個案總覽

Moore Medical is a medium-sized distributor of medical supplies to practitioners, such as podiatrists and emergency medical technicians. At the time of the case, it has relied on traditional customer channels such as catalogs, phones, and faxes to communicate product offerings, promotions, and availability, and to take orders. It is now attempting to shift to a "bricks and clicks" distributor with a strong Internet presence. It has already made substantial investments in an e-commerce Web site and in "back office" ERP software to improve the fulfillment performance of its four distribution centers. The ERP software has not lived up to expectations in all areas, and the company must decide whether to invest in more modules for this system that might address its shortcomings. It must also decide whether to make a significant additional investment in customer relationship management software.

The eSupplyChain group has been recently formed with Quantum Corp.'s Hard Disk Drive Group to evaluate Internet/IT-based approaches to improving supply chain performance. The Hard Disk Drive Group has endured several quarters of poor financial performance and has already embarked on a number of supply chain initiatives. The eSupplyChain group has been tasked with extending these and with understanding how to take advantage of eHITEX, a Web-based exchange just founded by a group of high-tech manufacturers, including Quantum. Quantum and the eSupplyChain group must decide which initiatives to pursue, and how to work with all involved stakeholders, both internal and external, to execute them successfully. The case also highlights the role of IT platforms both within and outside the firm.