Questions from General Supply Chain


Q: Consider the purchase of a can of soda at a convenience store

Consider the purchase of a can of soda at a convenience store. Describe the various stages in the supply chain and the different flows involved.

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Q: How would you characterize the competitive strategy of a high-end

How would you characterize the competitive strategy of a high-end department store chain such as Nordstrom? What are the key customer needs that Nordstrom aims to fill?

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Q: Where would you place the demand faced by Nordstrom on the implied

Where would you place the demand faced by Nordstrom on the implied demand uncertainty spectrum? Why?

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Q: What level of responsiveness would be most appropriate for Nordstrom’s supply chain

What level of responsiveness would be most appropriate for Nordstrom’s supply chain? What should the supply chain be able to do particularly well?

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Q: How can Nordstrom expand the scope of the strategic fit across the

How can Nordstrom expand the scope of the strategic fit across the supply chain?

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Q: Reconsider the previous four questions for other companies such as Amazon.

Reconsider the previous four questions for other companies such as Amazon.com, a supermarket chain, and auto manufacturer, and a discount retailer such as Wal-Mart.

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Q: Give arguments to support the statement that Wal-Mart has achieved

Give arguments to support the statement that Wal-Mart has achieved very good strategic fit between its competitive and supply chain strategies.

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Q: How could a grocery store use inventory to increase the responsiveness of

How could a grocery store use inventory to increase the responsiveness of the company’s supply chain?

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Q: Would you expect a brick-and-mortar retailer or an

Would you expect a brick-and-mortar retailer or an online retailer to have a higher asset turnover? Which supply chain drivers impact asset turnover?

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Q: How could an auto manufacturer use transportation to increase the efficiency of

How could an auto manufacturer use transportation to increase the efficiency of its supply chain?

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