supply chain discussion

Primary Discussion Response is due by Friday (11:59:59pm Central), Peer Responses are due by Tuesday (11:59:59pm Central).

Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions with your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

The Director of Operations for your company has been trying to introduce logistics and supply chain management principles to your management team without much success. She has excitedly called you into her office to discuss a seminar she attended last week. During the seminar, she participated in a distribution simulation, referred to as “The Beer Game” (see supporting materials below). She commented that the simulation gave her a complete understanding of what the supply chain is, the dynamics of a supply chain, and how it operates. She also found several articles that explain logistics and supply chain management very well. She requested that you conduct research to provide her with talking points that cover the fundamentals of logistics and the supply chain. She asked that you include the following in your talking points:

• Provide an overview of a supply chain, including the elements that make up a supply chain.
• What are the “flows” within a supply chain, and why are they important?
• What are supply chain coordination and supply chain disruption, and how are these manifested in a supply chain?

Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least two (2) of your fellow classmates with a reply of 100–200 words about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:

• What did you learn from your classmate’s posting?
• What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
• What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
• What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Supporting Materials for “The Beer Game”

• Video: MASHLM usi. (2014, March 14). The beer game – MASHLM [Video file]. Retrieved from
• Article: Sterman, J. D. (1992). Teaching takes off: Flight simulators for management education: “The beer game.” Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/jsterman/www/SDG/beergame.html