Project for Chapter 9
Choose either
Option A or Option B to submit through Class Moodle site on the Project 9
link.Â
Option A
An efficient and effective supply chain plays a major role in
the success of a multinational corporation (MNC). MNCs deal with a myriad of
issues, including quality of raw materials, scarcity of materials, the
locations where the materials’ ingredients or components are grown or
manufactured, and the counterfeiting of materials (especially in the
pharmaceutical industry). MNCs also face environmental challenges, such as
tsunamis in the Philippines, monsoons in Thailand, and volcanos in Indonesia.
Piracy and theft of intellectual properties are yet another set of issues that
MNCs must deal with. Because supply chains, in many cases, are outsourced and
subcontracted, controlling each point of the supply chain becomes a challenge.
Although IT cannot solve all of these problems, it can provide timely
information that executives in MNCs can use to quickly respond to any of these
issues. MNCs are using data warehouses and analytics to analyze, pinpoint, and
quickly deliver key information related to parts of the supply chain. RFIDs,
GPSs, and QR codes have significantly improved the efficiency of these supply
chains. Ports America, for example, uses optical character recognition cameras
to scan each container, RFID tags to match the contents with the trucks, and
GPS sensors to identify equipment locations and cargo movements. Computer
networks and the Internet have created unparalleled connections throughout the
world. Major logistics companies such as UPS and FedEx are using
state-of-the-art information technologies to efficiently deliver products and
services around the globe.
Answer the questions in a
two-page paper submitted through Class Moodle site on link Project 9.
1.
What are some of the challenges
that MNCs face as far as intellectual properties are concerned?
2.
What are some of the
environmental challenges MNCs face?
3.
How can information technology
assist with the counterfeit problem?
4.
How can information technology
assist with logistics?
OR
Option B
Like FedEx, UPS is a major player in global logistics.
After reading the information presented in this chapter and other sources,
write a two-page paper that describes three IT tools that UPS uses in its
global logistics. What are two differences between global logistics and
domestic logistics?
Answer the questions in a
two-page paper submitted through Class Moodle site on link Project 9.