1. What factors should companies take into consideration when making the decision between developing their own applications, purchasing them from a vendor, or taking the SaaS route, as discussed here? Make a list of factors and discuss their importance to this decision.
2. What risks did GE take on when they contracted with a small and less experienced vendor? What contingencies could have been put in place to prevent any problems from arising? Provide several examples.
3. What should companies do if none of the "configuration options" perfectly fits with their needs? Should they attempt to customize, or select the least-worst alternative? When would they do each?

General Electric's supply chain is not simply enormous. It's a Byzantine web of sourcing partners, touching all corners of the globe: 500,000 suppliers in more than 100 countries that cut across 14 different languages. Each year, GE spends some $55 billion among its vast supplier base.