Using Supply Chains to Create Value for Customers
Read this chapter. Think about the processes and key components involved such as costs, outsourcing, social responsibility, environment, planning, and inventory control. Watch the video clips for Who Ya Gonna Call and Amazon Fullfillment. Answer the review questions at the end of each section.
Sourcing and Procurement
Matching a Company's Sourcing Strategies with the Needs of Its Customers
Your customer should ultimately be the focus of any insourcing and outsourcing decision you make. After all, unless the product gets recycled, the customer is the last link in the supply chain. Not all customers have the same product and service requirements, though. It might be acceptable for a company that sells PCs to individual consumers to outsource its tech support, perhaps to a firm in India that can perform the function at lower cost. However, a company that buys an expensive, customized computer network is probably going to want to deal directly with the maker of the product if the network goes down - not another company in another country.
Similarly, if you're producing an expensive car for Ferrari-type buyers, purchasing bargain-basement-priced parts could leave your customers dissatisfied - especially if the parts fail and their cars break down. Conversely, if you're designing a low-end automobile, top-of-the-line parts could make it too expensive for low-end buyers. High-end car buyers are likely to demand better after-sales service than low-end car buyers, too.