Supply Chain Trade-Off Assessment

Once upon a time, in a land far away, Dell held very little inventory. A computer was not built until it was ordered. This was a highly centralized supply chain operation. By contrast, Wal-Mart has a highly decentralized supply chain, with regional warehouses from which store managers select specific items to stock.

Required Elements of the Supply Chain Trade-Off Assessment:

• Choose an organization that is neither Dell nor Wal-Mart;

• Do you best to determine how its supply chain operates by defining the nature of its separate functions (For example, purchasing, inventory management, transportation, or customer service);

• Explain your reasoning as to which functions in the organization's supply chain should be centralized, and which should be decentralized.