CUSTOMER_CODE
SMUDE
DIVISION_CODE
SMUDE
EVENT_CODE
SMUAPR15
ASSESSMENT_CODE MB0044_SMUAPR15
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
9054
QUESTION_TEXT
Explain the needs and objectives of Supply Chain Management.
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
SCM is required by an enterprise as a tool to enhance management
effectiveness with the following organisational objectives:
a.Reduction of inventory
b.Enhancement of participation level and empowerment level (3
Marks)
c.Increase in functional effectiveness of existing systems like
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Accounting Software, and
Documentation such as Financial reports/ Statements/ISO 9000
Documents
d.Effective integration of multiple systems like ERP, communication
systems, documentation system and security
(5 Marks)
e.Design / Research & Development (R&D) systems
f.Better utilisation of resources like men, material, equipment, and
money
g.Optimization of money flow cycle within the organisation as well
as from external agencies
h.Enhancement of value of products, operations, and services. These
enhancements will consequently enhance the profitability of
organisation (7 Marks)
i.Enhancement of satisfaction level of customers and clients,
supporting institutions, statutory control agencies, suppliers and
vendors, employees and executives
j.Enhancement of flexibility in the organisation to help in easy
implementation of schemes involving modernization, expansion and
diversification – even divestments, mergers and acquisitions
k.Enhancement of coverage and accuracy of management
information systems(10 Marks)
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125790
QUESTION_TEXT
What are the principles of a SCM?
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
Seven principles of SCM are:
1.Group customer by needs: Effective SCM groups customers by
distinct service needs, regardless of industry and then tailors
services to those particular segments.
(1 mark)
2.Customise the logistics network: In designing their logistics
network, companies need to focus on the service requirement and
profit potential of the customer segments identified. (1 mark)
3.Listen to signals of market demand and plan accordingly: Sales and
operations planners must monitor the entire supply chain to
detect early warning signals of changing customer demand and
needs.
(2 marks)
4.Differentiate the product closer to the customer: Companies today
no longer can afford to stockpile inventory to compensate for
possible forecasting errors.
(2 marks)
5.Strategically manage the sources of supply: By working closely
with organisation’s key suppliers to reduce the overall costs of
owning materials and services, SCM maximises profit margins
both for organisations and their suppliers. (1 mark)
6.Develop a supply chain wide technology strategy: As one of the
cornerstones of successful SCM, information technology must be
able to support multiple levels of decision making.
(1 mark)
7.Adopt channel spanning performance measures: Excellent supply
chain performance measurement systems do more than just
monitor internal functions. (2 marks)
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125794
Explain the phases of Operational strategy?
QUESTION_TEXT
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
Phases of operational strategy:
1. Quality: Quality is the driving factor for any organization. When
buying a product, a customer will always think about the value of the
money he or she is investing. Even if the price of the product is high, the
quality of the product will provoke the customer to buy it. Typical
examples of companies focusing on quality are Amway, Coco–cola, Pepsi,
Tupperware, Sony, BMW, etc. Many Indian companies coming under Tata
group and automotive products manufactures like Maruti Suzuki, Rane
(Madras) have won awards for providing high quality products.
2. Time: Time aspect considers that deliveries are made on time to meet
the customers’ expectations. Time taken to develop and market new
products is becoming very critical in the global environment. To seek more
business, organizations should reduce the time taken for each factor
during operations. The organizations mainly focus on reducing the time for
the elements.
3. Flexibility: Flexibility enables a firm to meet the changing demands of
the customers in order to develop new processes and materials and to
make the organizations more agile in its manufacture. For example,
Photon Inc, a European computer component manufacture, produces
components which are not fixed to particular configurations.
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125798
QUESTION_TEXT
What is PERT? Explain the steps involved in PERT planning
process.
A PERT chart is a project management tool. It is used to schedule,
organize and co-ordinate tasks within a project. ( 1
mark)
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
1.
Identify the specific activities & mile stone (1.5 each )
2.
Determine the proper sequence of activity (1.5 each )
3.
Construct a network diagram (1.5 each )
4.
Estimate the term required for each activity(1.5 each )
5.
Determine the critical path (1.5 each )
6.
Update the PORT chart as the project process(1.5each )
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125799
What is the strategic importance of forecasting? What are the key
QUESTION_TEXT activities that are influenced by forecasting?
Human resources
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
4M
Typically, the number of persons required is a function of the
production output which, in turn, depends on demand forecasting.
Hence hiring, training, and laying off workers, all depend on the
anticipated demand. When fresh workers are hired anticipating a rise
in the demand, it is expected that they can quickly get into the
required job. However, training is required apart from developing
good relations with the existing workers. Similarly, if workers are
removed, it sets a demoralising atmosphere. Further, the removed
workers will spread the news, and the industry will suffer due to bad
reputation and poor image.
4.3.2 Capacity
3M
Capacity refers to the ability to meet the demand in terms of
resources and the preparedness on the part of the company. When the
demand pattern is well recognised and indicates a rise, the capacity
build up happens and ensures that there are no lost sales for want of
product. On the other hand, if the demand is showing a decline, it
signals a decrease in capacity. Thus, unnecessary investments are not
made. Both for capacity-lead and capacity-lag decisions, demand
forecasting is vital.
4.3.3 Supply chain management
3M
Supply chain management refers to all the activities that enable the
right product at the right place at the right price. Hence, demand
forecasting has to be done with utmost care to help identifying the
vendors, pricing choices, and material options. When the demand is
properly forecasted, it is easy to plan for the suppliers, logistics, and
other intermediaries to ensure the delivery of the product at the right
time.
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
159607
QUESTION_TEXT
Under operations management, explain the steps in implementation
of operations.
Estimating – Estimating gives the quantities to be made at each
workstation depending on the sales forecast, provision for buffer
stock, quantities bought out, services outsourced, likely shortfalls,
and others. It is made on the basis of capacity.
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
Routing – Routing determines the sequence of operations and the
machines that do them, so that work flow, as determined by the
processes, is smooth resulting in minimum inventory.
Scheduling – Scheduling is mainly concerned with allocating time
slots for different jobs. It specifies as to when the jobs start and end
at particular workstations. The purpose is to prevent the imbalances
among work centres and to utilise the labour hours in such a way
that established lead times are maintained.
Dispatching – Dispatching is concerned with moving of the
materials with tools, jigs, and fixtures to specific machines along
with the drawings and ensuring inspections at specific nodes, so that
the materials move in the supply chain.
Expediting – Expediting ensures that all the above are being done
properly. Reports are generated and any bottleneck that gets
created is removed.
(2 Marks each)