Category: Management

➤ Why is it important to measure supplier performance when studying digital supply chain impact?
Measuring performance provides quantitative evidence for hypotheses and theoretical claims. Clear KPIs—such as delivery reliability, quality, cost, and responsiveness—allow researchers to test causality, assess ROI, compare pre- and post-adoption outcomes, and inform managerial decisions about technology investment and supplier development programs.

➤ When does the system become unstable and what does utilization ρ indicate?
The system is stable only when ρ = λ/μ < 1. If λ ≥ μ, arrivals meet or exceed service capacity and the queue grows without bound. For this case λ = 10 and μ = 12, so ρ ≈ 0.833, which is stable. Keeping ρ well below 1 reduces long waits and high costs.

Study the following project-spending plan in Question 2 and calculate the following (indicate theactual calculations in full):
1. Cash Flow for Task b
2. Total BCWP
3. CVAR/CV for Task a
4. BCWP – ACWP for Task c
5. BCWP for Task d
6. Total ACWP
7. Total CVAR/CV
8. Total BCWP – Total cash flow

QUESTION 2
Re-draw the project spending plan and fill-in the missing values.

PROJECT SPENDING PLAN

PROJECT NAME : HOSTING OF THE LAUNCH OF A COMMUNITY CITIZEN PARTICIPATION FORUM IN CARLETONVILLE FROM 10 – 14 JUNE 2024
START DATE : 3 MARCH 2024
PROJECT DURATION : 5 MONTHS
CURRENT DATE : 3 FEBRUARY 2024
CURRENT PROJECT BUDGET : R300 000

ACTIVITY/TASK COMPLETION DATE SCHEDULEDBUDGETED AMOUNT(BCWP)CASHFLOWACTUALCOST(ACWP)COSTVARIANCE(CVAR/CV)
Task a 31/3/2024 R87 000.00 ??? R93 000 -R6 000
Task b 30/4/2024 ??? R48 000 R48 000 -R3 000
Task c 30/5/2024 R78 000 ??? R78 000 ???
Task d 30/6/2024 R90 000 R84 000 ??? R6 000
TOTAL 30/7/2024 ??? ??? ??? ???

Jerry is thinking of opening a bicycle shop in his hometown. Jerry can open a small shop, a large shop, or no shop at all. The profits will depend on the size of the shop and whether the market is favorable or unfavorable for his products. There is a 50-50 chance that the market is favorable.If Jerry builds a large bicycle shop, then he will earn $60,000 if the market is favorable. If the market is unfavorable, then he will lose $40,000.If Jerry builds a small bicycle shop, then he will earn $30,000 if the market is favorable. If the market is unfavorable, then he will lose $10,000.Jerry can hire his old marketing professor for $5,000 for the marketing research/study.There is a 0.6 probability that the research is favorable. There is a 0.9 probability that the market will be favorable given a favorable outcome from the study. There is only a 0.12 probability of a favorable market if the study is not favorable.What is the optimal strategy?

Imagine a medium-sized manufacturing company, Widgets Inc., that specialises in producing electronic gadgets. One of their most popular products, a smartphone, requires a specialised microchip component for its operation. Widgets Inc. has been producing this microchip internally for several years, but recently they have encountered a series of challenges. Due to rapid technological advancements, the microchip design needs frequent updates to remain competitive in the market. Additionally, maintaining the equipment and expertise necessary for microchip production has become increasingly costly. QUESTION 2 Considering the scenario of Widgets Inc., a medium-sized manufacturing company specialising in electronic gadgets, discuss approaches to job design that could address the challenges faced in producing specialised microchips internally.

Ed and his friend Dex have developed a new condiment, “Edex Hot Sauce,” that they are selling in local grocery stores. The idea and culinary talent mostly belong to Ed, but they agree to make the product using Dex’s equipment in his kitchen. They agree that with respect to Edex Hot Sauce, they are “all for one and one for all.” Dex does not know that his friend Ed is addicted to Un-yans, an artificial onion-ring-shaped snack that he eats so compulsively that his unpaid tab at Big Bob’s Qwik-E Mart is now $1,000. Big Bob himself confronted Dex at Dex’s workplace, the kitchen, where the Edex Hot Sauce is made. Bob insisted that since he had been unable to find Ed, Dex must pay the debt. Despite the name of his store, Bob isn’t big. He’s under 5 feet tall. But he makes a big threat: if Ed won’t pay, he’ll sue.
Ed and Dex’s relationship is best described as
Group of answer choices
an agency, but not a partnership.
contractual only.

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, Inc., is prescribing new policies and operating procedures to aid management’s task of implementing strategy. Of the following, what would be the least likely justification for any new policy or procedure?
Doing so provides top-down guidance to operating managers, supervisory personnel, and employees regarding how to alter past practice and how things need to be done now.
Doing so may counteract tendencies for some people to resist change-most people refrain from violating company policy or going against recommended practices and procedures without first gaining clearance or having strong justification.
Doing so promotes the creation of a can-do work climate that facilitates good strategy execution.
Doing so helps to build employee commitment to adopting best practices and using the tools of TQM and Six Sigma.
Doing so helps to enforce consistency in how particular activities are performed.