Operation and supply chain management
Q1) What were the supply chain constraints to Model 3 becoming a successful car as per the case study? [5 marks] [Max 300 words]
Q2) Discuss the extent of Bullwhip effect generation in the Tesla supply chain from each of the generic causes of the Bullwhip effect [5 marks] [Max 500 words]. Refer the information given in the case study only.
Q3) Tesla’s (electric) car is an environmentally friendly product where there are no emissions and no usage of non-renewable gasoline. However, are Tesla’s operations also environmentally friendly? Using the information given in the case study as well as available from other secondary sources, explain how each of Tesla’s outsourcing/sourcing, manufacturing, distribution/logistics, retailing, servicing and charging practices affect the company’s environmental sustainability? [5 marks] [Max 500 words]. Please correctly cite each of the external information sources used.
Q4) Consider a large car company’s (competitor to Tesla’s) electric car operations. Gather information about it from secondary sources (company website, journal articles, practitioner articles/reports) with regards to outsourcing/sourcing, manufacturing technology and operations, logistics and distribution, servicing, retailing and charging practices and compare and contrast the same with Tesla’s given in the case study [10 marks] [Max 800 words]. Please correctly cite each of the external information sources used
Q5) Which manufacturing location provides Polaris with the greatest cost savings? [10 marks]. (Hint: Use net present value calculations based on next 5 years; monthly wages, wage growth % and exchange rate to be estimated for these years based on historic data; assume 40 hrs/week of work time and discount rate of 10% per annum). All the workings have to be done in different sheets in an Excel Workbook which then needs to be inserted into the Word file (that you will be submitting); you can insert an excel workbook into word by i) selecting Insert on the ribbon at the top in Word, ii) choosing and clicking on Object, iii) choosing Create from file option, iv) browsing and choosing file to be inserted and also clicking on Display as Icon.
Q6) What other factors should Suresh Krishna and his team consider when making the manufacturing location recommendation? [5 marks] [Max 500 words]
