Business Purchasing and Supply Management

Part I:

Discussion 1: Make or Buy and Sourcing. Students will respond to the following:

1.Imagine that the hamburger giant MacDonald¡¦s desires to reduce the cost of hamburger or potato supplies. Explain pros and cons of each consideration: make or buy, subcontracting and outsourcing.

2.Reason how each consideration would alter the overall structure of the organization.

3.State one (1) recommendation based on the above pros and cons of each consideration, and discuss the overall impact of your recommendation to the structure of the organization.

Discussion 2: Needs Analysis ¡V Case 6-3 Carson Manor. Students will respond to the following:

1.Suggest what and how Ms. Elaine Taylor can do to increase her and her staff¡¦s knowledge in procuring management consulting services.

2.Contrast and compare the three (3) proposals reviewed, summarized, and shown by Ms. Elaine Taylor in the case.

3.Explain which one (1) of the three (3) management consulting services you would suggest Ms. Elaine Taylor to recommend to the City Administrator.

Part II:

Discussion 1: Case : The Power Line Poles. Students will respond to the following:

1.Discuss the bidding procedure.

2.Discuss and explain whether you agree or disagree with the final decision in this case.

3.Determine to what degree you would insist on the utmost high quality, knowing that this pursuit impacts costs significantly. State your rationale.

Discussion 2: Quantity. Students will respond to the following:

1.Being a small-business owner such as a custom framing store, a restaurant, a garage, or a specific small local business of your choice, apply the basic supply management principles to the acquisition of services.

2.Discuss the trade-offs of quantity, quality, and cost in a small business such as a custom framing store, a restaurant, a garage, or a specific small local business of your pick.

3.Planning systems such as MRP and CRP might be overkills for a small-business owner. Devise a simplified version of an MRP and/or CRP such as a supply planning chart or a supply planning template for a small local business. A local small business could be a custom framing store, a restaurant, a garage, or a specific small local business of your pick.

Part III:

Discussion 1: Delivery. Students will respond to the following:

1.Identify the deployment of delivery logistics of a computer software business, an automotive manufacturer, and a management consulting firm.

2.Explain the key issues when deciding how a management consulting service is delivered.

3.Describe the continuous development of skills, knowledge, and experience of a professional in supply and purchasing specifically in making decisions on quality, quantity, inventory, and delivery.

Discussion 2: Penner Medical Products. Students will respond to the following:

1.Articulate in one to two (1 to 2) sentences Neil's problem from your perspective. Supply evidence from the case to support your statement.

2.Create and then prioritize a list of issues that Neil must tackle and would be nice if he could tackle. Identify the issues using these two labels (must and nice to).

3.Recommend an ideal action Neil can take and a likely action Neil will have to take. Provide evidence to back up your recommendations.4.Discuss whether or not Neil should consider initiating a penalty against Stinson Distribution Company in upcoming contract talks. Thoroughly explore the pros and cons.

Part IV:

Discussion 1: Price. Students will respond to the following:

1.Explain what would you do when your longtime supplier will not lower its current prices. Assume that this supplier provides the best product/material that you need.

2.Discuss when you would always select suppliers/bidders based on price. Assume that all bidders are similar in quality and services, why and why not?3.Describe how one can engage a supplier in a negotiation with a price expectation. Relate your experience in purchasing a car, for example. Provide at least two (2) scenarios to your explanation.

Discussion 2: Cost Management. Students will respond to the following:

1.Describe three (3) key concepts you consider most important in the total cost of ownership.

2.Describe how price discounting would influence the understanding of purchasing as a profit center.

3.Explain what and how a small business can apply and benefit from the strategic cost management. Give at least two (2) examples.

4.Describe one (1) of your business negotiation experiences. Explain how your negotiation impacted directly and/or indirectly to the profit and/or the expense of your company or organization. If you do not have business negotiation experience, describe one (1) business negotiation experience you observed or learned about.

Part V:

Discussion 1: Supplier Selection. Students will respond to the following:From your perspective, list and then explain the top three (3) criteria for selecting a food supplier for a hamburger restaurant in your state.

1.Use the Identification of Potential Sources a New Need/Requirement model in Chapter 12 and select a food supplier for ten (10) hamburger restaurants of your choice in your state. Describe and give reasons in your own words to.

2."Can We Make In-House?"

3."Can a Current Supplier Meet?"

4."Can We Use Supplier Development to Create Supplier?"

Discussion 2: Suppliers. Students will respond to the following:

1.Discuss three (3) legal and three (3) ethical considerations that you deem most important to your company or organization when forming a strategic alliance with a supplier.

2.Explain which one (1) of the evaluation methods in Chapter 13 is most appropriate to use by a small business. State your rationale.

3.Describe the strategic technology-based alliances of Amazon or Dell Computer eStore, and describe the competitive advantage to both and/or multiple businesses of the alliance.

Part VI:

Discussion 1: Global Suppliers. Students will respond to the following:

1.Describe how organizations can overcome the geographic, cultural, and language challenges when seeking potential overseas suppliers. Give specific examples.

2.Decide how organizations can instill the same ethical standards in overseas suppliers, especially Asian suppliers.

3.Explain what other two (2) assessments, in addition to what is published in the Global Competitiveness Report, you might need to determine the risks and opportunities of an overseas supplier for your company or organization or institution. Expand on the value add of these two (2) assessments.

Part VII:

Discussion 1: Ross Wood. Students will respond to the following:

1.Describe and explain the pros and cons of subcontracting logistics for a building or moving enterprise.

2.Provide recommendations to Claude Dakin in Case 16-1:3.Explain, in addition to Ross Wood's reason, why taking over the responsibility for accounts payable might be the only way.4.Describe an alternative way and provide a rationale.

Discussion 2: Trends. Students will respond to the following:

1.In addition to joining a professional organization, discuss other actions you could take to keep yourself informed of the changes in the field of purchasing and supply management. Provide at least three (3) actions.

2.Speculate on the future trends that will impact purchasing and supply management in the year 2020.

VIII:

Discussion 1: Summary. Students will respond to the following:

1.Imagine you are at a party where you have to describe what purchasing and supply management is all about. Provide a brief summary to your fellow party-goers.

2.Persuade a fellow business major why taking this course is in their best interest. What would you say to be persuasive?

Discussion 2: Course Wrap Up. Students will respond to the following:

1.Describe what elements are most valuable to your learning in this course such as reading the textbook, listening to lectures, discussions, writing papers, etc.

2.Describe what you remember most about this course.