Operations and Supply Chain Strategies

1. Mr. Ranga is a store manager at Pmart Ltd one of the leading retail firm. To penetrate the market, he was using a low-price strategy. Due to competition, he also plans to use technology in the supply chain to reduce the cost. In such a scenario, every business requires some competitive edge to sustain in the market. Discuss different supply chain drivers with Mr. Ranga that ultimately helps Mega Mart to enable the entire supply chain.

2. Your artisanal ice cream company produces small batches of unique flavours sold in local shops. A large supermarket chain wants to carry your top five flavours nationwide, requiring a consistent and high volume of production. Considering your current small-batch production process, how would you adapt to fulfill this order? Would you switch to a mass production or continuous production process, or choose another method? Explain your decision, taking into account factors such as maintaining product quality, scaling up production, cost efficiency, and logistical challenges in distributing your ice cream across a national market.

3. Nikaa Ltd is leading e commerce company sells beauty, wellness and fashion products through its website, mobile app, and over physical stores. Company holds items bought directly from manufacturers in its warehouses, where they are supplied whenever there are online or offline purchases. Due to high demand company is not able to concentrate on the core business. E-commerce business has experienced significant growth, leading to challenges in managing inventory, order fulfilment, and timely deliveries. You are considering partnering with a third-party logistics provider to handle these logistics functions.

a. How would you evaluate the decision to outsource to a 3PL? Discuss the potential benefits and risks, including cost savings, efficiency improvements, loss of direct control over logistics, and potential impacts on customer satisfaction.

b. What criteria would you use to select a 3PL provider, and how would you ensure a smooth transition to maintain service quality during this change?