TUTORIAL-2
1. How might Dell use each of the five basic SCM components?
The five basic SCM components that dell uses are:
 Plan: a company should have plan to manage tasks and fulfil the customers’
requirements. Dell plan how to handle its supply chain – efficiently or effectively
 Source: company should have the good suppliers and partners so that business runs
successfully. Dell chooses its partners and suppliers carefully so that business runs
successfully.
 Make: in this step company manufactures the products. Dell should manufacture
highest quality products.
 Deliver: in this step company gets order and customer should be satisfied with the
product we delivered and it should be done in time limit. Here dell gets some issues
as it does not have any distributors to deliver its products.
 Return: if the product is delivered company should have distributors to check it out
for the customers. As dell does not have any distributors it should make the return
process as easy as possible for the customers.
2. How has Dell influenced visibility, consumer behaviour, competition, and speed
through the use of IT in its supply chain?
Dell holds much time of inventory in its supply chain which tells about visibility. It should
note the consumer behavior to ensure that it can meet customer demands. Dell is one of the
fasted companies due to information technology. Dell’s competition is working hard to
catch-up success in business.
1. Did Apple gain a competitive advantage from its decision to invest in an online music
business?
Yes Apple gained a competitive advantage from its decision to invest in an online music
business which is an iTunes store. Even though there are many mp3 players Apple got
clicked for its brand name.
2. How can Apple use environmental scanning to gain business intelligence?
Apple can use environmental scanning to gain business intelligence by frequently tracking
their customers and the use of their products through online data bases. Also it can be done
through recording the feedback of the customers.
3. Using Porter’s Five Force Model, analyse Apple’s buyer power and supplier power.
Porters five force model analyse apple’s
Buyer power as: we know that Apple is brand where it has more demand in the market.
Buyer find that there are no substitutes for its products , but uniqueness of the product
makes it profitable.
Supplier power as: Apple manufactures quality products with equal manufacturers with
equal product value. Thus it is able to maintain high supplier power.
4. Which of the three generic strategies is Apple following?
Apple follows focused strategy because it concentrates on differentiation task. It wants to
be different from other products and thus introduced new technology for music.
5. Which of Porter’s Five Forces did Apple address through its introduction of the
iPhone?
By introducing iPhone Apple decreased the buyer power and increased its own supplier
power. It will remain same until other product is introduced by other companies with same
features which in turn increases buyer power and decrease supplier power