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Address the following elements in a discussion about supply chain management and the bullwhip effect: a) What is the bullwhip effect in supply chain management: b) How was it illustrated in our in-class supply chain management simulation game?  c) What change or action would be most effective in reducing the bullwhip effect?

Other things remaining the same, if the average aggregate inventory value goes down, then

For a manufacturing activity that has been offshored, what are some reasons why a company may consider nearshoring or reshoring? List and briefly explain several reasons or considerations.

This is an advertisement from a popular Ogden restaurant.  The restaurant’s advertisement illustrates several different considerations or actions taken by the restaurant for good operations/supply chain management.  Identify and discuss those considerations or actions by using terms, concepts and methods from the course. You can focus on considerations/actions that are directly connected to the advertisement’s content; it is not necessary to speculate about other issues that are not directly connected to the advertisement’s content. A response of just a couple of sentences would not be sufficient for demonstrating full understanding; likely, a full paragraph or so will be necessary  (2x points) 

Hi-Tech Inc. experiences demand for an item of 10 units per working day on average, with a standard deviation in demand of 2 units/working day. Each month typically has 20 working days. Lead time to replenish the item is 2 working days. If the company uses a re-order point of 20 units, what is the resultant service level? Note: This question can be answered by logical analysis without making detailed calculations.

Simple linear regression will be applied to the data below in order to forecast future demand, and the manager wants to investigate how promotional expenses helps to predict demand. Which columns (A, B, C, or D) of data below will be used as the X variable and Y variable?      A    B      C       D Month Sales (000’s) Consumer Income (000’s) Promotion Expenses (000’s) March 125 20.0 12.5 April 126 20.2 12.7 May 128 20.5 12.8 June 130 20.7 13.0 July 131 20.9 13.2 August 133 21.2 13.5 September 139 21.5 13.7 October 142 22.1 13.8 November 145 22.7 14.0 December 150 23.5 14.4

Organizations can employ a number of approaches for managing waiting lines. Besides training employees to be friendly and telling customers to come during less busy periods, list and briefly explain three additional tactics or approaches for reducing the perceived or psychological costs of waiting.  (Be sure to explain three different tactics or approaches, rather than multiple examples of the same tactic or approach.)

Why do waiting lines form even when there is more service capacity than the arriving demand?

Discuss the situation described below in terms of the concepts, terms and/or steps of Theory of Constraints.  The key thing is to answer the question as just stated, which means to use the concepts, terms and steps of Theory of Constraints in your discussion of the situation.  ACME Inc manufactures various parts for the aerospace industry. The parts must be manufactured to precise specifications and tested before they can be shipped to the customer organization. It was observed that many parts were typically waiting to be x-rayed to check for deficiencies and this step was holding up the process. To address this, ACME identified an x-ray station at another facility that could be used at low cost when needed to help meet demand. ACME also determined that some part types never experience the deficiencies that x-raying can detect. Consequently, ACME stopped sending those parts through x-ray. ACME also worked with their supply control department to change usual procedure — they repositioned a portion of the set-up and maintenance items used for the x-ray test station from out of the controlled storage room and placed them next to the x-ray station. This reduced the length of time needed to carry out periodic setups and maintenance of the x-ray station. As a result of these actions, ACME saw that parts were no longer experiencing noticeable waiting for the x-ray station, and instead were queueing before a specialized machining station.

Three companies have calculated their inventory turn metric of supply chain performance.   Company X has 25.6 turns  Company Y has 20.4 turns  Company Z has 15.2 turnsBased on this information, which company appears to have the best performance in terms of efficient inventory management?