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A partner and owner of the Sunset Grill at Blue Mountain in the ski village at Blue Mountain, Ontario, had very mixed emotions. The restaurant had just finished its first year of operation and had broken even, and had been named as the Business of the Year in the counties of Simcoe and Grey. Yet the owner knew that operations were still far from perfect. Queues of waiting customers were very long, food orders were delivered slowly, and tensions were rising. What could be done to improve the situation?

In recent years IT professionals have been onshoring service work to low-cost American or European cities. But this can be problematic because of labor shortages, rising wages, and other pitfalls. Companies should take three steps to ensure the success of their IT onshoring: They must choose the location wisely, making sure they're the first company to move in and that the location has the talent they need; they should onshore only work that is restricted or requires special skills or knowledge of legacy systems; and they should minimize wage pressures by keeping employees fully engaged and attending to their professional growth.

Louise Murray, Vice-President of Tour Planning and Partnerships at Cirque du Soleil, has been informed that the company has received two unsolicited partnership proposals to present a show in Istanbul, Turkey. Both offers are serious and the projects are potentially interesting. The first offer comes from a government agency in partnership with the City of Istanbul, while the second was submitted by a leading Turkish media group. Louise Murray must now decide on the suitability of this destination and analyze the proposals themselves. She also has to assess the different scenarios for inserting this destination in Cirque's planning horizon and choose the best one. The choice of work and the type of partnership agreement to be negotiated with the potential promoter must also be decided. The tight deadlines imposed by the proposals are an opportunity for Louise to make a critical assessment of the flexibility of the planning process, which she has been working to standardize over the past few years. The case thus encourages a broader reflection on the delicate balance between flexibility and standardization in the context of an organization that still has a strong circus culture. As such, the case is an opportunity to reflect on the organization of the planning process and to propose improvements.

Henry Silva, a soon-to-be Columbia MBA graduate and aspiring change agent, wrestled with the decision about whether to join New Power LLC, an innovative start-up energy company, as the director of special projects. In this new capacity, he would be responsible for the transformation of the company culture with the goal of creating a more dynamic and productive work environment. What steps would be necessary to win over employees and to implement a successful change agenda?

PCL is a leading European consumer electronics, lifestyle and healthcare company that has been operating in the Chinese market since 1995. While its consumer electronics business has grown quickly in China, it has discovered that the costs of returned goods in its TV division equal 5% of its sales. Even more worrying is that 37% of the products returned are of good quality and have been returned without good reason. PCL has set up taskforces to study and remedy the situation and has uncovered a more serious problem within the organisation: control measures designed to handle returns have simply not been executed by its staff and third-party after-sales service centres. What can PCL do to ensure enforcement of company policies in the future?

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. Chapter 1 introduces the basics of supply chain management, the key processes involved, and the various types of information systems available to support these processes, including Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), Advanced Planning Systems (APS), and Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP). The chapter emphasizes ERP, its history and objectives, pros and cons, and reasons for implementation. Online marketplace software is also briefly discussed.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. Chapter 2 discusses in more detail the key supply chain process of Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) and its relationship to the Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP) systems. Software options, or modules, of ERP systems and their relative uses are discussed, and the MRP system is examined through a detailed example. The relationship between Advanced Planning Systems (APS) modules and ERP is briefly discussed and a case study is included to highlight some of what an APS does and how it can enable better management of a supply chain.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. In Chapter 3 the author discusses optional forms of supply chain information system software, or modules, in greater detail. Other topics include: outsourcing supply chain management software, open-source supply chain software, and a comparison of various supply chain management software sources. The chapter is concluded with a case study of a small organization's experience in obtaining inexpensive software support for their made-to-order planning operation.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of rapidly growing computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. Chapter 4 explores the relationship between business process reengineering (BPR) -- an approach to redesigning the way a firm operates with the goal of maximizing its value-added inputs - and supply chain management software solutions. Key concepts and best practices are discussed. Two basic methods of implementing BPR are examined: clean-slate reengineering and technology-enabled reengineering. The chapter concludes with a case study demonstrating the role of BRP in extensive software implementations.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of rapidly growing computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. Chapter 5 examines the costs that arise when implementing supply chain management (SCM) software and demonstrates the methods used to evaluate SCM software proposals, including: cost-benefit analysis, net present value calculation, payback, sensitivity analysis, value analysis, and the SMART analysis for multiple criteria decision analyses.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of rapidly growing computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. In Chapter 6 the author presents issues in implementing Supply Chain Management (SCM) software systems along with a demonstration of project management in the SCM software context. Topics include: approaches to the implementation process, installation project risk, software alternatives for project management, and critical path models of SCM software options. The chapter concludes with a case study demonstrating some of the difficulties encountered in implementing software projects within organizations.

Supply Chain Information Technology is a seven-chapter book written by David L. Olson, the James & H.K. Stuart Professor in Management Information Systems and Chancellor's Professor at the University of Nebraska, and published by Business Expert Press in January of 2011. Written for both students of and business professionals in the supply chain management field, the text examines the influence of rapidly growing computer technology systems on supply chain management and how these systems provide supply chains with information support. In addition to surveying the systems available that are used by business to give supply chains this information system support, the author demonstrates the design of these systems, and the tasks they perform, with the help of analytic techniques and models. The seventh and final chapter discusses three issues related to current events in enterprise systems: the importance of training in obtaining effective use of supply chain management systems, the issues presented by software vendors upgrading their systems, and the evolution of added functionality, or add-on's, in the software systems field. The chapter concludes with a case study highlighting the lessons a mortgage bank learned from the implementation of enterprise application integration.

"On May 27th, 2006, a devastating earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Java. The Indonesian Red Cross, Palang Merah Indonesia (PMI), set up a relief operation in the province of Yogyakarta. The NGO already had extensive experience in disaster relief, having battled a volcanic eruption two months earlier as well as two tsunamis during the preceding year. This operation, however, was slightly different. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), of which PMI was a member, had just decentralized its supply chain for disaster relief by setting up three regional logistics units (RLU) in strategic locations across the globe. PMI's relief operation in Yogyakarta was the first of the IFRC's national societies to benefit from the support provided by the new RLU in Kuala Lumpur. The case looks back over ten years, tracing the substantial changes that supply chain decentralisation incurred at the organizational level, and the challenges thrown up by the process of establishing the RLUs. It is the final part of a series of three case studies on the reorganization of the IFRC supply chain "

The case was written for an introductory business course, particularly the section on operations. It deals with managing capacity and demand. In early 2008, McKenzie Scott, manager of administrative services at Nipissing Bank (Nipissing) in Ottawa, Ontario, was trying to decide how to carry out a management initiative to add additional marketing materials to client mail-out packages. In particular, Scott was considering upgrading the bank's current envelope stuffing equipment, replacing it or outsourcing the activity entirely.

The project manager for American Constructors Inc. (ACI) sat down with his team on September 24, 2009, to evaluate the progress of its building expansion project in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The team had been working on the World Outreach Church expansion project for over a year already and it was nearing completion. Originally scheduled for completion by March 2010, the project deadline was pushed ahead to December 14, 2009, at the request of the client, who desired to use the property for the Christmas season. In an effort to maintain the reputation of ACI, which had grown to be known as a premier contractor in Tennessee, the project manager and his team needed to determine if the December 14 deadline was feasible.

AIC Systems, located in Taichung, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of printed circuit boards, primarily for motherboards and video cards for personal computers. The firm is considered an original design manufacturer (ODM) and takes an active role in innovating and designing each new generation of components. By doing in-house design and development, the company has been able to foster exclusive, long-term relationships with its customers. The firm decides to diversify its portfolio to include consumer electronics with a particular focus on mobile technology. The goal is to move from manufacturing components for other computer companies to developing the firm's own line of branded consumer electronics. The new "netbook" market provides an opportunity for AIC Systems to design and manufacture a branded product in the mobile electronics industry. The production manager has created an assembly line for producing the new netbooks, and after three months of production he must consider ways to improve efficiency and reduce production costs. Students must perform a quantitative analysis of the existing assembly-line system and make recommendations to reach optimal efficiency.

Spreadsheet Supplement for 4245.

This case presents financial statements and selected rations for 14 unidentified healthcare organizations and asks that each set of financial information be matched with one of the following healthcare companies: a biotechnology firm, a community nursing company, a distributor (medical), a DME licensee and seller, a DME developer and seller, a home care provider, a hospital (diversified), an insurer, a lab/diagnostic firm, a medical device manufacturer, a nursing home operator, a pharmaceuticals company (branded), a pharmaceuticals company (generics), and a private practice.

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) is a manufacturing leader in the utility vehicles (UVs) segment in the Indian automotive industry. Since 2004, M&M has been exporting UVs to South Africa, the only country in the African continent with a significant middle-class population. M&M has set up a fully owned subsidiary in South Africa, which enjoyed the growth wave in the South African automotive industry up to 2007, then fell into a three-year slump, largely as a result of a recession in the global automotive industry. Now on the verge of industry renewal in 2011, the subsidiary needs to plan its next steps. The case is positioned in May 2011, when M&M’s subsidiary must choose from four alternatives. M&M can continue with its prevailing business model of importing completely built units (CBUs) from its Indian operations to meet local demand while using South Africa as a re-export hub for the burgeoning markets in sub-Saharan Africa. It can also choose to collaborate with a local vendor to assemble vehicles locally from completely knocked down (CKD) components imported from India. Alternatively, M&M may choose to set up its own manufacturing facility in South Africa, like many of its competitors. Lastly, M&M can choose to wait and watch until it notes definitive signs of revived demand. The case provides an opportunity for students to examine each alternative and make a decision on M&M’s way forward in South Africa.

In 2010, a sticky accelerator pedal tarnished the once-vaunted reputation of the Toyota Motor Corporation. These authors, who have written two widely acclaimed books on Toyota, argue that the pedal’s stickiness was caused not by relaxed manufacturing standards, as was commonly believed, but rather by failing to reconcile the means with the ends in trying to meet a corporate goal. Readers who hope to create a culture of excellence will learn why that particular reconciliation is important and how to achieve it.