29:799:301 – Introduction to Supply Chain Management – Fall 2020

Instructions: Answer each question as thoughtfully as possible. One page maximum per question. Include any sources or references in a separate “works cited” page. Points will be deducted if formatting is not followed.

Question 1 (5 points):
Supply Chain management describes the coordination of activities across different companies to improve the value provided to the consumer.
Do you believe that supply chain management is becoming more important or less important in today’s world? Describe different reasons to substantiate your point of view

Question 2 (10 points):
What are the key areas of supply chain planning and what is important for each? How are they connected?

Question 3 (10 points):
What are the reasons to hold inventory? Why is it that companies often struggle to manage inventory well? How do managers overcome inventory challenges?

Question 4 (2 points):
If forecasts are always wrong, how can a company understand if its demand planning is good enough?