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Xerox has been developing and implementing knowledge management (KM) systems since 1996 and has continued to do so despite the company's hard times and KM's tarnished image following the dotcom bust. Xerox wagered that 'knowledge' was the natural, higher role for 'the document' in the workplace, and the bet is paying off. The case examines four KM projects: Eureka, its first and best knowledge management project; CodeX, the open- source software sharing platform; Angelo, the call-centre solution; and its consultancy, Xerox Connect.

The case illustrates the efforts of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) in the area of emergency response preparedness. It provides an anecdotal description of IFRC's failure in promptly responding to the 1998 Hurricane Mitch disaster that swept through Central America. It then proceeds in describing how the disaster triggered off IFRC's pilot initiative, the Pan-American Disaster Response Unit, as well as general awareness on the need to institutionalize preparedness by leveraging on five different "resources": people, knowledge, goods, money, and the humanitarian community.

Case (A) describes how a major player in the agricultural chemicals industry struggles to transform a fragmented group of newly acquired businesses into an integrated supply chain. The case highlights the firm's operational and organizational problems from the perspective of the European supply chain manager, whose primary objective is to streamline operations and cut costs.

The case briefly outlines the European strategy for a major player in the agricultural chemicals industry. This description provides the basis for developing a Balanced Scorecard program to help align the firm's European supply chain operations with the company's strategic goals.

The case by utilizing the example of the Gujarat earthquake, illustrates the role of The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) as a choreographer of disaster management and the nature of the supply chain - multiple, global, dynamic, and temporary - it coordinates. It describes the challenging context - high degree of uncertainty and limited authority, human and financial resources - in which it extends assistance to afflicted populations. The case reviews the organization's efforts to put in place a flexible and efficient logistics system that maximizes the contribution of each party.

Gold Seal Engineering Products Pvt. Ltd is an Indian, 44-year old second generation family firm, manufacturer of rubber and polymer extruded and moulded seals for the automobile industry. For more than three decades, the company grows undisturbed in a protected environment with limited foreign competition. In the early 1990s, with the liberalization of the automobile market and the passenger cars segment in particular, the company faces new market opportunities and challenges. The company views the arrival of a horde of automobile manufacturers and automotive component suppliers as a growth opportunity as well as a menace to its survival. The case describes the company's situation and reactions to the radical shift that takes place in its external environment.

The case is a follow-up to two companion cases, ""Jaguar comes to Halewood: The Story of a Turnaround"" and ""Supply Chain Design at Jaguar: Bringing ""Nirvana"" to Halewood"". It reviews the magnitude of the change programme (involving new work culture, workforce, processes, suppliers, and supply chain architecture) implemented by the newly-appointed management team at Halewood prior to the launch of a new Jaguar model, the X-Type. It illustrates the challenges faced by the company during ramp-up to full volume in a brand new, re-designed, revamped, and transformed plant catering to a premium market.

The case describes a complete, radical three-dimensional concurrent engineering design of the system for the Baby Jaguar production at Halewood (UK). It shows how product, supply chain and process design are integrated to provide a lean solution. A companion case focuses on the managerial, people and organisational issues of the change process.

The outsourcing of the logistics activities has recently been accelerating. While outsourcing offers great potential for cost savings for the manufacturer, the danger of customer service degradation should not be underestimated. The logistics service provider (3PL), on the other hand, should have flexible and efficient processes so as to achieve the service requirements of its client in a profitable fashion. The case provides an appropriate background to discuss ways to obtain a mutually beneficial contract in outsourced logistics services.

The outsourcing of the logistics activities has recently been accelerating. While outsourcing offers great potential for cost savings for the manufacturer, the danger of customer service degradation should not be underestimated. The logistics service provider (3PL), on the other hand, should have flexible and efficient processes so as to achieve the service requirements of its client in a profitable fashion. The case provides an appropriate background to discuss ways to obtain a mutually beneficial contract in outsourced logistics services.

The case describes how Sylvia Davey, HP, handles the product returns for the printer division. It discusses product returns from a holistic business perspective starting with what affects consumer returns and how to influence this. It then discusses the reverse logistics and remanufacturing issues. Finally, it looks into how to create markets for the ""as good as new"" remanufactured products.

The case describes the turnaround process of one of the worst car assembly plants in the world to a showcase plant ready to produce the new Baby Jaguar. It focuses on managerial, people and organizational issues. A companion case describes the product, process and supply chain changes in more detail.

Managers now know that knowledge is an organization's most vital competitive asset. But most are still struggling with practicalities. How can knowledge be leveraged into marketplace success in any organization? A new economy is emerging built on knowledge and innovation. At its center are knowledge workers, whose mission is not only to create a world of new products and services, but also rethink the larger purposes and day-to-day practices of the world of business. The case describes the efforts for effective knowledge management for one of the communities inside Xerox.