1. What are common issues with information sharing in a supply chain?
2. What is the bullwhip effect and how it can be mitigated?
3. Find at least three examples for local optimization in a supply chain that hurts total profitability of the supply chain.
4. Why sales force incentives based on sell-in (rather than sell-through) hurts coordination in a supply chain?
5. Why should the demand forecasting in different stages of a supply chain be based on customer demand instead of orders received by each stage?
6. How does ordering in large lots result in high fluctuations in order size up the supply chain?
7. Explain how rationing results in extra unused manufacturing capacity.
8. How does discounts based on order size hurts total profitability in a supply chain?
9. Give an example of aligning incentives across various functions for Amazon (hint: think about how decisions related to facilities, transportation, and inventory can be aligned to maximize total supply chain profit).
10. Explain what a buyback contract is and how it can increase total profitability of a supply chain.
11. How can sharing customer demand data reduce the bullwhip effect?
12. How can Amazon implement single stage control of replenishment for its major products?
13. How does a shorter lead time benefit the supply chain profitability?
14. How can a manufacturer use truckloads for transportation but at the same time reduce the ordering lot size?
15. Observe the process of returning an item to Amazon in one of its return centers (e.g., in Whole Food). What ways are used to reduce the cost associated with handling the return?
16. When does your driver's license expire? How can it help leveling the demand at registry of motor vehicles for renewing driver's licenses?
17. What is turn-and-earn? How can it help total profitability in a supply chain?
18. How can flexible capacity prevent shortages in manufacturing?
19. Give ta least two ways promotions can be controlled to minimize information distortion.
20. Give at least three examples for how partnership between different stages of a supply chain results in a more efficient and responsive supply chain.
21. What are the common challenges for improving coordination in a supply chain and what are some practical solutions?
22. Why are CRP systems usually driven by actual withdrawals of inventory from retailer warehouses rather than POS data at the store level? How would it impact the fluctuations in demand?
23. How can having a category leader help in VMI?
24. How can a branch restaurant collaborate with a grocery retailer on each of these activities?
25. .
26. What are some risks and hurdles for a CDFR plan implementation? Which one you think is more serious in case of Amazon?