Discussion Questions

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.

Why should a firm such as Dell take into account total sup$-$

ply chain profitability when making decisions?

What are some strategic, planning, and operational decisions

that must be made by an apparel retailer such as Gap?

Consider the supply chain involved when a customer

purchases a book at a bookstore. Identify the cycles in

this supply chain and the location of the push$/$pull

boundary.

Consider the supply chain involved when a customer orders

a book from Amazon. Identify the push$/$pull boundary and

two processes each in the push and pull phases.

In what way do supply chain flows affect the success or

failure of a firm such as Amazon? List two supply chain

decisions that have a significant impact on supply chain

profitability.