Case Study Questions SCM 479

Steven Brown

To prepare for weekly classroom discussion sessions, each student should answer these questions. For
the team case study analysis reports, formally answer the questions for your assigned case studies.
See the Schedule of Team Assignments for the case studies assigned to your team.

Comfort Class Transport:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. What are the most important dimensions of performance for this call center?
3. Describe the call center problems quantitatively; e.g., capacity utilization, abandonment rate,
and their apparent relationship.
4. Describe the call center problems qualitatively.
5. What is the financial cost to CCT of these call center performance problems? Do include
specifically the cost of the rate of abandoned calls.
6. What should Dani Syme do Monday when she comes to work? What should she do in the longer
term?

Bergerac Systems:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. Describe the business and operational challenges facing Bergerac Systems.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the GenieTech acquisition?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of developing in-house capabilities?
5. Should Bergerac “build” or “buy”? What quantitative evidence supports your recommendation?
6. What other advice would you offer Ian Wyckoff about his manufacturing operation?

FoldRite Furniture Company:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. What are Kelsey’s options? For each option:what are the financial implications, what is the
impact on lead time, and what is the risk?
3. What recommendation would you make to Kelsey? Be specific and provide support for your
recommendations.
4. Would you make different recommendations in a different economy or competitive
environment? Is company history a factor in the recommendation?

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 Case Study Questions SCM 479
Steven Brown

Scientific Glass Incorporated:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. How do the company’s problems illustrate the relationship between the number of warehouses
and inventory levels?
3. How much external funding will have to be raised in 2010 in order to finance operations?
4. What options are available for dealing with the inventory problems? What are the advantages
and disadvantages of each option?
5. What actions should Ava Beane propose to Eric Gregory and Melissa Hayes?

Nokia India

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. Take the position of Dhariwal in Nokia India: What is your role in a product recall situation? With
whom would you be communicating and coordinating to execute this role?
3. Assess Nokia India’s handling of the battery recall: What aspects of the recall do you think were
handled well? What aspects have room for improvement?
4. What recommendations would you make to Nokia India’s CEO and why?

Cisco Systems, Inc:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. What are the challenges and risks faced by technology companies in new product introduction?
3. What were the risks and benefits of using Chinese contract manufacturing from the start?
4. In selecting Foxconn and expanding its role in the supply chain, what were the potential risks
and values to Cisco?
5. What should Cisco do to mitigate these risks and ensure successful development and launch the
Viking router?

The Morrison Company:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. Identify and assess the operations problems occurring at the Morrison Company. Include a
detailed capacity analysis in your assessment.
3. Explain the differences between the production processes for the pharmaceutical product line
compared with those of the retail product line. Why are they different?
4. What recommendations would you offer Shauna Breen about how to address those issues? Be
specific about any policies or organizational changes you propose.

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 Case Study Questions SCM 479
Steven Brown

Orient Overseas Container Line:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. Describe OOCL’s industry and analyze its position in the shipping industry.
3. What challenges is the company facing and how should it respond to those challenges?
4. What would you recommend the CEO do for the next 5 years? What are the options he should
consider?
5. How should the company manage its succession plan?

VASA Pilkington:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. What problems did VASA CEO Garces Castiella face considering market conditions at the time?
3. What are the pros and cons of the alternatives for addressing VASA’s problems that the CEO was
considering?
4. CEO Garces Castiella has asked you to analyze the data available and provide him with the
evidence he needs to counter the transportation companies' claims that the delivery
performance problems were the fault of the customers and of VASA itself. Assuming that you
are VASA's supply chain manager, what does your analysis of the data point out on this matter?
5. What changes and improvements do you recommend?

Southeastern Mills:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. How do the 7 elements of the HPWP system at SEM reinforce one another and contribute to the
company’s success? What benefits do these elements add?
3. Do you recommend the company adds an “eighth element” to the system? If yes, prepare a
written description of the eighth element, similar to the descriptions on pages 2 and 3 of the
case study. If no, prepare a set of points arguing against adding an eighth element.
4. If the company decides to build and implement a more centralized process-improvement
management system, SEM has two basic options: deploying selected employees for certification
or hiring a consulting group. Which option do you recommend? Why?
5. If you recommend certification training in Q4, how should that be structured and managed? If
you recommend hiring a consultant group, what criteria should be used for selecting a
consultant?

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 Case Study Questions SCM 479
Steven Brown

University Hospital:

1. What is the main issue in this case study? Do not summarize the case study; tell me what you
think is the primary issue and why.
2. Who are the key stakeholders of University Hospital’s trauma care service? How are they
affected, positively or negatively, by the current design of the trauma care operation? Consider
the information offered in the case, but also other factors you believe are relevant.
3. Imagine that you, as the manager of Trauma Care, have been granted $15M to completely
repurpose an existing wing of the hospital in order to create a unit dedicated to trauma care.
The expectation is that the new design will lower the cost of care for the hospital, improve
clinical outcomes, shorten patients’ length of stay, and ideally also improve the working
conditions for those who deliver care. What type of staff, equipment, and other resources
would you co-locate within this Trauma Unit? What other resources would you consider ideal to
locate near (but not necessarily in) the Trauma Unit? Explain your answer.
4. Beyond relocating resources, what other changes will you need to make in the Trauma Unit and
its operation, and in the hospital in general, to ensure the new unit will function better than the
previous arrangement?
5. If you were to implement a major organizational change, such as the co-location of resources
dedicated to trauma, what challenges might you face? Consider operational, clinical, social
(workforce), and economic challenges for hospital management.

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