Case studies

Discusses the structure of the Seven-Eleven Japan supply chain in terms of its facilities network, inventory management, distribution, and information.

To discuss how Seven-Eleven has made consistent supply chain choices to support its business strategy of providing convenience to customers. Points to how Seven-Eleven has used information and aggregation in transportation to improve supply chain responsiveness at a relatively low cost.

A toy retailer plans to order a new product from an untested supplier for the winter holiday season. This exercise provides an opportunity for students to construct a model to determine optimal order quantity when demand is not known. Profits are calculated based on wholesale pricing, revenue-sharing, profit-sharing, and buyback contracts.

Cutts Floral Distributors, founded in 2004 by Dave Lambe, was a floral wholesaler in Lincoln, Nebraska. The firm became a top wholesaler in the Lincoln area and had expanded its delivery range (all accessed by the company's hand delivery system) up to 100 miles outside of Lincoln. The company credited its success to the expertise of its founder, a professor of horticultural entrepreneurship, and to the company's commitment to customer service. Dave Lambe came to believe that Cutts had exhausted the local market and began looking for growth opportunities within driving distance. Proposed locations for expansion included Kansas City (MO/KS), Denver (CO), and St Joseph (MO). The case provides an in-depth look at Cutts, its competitive advantages, and strategy as the firm faced a critical decision, made more difficult by the uncertainties of the economic recession. This case encourages students to think critically in order to answer the case's central questions: “Should Cutts expand? If so, where?” The complexity of an expansion decision and the multitude of factors that may influence an entrepreneur's decision to expand are illustrated throughout the case.

Supply chain management and particularly the significance of vendors as a strategic decision making tool.

The case is suitable for use in the following courses: MBA programs with specialisation in operations management where it can be used to teach students the significance of vendor selection and vendor rating in supply chain management (SCM); marketing research in management where it can be used to highlight the concept of multi attribute utility theory (MAUT) and its application; advanced statistics for multi criteria decision making (MCDM); and MBA/post graduate programs in management in strategic management where it can be used to introduce the concept of SWOT analysis and Porter's five forces model. An understanding of business process improvement will enable students get a comprehensive view about the case.

This case showcases the concepts of MCDM and SCM in manufacturing industry. The company wanted to select vendors and rate them in each category of raw materials in order to have a competitive advantage over competitors. Since there are multiple attributes (often contradictory in nature) based on which the vendors would be selected Kaul, Vice-President, Commercial uses multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) to help solve the problem. The case has implications for manufacturing industry in selecting vendors to meet a raw materials need.

The case can be used to understand management concepts such as market research, supply chain management and multi criteria decision making. It can be used to: teach complexities involved in identifying attributes for vendor selection and vendor rating; help understand supply chain management in business process improvement; help students understand the application of MCDM; and help MBA students studying marketing research. The case will also be useful to students in understanding the application of MCDM in operations management. Some knowledge about cigarette manufacturing will help students to realize the depth of the case.

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This case provides useful material for discussion on topics such as sustainability, business continuity, corporate social responsibility and green IT.

The case could be used in different areas of business management such as general management, information systems and business strategy.

The case presents the progressive evolution of Infosys Limited from its beginnings through different stages of innovation and consolidation in the IT services industry. Senior executives at Infosys believe that the sustainability initiative at Infosys is not a new movement, but a logical extension of the company's long standing commitment to society and environment. Sustainability was a key agenda at Infosys and it was deeply ingrained in the company's ethos and the way in which it operated. The case also articulates the company's commitment to sustainability as evidenced by the involvement of the top management in providing leadership. From an academic standpoint the case provides pointers to look at how the IT services industry has responded to sustainability practices and how sustainability practices are different or similar across various firms.

The case can help students to answer the following questions: How is sustainability different from corporate social responsibility? What is the context in which Infosys' attention turned towards sustainability? How is top management involved in Infosys' sustainability initiative? What are the elements of Infosys' sustainability strategy? How does it build on its core strengths? What are the structural mechanisms the company has provided to implement its sustainability strategy? What internal challenges to change while implementing green solutions were foreseen and overcome by Infosys? How competitive is Infosys' sustainability practices with respect to its competitors? How does it help the company in competing in the market?

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Humanitarian logistics, aid response.

Master/advanced level; courses in: humanitarian logistics; port operations and management; supply chain management and logistics.

Recently, the humanitarian organization Global Food Aid (GFA) has received criticism for slow response to the on-going drought in East Africa. One of the reasons is the long lead times to transport and distribute food. Therefore, GFA has launched a project called “Strategic stock” where food will be pre-positioned in strategic locations around the world. Because of its importance as a gateway for East Africa, the Port of Mombasa has been selected as the pilot project. Headquarters of GFA has engaged a team of logistics and warehouse experts to plan, run and evaluate the pilot project in Mombasa.

Through this case, the students (who take on the role of the experts) will gain knowledge in a wide range of areas. First, they will gain a thorough insight to coordinating a port operation in one of the major ports in Africa. Second, the case increases the understanding of working with logistics in a humanitarian aid context. Third, the students will learn how to work with logistics both on a strategic level (planning the implementation of strategic stock) and on an operational level (handling the different events that occur throughout the case). There is also a learning element related to risk management.

Teaching notes are available.

Reverse logistics, environment, CSR.

Bachelor and Graduate students.

This case describes the role played by the company in linking various processes and taking the lead in the development of a unique “circular” flow of recycling activity which includes recovery, reuse and recycling schemes. Traditionally businesses were not held responsible for the product after use by the consumer. But, with growing stakeholder expectations in the area of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, businesses are more conscious about managing their social and environmental impacts. Today businesses are beginning to look at reverse logistics not only in terms of economic impacts but also environmental impacts. While consumers and other stakeholders want businesses to be more responsible in the way the product is produced such as to minimize waste production, the expectations have also changed to recovery of products after use in order to reduce cost and environmental impact of recycling. Businesses are becoming more responsible about collecting, reusing, refurbishing or dismantling used products to minimize environmental damage.

The case is significant for teachers and students of “environment management”, corporate social responsibility, “supply chain” and “the importance of networks”. It can be used to understand how reverse logistics helps to minimize waste.

Teaching notes.

Human resource management.

The case might be used in teaching International Management or Russian society at a Master's level, including MBA.

Quotas for the employment of disabled people exist in many countries, including Russia. Many companies in Russia, however, are “forced” to find “creative solutions” to avoid this quota. This attitude is caused not by the unwillingness of companies to support disabled people, but rather by their moral and technical unreadiness to do so. Using one example of a company providing freight services, the case illustrates this. The company is faced with additional challenges: it is a 100 percent subsidiary, dependant on its parent company in many respects – especially in financial matters.

Students: learn some informal practices (legislative norms and networks) in the Russian business context;, discuss how organizations are faced with informal practices and establish problem solving techniques; and receive some additional information on the business environment in Russia.

Teaching notes.

Operation and logistics.

Students and practitioners.

This case study analysis the logistical and operational issues that one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region is facing. The case provides a practical example of a company which positioned itself well to be a leading company. However, there are some inherent operational and logistical problems that hinder the company to reach its leading position. The first section of this case describes the company, its process and its operational problems. The second section is dedicated to the analysis of the operational capabilities and current key issues. The last section provides recommendations on how to improve the current operations and ways in which the improvements can be implemented, as well showing the benefits to the company based on the theoretical and practical frameworks.

Understand how operational issues affect company performance.

Analyse the effect that poor operational process can have on the overall company business.

Evaluate alternatives for process modifications.

Create plans for process improvements and assess its operational and logistical implications.

Teaching notes.