The Melcom Group of Companies consists of six separate entities: Melcom Limited, Century Industries Limited, Crownstar Electronic Industries Limited, Melcom Hospitality, Melcom Travel & Tours Limited, and Melcom Care. Melcom Group is best known for its retail chain, Melcom Limited. As Ghana’s largest chain of retail department stores, Melcom is home to thousands of products and hundreds of well-known brands all under one roof. From our humble beginnings in 1989, there has been no stopping our growth of retail stores. Melcom now has a network of 44 Melcom retail outlets in all sixteen regions of Ghana and 1 online store. Melcom is proud to have opened what is the single largest shop in the nation (Melcom Plus in Kaneshie covering an area of over 130,000 square feet). The Group is continuing to grow at an ever increasing rate to meet the changing needs of the country’s customers. We have conveniently located outlets in all regions, bringing shopping to the doorsteps of Ghanaians nationwide. Our aim is to be the preferred shopping destination for all our customers, by offering quality products at affordable pricing. Known for offering the largest variety of goods under one roof (at last count over 25,000 items procured locally as well as from around the globe), Melcom has indeed become a household name in Ghana, where anything and everything required to furnish and run a home, school or business is readily available. By sourcing products from all over the world, we are able to offer shoppers a huge range of extremely affordable goods, leaving customers spoilt for choice. Melcom has continuously endeavoured to expand its customer base. The increasing number of branches, growing product range and rising market share are proof that the market strategies put into practice by the Melcom Group have been successful in reaching out to the Ghanaian people. Melcom goes the extra mile in giving additional benefits to its esteemed clientele with its various promotion schemes and loyalty super saver card. With affordability, variety, uniform pricing and a shop in every major city in Ghana, we have captured the hearts of Ghanaians to become the place “Where Ghana Shops”. The Chartered institute of Marketing of Ghana (CIMG) has also recognised the zeal of the company’s employees and management by awarding Melcom “Best Retail Outlet of the Year” for 5 consecutive years and eventually inducting the Group into the CIMG’s “Hall of Fame” for a further 10 consecutive years.

a. Melcom has an online store in addition to the 44 retail outlet in all sixteen regions of Ghana. Illustrating with relevant examples, critically discuss how the online sales affect Melcom’s supply chain’s ability to meet customer needs.

b. Using specific examples, describe how you think Melcom is utilizing all the drivers of supply chain to influence their performance?

c. Propose a suitable transportation network design option for the company.

d. Describe a potential challenge that Melcom is likely to face with the advent of the corona virus pandemic and suggest how it may deal with this challenge