ETI3647 Supply Chain Management Questions (95) – Network Design, Bullwhip Effect, Digital Supply Chains & Operations Strategy

This document contains 95 exam questions with verified answers for the course ETI3647 Supply Chain Management (Week 2). It is designed as a comprehensive exam preparation resource that reviews major supply chain management concepts including supply chain network design, digital supply chains, operational strategy, supply chain architecture, and decision-making frameworks used in modern logistics and operations management. The questions are presented in a format commonly used in university assessments to test conceptual knowledge, applied understanding, and strategic analysis of supply chain systems. A major portion of the document focuses on supply chain network design and architecture, including concepts such as supply chain configuration, vertical integration, production footprint planning, facility location decisions, and supply chain optimization methods. The material explores how organizations analyze their supply chain networks to balance cost efficiency, service levels, and risk management. Topics such as scenario modeling, contingency planning, and current “as-is” network assessment are included to help students understand how companies evaluate and redesign complex global supply chains. The document also examines supply chain dynamics and operational challenges, including the bullwhip effect, demand variability, capacity planning, and network volatility. The bullwhip effect illustrates how small changes in customer demand can create large upstream fluctuations in orders and inventory levels. Questions also address how organizations identify bottlenecks, manage capacity constraints, and design supply chains that remain responsive and resilient in changing market conditions. Another key section addresses digital supply chain transformation, highlighting the growing importance of data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), predictive analytics, and visibility technologies in modern logistics systems. These questions explore how digital tools help organizations track shipments, optimize transportation routes, improve forecasting accuracy, and provide real-time visibility across supply chain networks. The document further explores strategic supply chain management concepts, including segmentation strategies, omni-channel customer experience, outsourcing and offshoring decisions, and integrated end-to-end supply chain services. Students are also introduced to key decision-making concepts such as cognitive bias, diligence-based strategy, order qualifiers, order promises, and supplier evaluation frameworks that support more objective and data-driven operational decisions. Additionally, the material explains service supply chain characteristics, including intangibility, heterogeneity, simultaneity, and perishability, which differentiate service operations from traditional product supply chains. Understanding these characteristics helps explain why service supply chains require flexible processes and greater customer interaction compared to physical product manufacturing systems. The concepts and terminology used throughout the document closely align with commonly adopted academic textbooks such as “Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning, and Operation” by Sunil Chopra and Peter Meindl, which is widely used in undergraduate business, logistics, and operations management programs. As a result, the questions reflect the theoretical knowledge and analytical reasoning typically tested in university-level supply chain management exams. This document may be relevant for students enrolled in courses such as: Supply Chain Management Logistics and Distribution Management Operations Management Supply Chain Network Design Global Supply Chain Strategy Procurement and Supplier Management It is particularly useful for students studying in programs including: Business Administration Supply Chain Management Logistics Management Operations Management Industrial Engineering Business Analytics Keywords: supply chain management, supply chain network design, bullwhip effect, digital supply chain, operations strategy logistics, supply chain configuration, vertical integration supply chain, capacity planning logistics, supply chain segmentation, supply chain optimization, facility location decision, contingency planning logistics, supply chain analytics, omnichannel supply chain, supplier evaluation strategy, supply chain risk management, predictive analytics logistics