GB570 Unit 1 Discussion Questions
The Consumer as the Principal Driver of Value
Think about a purchase experience (product or service) that impressed you. Perhaps you told other people you know about your satisfaction with the process and the outcome. Perhaps your expectations were surpassed.
In this discussion forum:
- Describe this purchase experience.
- Share the product and the brand name.
- Share when this purchase happened.
- Confirm if this company remains in business today.
- Explain the details of this positive, memorable purchase from the beginning when considering the purchase to the eventual outcome. Be specific.
- Describe the processes, steps and phases you believe the company did to make sure your purchase experience was good (let us call it “delightful”). You may make assumptions for this portion of this discussion assignment. Include the following considerations.
- Do you think you were a target market customer? Why or why not?
- How did the company communicate the benefits of their product or service to you?
- Why did you choose their product?
- Was the product or service available to you when and where you wanted it?
- Once you received the product or service, did it perform as you expected? Explain.
Support your responses with at least one applied and cited reference from our Unit 1 reading materials. For this assignment, include at least one respected and reliable reference to support your assertions and explanations. Apply and cite at least one reference using APA in-text citation within the response and list the reference at the end of the response using APA formatting.
Impact of Globalization on the Value Chain
The growth in global sourcing and supply often levels the playing field for adding worldwide value. Companies need at least to consider, if not implement, global value chains as their predominant mode of business. The reality of globalization and the accompanying increase in competition has forced most companies into making efficient gains. Value chain structures are essentially virtual organizations with flexibility to meet changes in customer value expectation and in the way in which value is delivered
Required Reference Materials (Kaplan Library)
Be sure to apply and cite at leastthese three resources both within the response and at the end of the response (using APA formatting):
GB570 Unit 2 Discussion Questions
The Demand Chain
A demand chain is an interconnected series of business processes and activities designed so firms can understand, manage and motivate customer demand in markets within the firm’s current and potential capabilities and product range. If a firm does not understand its demand chain, it is impossible for the firm to design an effective supply chain. A value chain is essentially the demand chain plus the supply chain. Although presented as two distinct areas for analysis, in reality the demand chain and the supply chain must be harmonious, especially at the point of achieving theValue Proposition(refer to Figure 1.1 on page 19 of the Walters and Rainbird (2007) textbook for an illustration).
The main purpose of this discussion assignment is to demonstrate an understanding of a demand chain, in the student’s own words and by applying and citing relevant supportive references. The response should be based upon the student’s experience and the knowledge gained from reading Unit 2’s assigned reading. The content should include:
- An explanation of a demand chain
- An identification of the constituent parts of a demand chain
- Why a business should understand the constituent parts of their demand chain
- A description of how a demand chain is created
- A description of how a demand chain can be beneficially used
- An example of a demand chain
- Choose a Fortune 500 company (not on the GB570 project list) and describe its demand chain.
The description should be supported by at least two applied and cited references from the Unit 2 reading materials. Additionally cite any other references used when creating the response and apply APA style and formatting.
Project Discussion
The Unit 2 Project Discussion involves everyone in the class. You will post your choice of the company you will analyze and assess. Select one company from a predefined list of choices as described in the file below. In this discussion, you will share information; about your choice and about the potential resources that might be used to achieve requirements described in the Unit 4 Individual Project Paper: Value Chain Analysis, and the Unit 5 Individual Project Presentation: Value Chain Assessment.
The specific requirements for this Unit 2 Project Discussion arelisted here.In Unit 6, we will reconvene to review our Unit 5 assessment presentation and to bring closure to our Value Chain Analysis and Assessment adventure.
GB570 Unit 3 Discussion Questions
Competitive Advantage and the Value Chain
Write a 350-500 word response (formatted to APA style and including references and citations).
Address the following questions:
- Is the concept of a value chain intrinsic to all businesses and if not, why not?
- How does a Value Chain assist in creating competitive advantage?
- Can competitive advantage be achieved without a value chain?
- In your reply also discuss the meaning of the comments made by Lu and Hung (2010) in their article in the Unit 3 readings i.e. the competiveness of the individual firm depends upon the competitiveness of the value chain to which it belongs (p. 1155).
Is this statement valid, and is cost reduction the only purpose of a value chain?
Apply and cite at least three relevant and respected resources [one of the applied and cited references should be the Lu and Hung (2010) article] within the response and list the references at the end of the response. Use APA formatting.
Is Outsourcing a Competitive Advantage?
The topic of outsourcing often elicits heated and often polarizing debate on its use as a basic business strategy. Discuss circumstances when outsourcing should be considered, and whether outsourcing will add to the competitive advantage of a firm. Make sure to include the financial AND human considerations that should be included in the decision process.
Apply and cite the above-required resource plus at least two additional relevant and respected resources within the response and list the references at the end of the response. Use APA formatting.
GB570 Unit 4 Discussion Questions
Value Chain Analysis
When used appropriately, a value chain analysis allows a systematic implementation of competitive strategies. A value chain analysis identifies how each business activity contributes to the desired competitive strategy.
- What are the constraints in conducting an effective value chain analysis?
- What can be done to mitigate or overcome constraints?
- How frequently should a firm’s value chain be analyzed and why is this important?
Apply and cite at least two relevant and respected resources within the response and list the references at the end of the response. Use APA formatting.
GB570 Unit 5 Discussion Questions
Value Chain without Technology?
This is a critical reasoning assignment. Post your response (200 – 250 words) in the discussion forum:
- Describe what would happen to a company’s value chain if all electronic devices and systems suddenly were unavailable and an expected time for resolution time is unknown.
- Could a value chain be maintained without electronics and technology to support it? If so, how?
GB570 Unit 6 Discussion Questions
Customer Delight as a Core Value
Organizations frequently espouse their focus and practice of core values. This GB570 course has made a compelling case that creating customer delight should be a core value.
In your response, include the following:
- In your own words, explain the concept of core values and include an example.
- Who defines an organization’s core values?
- How can an organization know if they are practicing their core values?
- How can an organization know if they are benefitting from their core values?
- How can Customer Delight be made into a core value?
Project Discussion
You will attach your Unit 5 Assessment presentation to your response below. In this project discussion, you will share information about your experience in completing a Value Chain Assessment. This Project Discussion offers the class an opportunity to share thoughts about how you assessed the effectiveness of a company’s value chain.
Requirements for this Project Discussion:
In your main response below, include the following:
- What questions did you explore?
- Did your expectations from Unit 2 regarding value chain effectiveness change after completing the Unit 4 and Unit 5 assignments?
- How did you approach completing the analysis and the assessment assignments?
- What resources were most helpful to you?
- What information did you include and why did you not include certain information?
- Why did you make that assessment decision?
- What recommendations do you have for future GB570 students?
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