and strategy implementations. This Case study highlights how Bose analyzes their suppliers through a performance measuring system. This measuring system assures Bose, that they have the have the best suppliers to create the best quality. Another strategy that was touched on is the implementation, design and integration of an electronic data interchange (EDI) which allows Bose, and their suppliers, to closely monitor inventory levels. This electronic data interchange allowed Bose to create the “JIT II system” which selects the best person to order, and manages inventory levels is the main supplier. These strategies are the reason why Bose has an efficient supply chain, and high quality products.
The management of Oak Hills should look into the supply chain management to improve its efficiency in its production process. This could boost the inventory control and organization performance. This can also be done through aligning the supply chain to maximise its effectiveness. A best practice is a process that produces the best benchmark for a specific task (Gilmore, 2007). Establishing alliances with key suppliers creates a “supplier relationship management” which will be more effective in working together. This can be effective if Oak Hills create a
Frost, A. (2003, nd). Supply Chain Common Operating Picture. Retrieved October 9, 2005, from http://www.intergraph.com/eresource/whitepaper
The second publication looks at the challenges which may relate to the integration of (SCO) supply chain operations and services providers. After general approach in the first publication, this project wanted to focus little a bit more on some particular question and issue which can find published in the second research. The report's findings of understanding of case analysed with one (SC) supply chain where the care of a firm has its outsourced manufacturers and logistics operations and retailing to the third parties and obvious concentrates on things like product developing as well as a marketing operation. The case of a firm having difficulties of building a reliable type of information system which could bring more visibility within its (SCO) supply chain operation. These research interviews were actually conducted by the representatives from different core firms, the e-business and logistics services provider, different several upstream as well as downstream (SCP) supply chain partners to try and find out the motivation which preventing a successful of collaboration within the ( SC ) supply chain. The identifying motivation was obviously categorised into two different groups which are transactions related and (SC) supply chain coordinated related. The Furthermore, this research highlighted the importance of understanding e-business related process to enable to collaborate and approach measurement and tools to be
Information and visibility are vital factors of a supply chain because they provide the basis on which supply chain managers make decisions. Information Technology (IT) has many different tools which can be used in a supply chain to provide information, then process it and even execute on them to enhance the performance of the supply chain. Technologies enable us to gather information in a more accurate and timely manner that can drive decision making which is a key to the success of a supply chain. The information that supports the performance of a supply chain must have the following characteristics. (Sunil Chopra, 2013)
DIMCO may gain many advantages by implementing supply management chain. Implementing SCM can reduce problems within the company’s internal functions, external suppliers, and external distributors. Some advantages DIMCO can gain from implementing SCM are as follows; the supply chain would improve the quality of service to the end user; reduce channel cost; and create a competitive advantage. (Reid & Sanders, 2010) The implementations of SCM will strengthen DIMCO partnership with suppliers and distributors. Supply chain management can also prevent such challenges such as the bullwhip effect, caused by erratic replenishment of orders placed on different levels in the supply chain that have no apparent link to final product demand. (Reid & Sanders, 2010) An effective and efficient SCM will allow partners to share information concerning health, safety, government regulations and environmental issues. SCM will provide a common network for communications, suggestions, and feedback. This will assist DIMCO in meeting the need of customers quickly and in an efficient manner. Overall, SCM would assist in
II. Development Supply Chain: This phase deals with the process involved in designing developing and sourcing of a new product. This phase does not deal with the transportation or the inventory level associated to the physical goods,even it has significant influence on the fulfillment of supply chain as this phase takes care of the sourcing and design. Development of supply chain is a time-consuming procedure which generally takes up to one year which calls for good forecasting data and methodology as customer interest and evolving demands play a critical role for this process.
Today’s economy has become a global one due to the use of the internet. Traditional companies are accepting the mission of using new virtual technologies in their business since the use of the internet has opened larger and advantageous international markets. Proud of the costly infrastructure, traditional companies are finding themselves being eclipsed by smaller companies that have used the internet to attract new customers. In order to achieve great results, companies in today’s economy are obligated to embrace the use of the internet (Markus, T. 2008).
Implementation: 15 Automated Supply Chain Management Systems: 15 Figure: Automated Vendor Managed Inventory Diagram 15 Challenges of Information Systems in Supply Chain Management: 16 Financial Value Analysis: 16 Pricing optimizations: 16 ROI analysis: 17 Section 3.0: Advantages and Disadvantages of Information System in Supply Chain Management: 17 Advantages of Information System in Supply Chain Management: 17 Information