1. Consider a company with a global presence that is manufacturing chemicals for other industries and household applications. The company wants to develop a new chemical product for industrial applications. The Engineering Manager in this company need to plan for this venture. Applying all the topics covered in this course or otherwise, explain in details all the steps that are involved in this planning. (Hint: You may need to consider the various activities such as: R&D, Manufacturing, Sales & Marketing and Finance/Accounting. You do not need to include any calculations.)
2. Explain the need to control "Knowledge" in any organization. Describe various areas of the knowledge that needs to be controlled. Consider an example of a business in an industry vertical other than IT/Computers, and describe how the "knowledge management" solution that would be required for their operations.
3. Calculate the EVA for a company for its recently completed fiscal year. Follow the following steps:
a. Look up any publicly traded company's (other than Apple) information on finance.yahoo.com that has positive net income last reported year (indicated by EPS or the income statement).
b. Get the necessary data from the financial statements. Clearly mention the obtained information. Assuming WACC = 12%, calculate the EVA for that year. Comment on your finding.
4. A company makes seasonal merchandises that are initially sold at premium prices at its retail stores. During the season it announces "sales" several times and reduces the prices by 10-20% each time. Finally, it sells the remaining products at 60-80% discounts at the end of the season and unsold products to the wholesalers. Explain the company's product marketing strategy. Do you think they can maximize their profits by adopting this strategy? Why or why not?
5. Flipkart is an Indian eCommerce giant. Describe the main advantages the Flipkart or similar eCommerce companies have over their Brick-and-Mortar (physical presence business) competitors. Describe 4-5 ways Flipkart may be pricing its products differently than these competitors.
6. Using a suitable example of a company, explain what is forward integration and backward integration.
7. Answer the following questions using suitable examples:
a. Describe how CRM software may be useful in developing customer loyalty?
b. Explain what is meant by "CRM/eCommerce allows Market segmentation to the level of individual customer. "
c. Describe how Inventory Management module, part of an ERP software, may be interfacing (i.e. used by) with different processes related to manufacturing and sales.