Chapter 01-Introduction to Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain1-1Chapter 1Introduction to Managing Operations Across the Supply ChainSuggested Answers to Discussion Questions1. ReviewFortunemagazine’s “Most Admired” American companies for 1959, 1979,1999, and the most current year. (The issue normallyappears in August each year.)Which companies have remained on the top throughout this period? Which ones havedisappeared? What do you think led to the survival or demise of these companies?The companies that have stayedon top throughout this period are General Electric, Southwest,Berkshire Hathaway, and Proctor and Gamble.UPS and Coca Cola were some of thecompanies that disappeared.The companies that were able to stay at the top of the list were theones able to deal with major changes in the industry easily.In order to stay afloat in hardertimes, they were managed by peoplewho understood operations management; they had awinning value proposition that was continually revitalized by the introduction of new productsand services.The companies that did not stay at the topunable to make the necessary changesso easily; perhaps theiroperationsmanagement was not at the caliber of the other companiesable to stay at the top of the list.2. Select two products that you have recently purchased; one should be a service and theother a manufactured good. Think about the process that you used to make the decisionto purchase each item. What product characteristics were most important to you? Whatoperational activities determine these characteristics?Preview Mode
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