1. Describe the parts of the Dell supply chain, if any, that are push and pull.  If both exist, what would be characteristics in the real process that would let you identify the boundary between the two?

2. Read the paper by Ramachandran et al.  Then think about a construction project and, based on the information in your textbook and this paper, discuss the pros and cons of each of the following arrangements  Use specific ideas associated with push and pull and the dynamic performance as you can.  (When I mention runners going to a laydown area, assume that material handling devices are available to move the needed part and that just enough lead time has been allotted to get the part to the work area when it is needed.)

a) Items are ordered based on a forecast with very conservative lead times and delivered to the warehouse and laydown area, both of which are located on one end of a large site.  Items are delivered to the work-faces based on a weekly forecast that is updated over the weekend and available every Monday morning.

b) Items are again ordered based on a forecast with very conservative lead times and delivered to the warehouse and laydown area, both of which are located on one end of a large site.  Now, however, there are runners who make circuits throughout the site visiting each workface at least once per hour collecting kanban cards for materials needed at that workface.

c) Items are ordered based on a forecast with very conservative lead times but now delivered to a large and well organized off-site warehouse/laydown area complex.  There is a much smaller warehouse near the center of the site and several staging areas throughout the site that can be used as small laydown areas.  Items are ordered as before and delivered to the off-site facilities.  Runners operate as in part b) from the workfaces to the warehouse and staging areas.  In this case, a truck or trucks replenish the on-site warehouse and staging areas every 4 hours based on what this warehouse and the staging areas need.