Question 1:
Productivity is a universal measure of corporate and national competitiveness. According to Friedman, globalization has had an immense impact on the business environment in that it has leveled the playing field, making the world essentially flat.
- What have been the implications of globalization for corporate productivity in developing countries? Has there been an impact on the major developed countries such as the United States and the European Union too? Hint: Research the globalization trends in developed countries to include outsourcing as a strategy to help determine if there are any implications for productivity.
- An effective operations and supply strategy must be integrated with the organization’s corporate strategy. Is the concept of outsourcing a form of corporate strategy or does it simply focus on the short-term bottom line? Defend your position.
- Researched and analyzed the implications of globalization for corporate productivity in developing as well as developed countries.
- Identified and debated their position on whether the concept of outsourcing is a form of corporate strategy or if it simply focuses on the short-term bottom line.
QUESTION 2
Week 1: Iceland Experienced An Epic Volcanic Eruption
In 2010, Iceland experienced an epic volcanic eruption. From a supply chain and operations management chain perspective, what were the implications for global supply chains? Should planning for future events such as this impact the strategy of the company? Support your position based on your research.
Evaluation Criteria:
The students should have:
- Analyzed and described the implications of the volcanic eruption for global supply chains.
- Evaluated and justified whether planning for future events such as natural catastrophes impact the strategy of the company using research.
QUESTION 3
Week 1: The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century
Thomas Friedman in his best selling 2005 (with updates in 2006 and 2007) book, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,argues that globalization has fundamentally changed the environment in which firms and even whole countries must compete. By “flat” he means that the playing field is essentially level; work that was once the province of one country can now easily be done in many places around the world. He notes that over 400,000 US tax returns were prepared in India in 2005 or that many companies have outsourced customer services to Ireland and India.
Other challenges in the business environment include technological change, increasing use of the Internet to move information and conduct business (E commerce), changing demographics in the workforce, global climate change, and increased litigation. Organizations must be aware of these trends and be sufficiently flexible to adapt to the changes as required.
- Friedman suggests that the world is flat because of automation and supply chain globalization. Do you agree with Friedman regarding the world becoming “flat?” Why or why not?
- Work that was once the province of one country can now easily be done in many places around the world. What challenges do you think this has thrown to the fundamental operations that get the product from the manufacturing plant and warehouses to the customer? Please provide reasoning for your answers.
- The Friedman’s text states that “At the most fundamental level, operations and supply management is about getting the day-to-day work done quickly, efficiently, without errors, and at low cost.” How do you think companies can be sufficiently flexible to adapt their supply chain operations to the technological change as required?
Evaluation Criteria:
The students should have:
- Stated and justified their position on Friedman’s claim regarding the world becoming flat.
- Critically analyzed and described the challenges thrown to the fundamental operations to get the product from the manufacturing plant and warehouses to the customer due to increasing delocalization of work.
- Discussed and explained how companies can be sufficiently flexible to adapt their supply chain operations to the technological change as required.
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