managing disruptions (e.g. the effect of the earthquake and the tsunami in Japan in 2011 on global electronics and auto manufacturer was significant

The goal for this homework is to understand the risks faced by supply chains and to describe what companies are doing to manage the risks posed by disruptions, to increase corporate responsibility across the supply chain, or to deal with counterfeits.

Specifically,

1. Choose an industry and a company within that industry from the following list: a. consumer electronics (including products by Apple, Samsung, HP), b. automobiles (including Toyota, Ford), c. consumer products (including IKEA, Walmart), d. pharmaceuticals (including Pfizer, Merck), e. apparel (including Gucci, Zara, H&M), and f. shoes (including Nike, Jimmy Choo).

2. Find references (articles, websites, videos, …). Make sure these sources are publicly accessible and the information provided is correct. Do NOT use references or sources that were published prior to 2011.

1 http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/03/13/japan-one-year-later-the-long-view-on-tech-supplychains/#16154b70751a

2 http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30532463

3 http://www.forbes.com/pictures/fi45eddmgk/this-is-not-a-real-apple-store/

4 http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/pf/1202/gallery.counterfeit-goods/index.html

3. Answer the following questions based on your research:

a. (8 points) Which company is your research focused on?

b. (8 points) Which supply chain challenge is your research focused on?

c. (16 points) Why is it difficult for the company to overcome this challenge? Explain clearly.

d. (16 points) What has the company done in the past 5 years to overcome this challenge?

e. (16 points) Do you think the company’s efforts are sufficient to overcome this challenge? Explain clearly why or why not. If the efforts are not sufficient, what else can be done?

f. (16 points) What was the most interesting information you found in your research?

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES  Recommended length for the essay is 500 words, excluding references.  List the title, author, and source of your references at the end of your essay.