NMIMS Sem 4 December 2024 Supply chain Assignments
Business: Ethics, Governance & Risk
Q1. “Business should conduct and govern themselves with integrity, and in a manner that is ethical, transparent and accountable” (Principle 1). Prepare an executive summary (in your own words) based on the disclosures given under Essential Indicators and Leadership Indicators, to showcase how the company is delivering on this principle from the Business Responsibility & Sustainability Report – 2023-24 (BRSR) of a company of your choice. You will find this report under Director’s Report section. Please select any ONE company that is listed as Large Cap. For this selection you must refer to the NSE’s Nifty 50 list by market cap. It is required that you include the name of the company in the brief introduction at the beginning. You must also go through the website of the company as well as its sustainability report, if available in public domain for relevant information on Principle 1. DO NOT copy paste.
Q2. Go through the ‘Management Discussion & Analysis’ section under the Director’s Report in the annual report (FY2023-24) of the company selected in question1 and prepare an executive summary (in your own words) on the following two topics:
Opportunities and threat
Internal control systems & their adequacy
You must mention the name of the company. DO NOT copy paste.
Q3. As Head of Sales in a medium size consumer durables company selling cooling systems and air conditioners you have just bagged a Rs 75 lac worth of order from an out-of-town company, (their first order with you). The purchase executive of the client company agrees to confirm the order on the condition that you will agree to pay for his and his wife’s travel and stay in your city, while visiting your office for finalizing and signing of the contract.
3a. What do you think are the ethical dilemmas involved in this scenario?
3b. Describe the process you will adopt to resolve the dilemmas in this scenario?
Research Methodology
Q1. Samsung mobile phones have been facing a significant decline in market share over the past one year in India, despite the growing overall demand for Mobile Phones. The company’s sales have decreased by 12%, while competitors have seen a growth of 18% in the same period. This decline is affecting the company’s profitability and brand position in the market. This decline is occurring despite an overall increase in industry demand. The problem impacts the company’s profitability, brand strength, and market position. Which type of research study is above and what can be the research questions for this study? Explain which research design you will follow and why?
Q2. You are working in the HR department of Havells India; who have 15 state-of-the- art manufacturing plants spread across 8 locations in India. You have to study the relationship of Annual Increment (three levels 5%, 8% and 10%) and employee productivity (in units). Explain the design of experiment, independent, dependent and extraneous variable (assume any) for the study. What can be the potential threat to internal and external validity in this experiment?
Q3. In recent years, the financial landscape has witnessed significant transformations driven by advances in technology and the widespread adoption of online banking platforms. The emergence of online banking has revolutionized the way consumers engage with banks. With the increasing adoption of digital banking channels, it is crucial to assess how traditional banking methods are affected in terms of customer behavior, service demand, Trust, Security, operational adjustments and the response to the socio-demography of consumers.
a. Develop a comprehensive research plan to compare customer satisfaction and service efficiency between online and offline banking.
b. Develop a Structured questionnaire for this study.
World class operations
1. Ananth Vijay has just joined as the GM – Maintenance at Sawhney Engineering, a leading Electrical Equipment Manufacturer. Vijay is worried that there is no formal Maintenance Program in place. As such, he has been evangelizing the concept of RAM across the entire Manufacturing Process.
Describe the components of RAM, and how they are the three important pillars of a
WCM’s Maintenance Strategy.
Why is this important for both Sethi Engineering and as well, for their clients, in the products which they purchase?
World Class Manufacturers (WCMs) in diverse sectors such as Automotive (Toyota, Honda, Ford), CPG/F&B (Coca-Cola, Pepsico, P&G, Unilever), etc., are highly reputed for their unflinching commitment to Quality – specifically Total Productive Management (TPM).
Describe the key concepts of TPM.
Discuss any two (2) of the Pillars of TPM.
3a. Quality Awards are not only about rewarding organizations but also about recognizing the importance of quality in the business. These awards are often used as a tool to raise awareness among both Employees and as well, Customers about the importance of quality. They also help to improve Customer Satisfaction and Employee Morale. Discuss the difference between Regional and International Awards.
3b. Describe the Deming Prize and its Evaluation Criteria.
International logistics & Supply chain management
1. An Indian manufacturer of ready-to-eat snacks is already having a pan-India distribution network. They are planning its international expansion by way of exports. It has identified the UAE as the first foreign market to start with. Explain the factors the manufacturer should consider while formulating its supply chain strategy for exporting to the UAE market and suggest an appropriate strategy for the same.
2. “THE PROS” brand follows a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model for sourcing & selling customized sports apparels for men & women. With competition from similar other D2C companies, “THE PROS” is looking to differentiate itself from the others based on its delivery experience. It is also looking at a superior delivery experience to provide it a source of competitive advantage. Explain, with reasons, the choice between in-house & outsourcing of logistics for “THE PROS” to achieve its twin objectives.
3. An international Eyewear brand is interested in setting up its first India operations by importing & selling its product range comprising of premium range of glasses, lenses, & frames through both the distributor as well as retail channel.
a. Discuss the various requirements & the procedure to be followed for importing the products in the Indian market.
b. Discuss the requirements of warehousing in India for the distributor channel for the Eyewear brand? Would these be any different for the retail channel? Suggest the suitable type (or types) of warehouse.
Advanced Supply Chain Management
Q1. A survey of global corporate executives (Cohen et al. 2018) found that supply chain design requires a balancing act among multiple objectives and risks, requiring careful consideration of several factors. Discuss the factors that an organisation needs to consider for designing a global supply chain network.
Q2. Pure Jal, a manufacturer of household water purifiers, projects sales of around 70 units per month for the coming year. The company’s purchase department has an estimated annual overhead of Rs 100,000. Additionally, Pure Jal incurs a holding cost of Rs 4 per unit per year for each item in inventory. The purchase department releases approximately 1000 purchase orders annually. One of the most expensive components of the water filter is the UV unit, which costs Rs 2000 each. To stay competitive, Pure Jal is under significant pressure to minimize its inventory costs. Given that one UV unit is required per water filter, what should be their optimum ordering quantity for UV and the expected total inventory cost?
Q.3. JJ Apparel specializes in the manufacture and sale of ready-made clothing, primarily focusing on designer dresses and sportswear. With a global network of sales agents responsible for their respective geographic regions, the company boasts a well-connected supply chain. This is further enhanced by a global information system that enables JJ Apparel to swiftly identify and respond to market trends. However, the company is currently facing intense pressure to continually enhance its supply chain performance in order to maintain its competitive edge. To address this challenge, JJ Apparel is now seeking to implement supply chain restructuring, aiming to optimize its operations and stay ahead in the industry.
a. How will you explain JJ Apparel the approaches they need to adopt in making changes in some of the dimensions of their Supply chain for the restructuring process?
b. What will be JJ Apparel’s advantages and limitations in implementing postpone strategy?
