1. Discuss your thoughts concerning some of the different types of inventories found within some typical production organizations (Raw Materials, Work In Process, Finished Goods, Transit Inventory, Buffer Stocks, Anticipation, Decoupling).
2. Discuss your thoughts about just-in-time materials management, its value, shortcomings, and provide an example of where it may be implemented.
3. Discuss your thoughts concerning the impact of technology on an organization, specifically as it relates to the supply chain and how if facilitates sophisticated materials management systems such as JIT and MRP.
4. Provide your thoughts concerning the process of accommodating change and its impact on an organization. Consider such issues as changes in manufacturing methodologies, customer desires, supply chain management, capacity etc. If you have a real world example to cite, please do so.
5. Through your own research, identify a business that you consider vertically integrated and in the weekly discussion forum, provide your thoughts concerning the level and value of vertical integration to this organization. Discuss what you perceive to be the benefits and pitfalls/risks of vertical integration and when it does or does not make business sense to do so.
6. Provide your definition of a Virtual Business/Enterprise.
7. Through your own research, identify a virtual business and provide your thoughts concerning the benefits, strengths, and weaknesses of this arrangement.
8. "An Integrated Supply Chain (ISC) is one that has full responsibility across the corporation (including different divisions, business units and geographies) for the planning and management of all activities involved in end to end supply chain processes, including direct sourcing and procurement, conversion/manufacturing, and all logistics management activities."
(Source : Supply Chain Digest, The Logistics Institute ±Georgia Tech)
9. Discuss your concept of the integrated supply chain in a typical production organization (such as one of those studied in our Tour discussions).
10. To what degree do you think that government entities, for example the Department of Defense, practice ISC?
11. What do you consider to be the benefits and potential risks of an integrated supply chain?