Just a reminder as we come up to the break, your group assignment is due in Week 10. That probably seems really far away, but it will come up fast. So now is a good time to start firming up your topic and deciding what you want to research.
You need to "...explore and predict the possible future impact o f a new information technology / trend on a specific business setting (business or industry), applying one or more analytical models and frameworks from the course to guide the analysis. The project will include a brief description of the technology or trend, a specific business problem which the technology can address, an exploration of how the technology could change the existing business models, and a discussion of the key issues to be considered by the business(es) adopting the technology." (from the Course Outline)
Make sure to make use of the blogs in planning out your group project, or consider creating a new one for your group.
Friday, 12 August 2011
Week 6: Option 2
This week's case is Globshop which is in your red book. As usual, answer ONE of the two questions by 1:30pm Monday by commenting on this post or creating a new post of your own.
Option 2: What do you see as the main risks of Globshop's outsourcing strategy and why?
Option 2: What do you see as the main risks of Globshop's outsourcing strategy and why?
Week 6: Option 1
This week's case is Globshop, which is in your red book. As usual you need to answer ONE of the two questions by 1:30pm Monday by commenting on this post or creating a new post of your own.
Option 1: Think about how Globshop has developed it's offshoring relationship with ISS. Which activity or activities do you see as being most critical to the success of Globshop's outsourcing strategy?
Option 1: Think about how Globshop has developed it's offshoring relationship with ISS. Which activity or activities do you see as being most critical to the success of Globshop's outsourcing strategy?
Useful Links about Emerging Technologies & Trends
As you think about your topics for your group project related to emerging technologies and trends, you might find some interesting links and articles on topics.
To kick off sharing some interesting links, here are links to a few emerging technologies and trends:
To kick off sharing some interesting links, here are links to a few emerging technologies and trends:
- New York City Hosts Hackathon - 10 Reasons Why Cities Should Embrace Hackathons
- Virtual Dressing Rooms Take on Brick and Mortar Stores (does this remind anyone of one of the cases we've covered?)
- A Conference on Open Data for Citizens & Businesses
- Mix & Mash - A Competition to Encourage the Use of Open Government Data Sets
Feel free to share any more interesting links to stories in the comments of this post!
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Friday, 5 August 2011
Group 4: Alex, Rhys, Daniel, Philip
Please discuss your ideas for the group assignment here. Check the requirements in the course outline.
Group 3: Steven, Tony, Tim
Please discuss your ideas for the group assignment here. Check the requirements in the course outline.
Group 2: Stefan, Indrani, Singa, Anawhim
Please discuss your ideas for the group assignment here. Check the requirements in the course outline.
Group 1: Nadia, Shariza, Dharmistha
Please discuss your ideas for the group assignment here. Check the requirements in the course outline.
Group Assignment
Your groups are now posted in the Group Assignment section of the blog. If there are any problems with group allocation, please let me know otherwise these are considered locked in. Here are some recommended actions at this stage:
- Your first priority is to ensure that every one of the group members have contact details. I would recommend electing (or self electing!) an individual to be the 'organiser' so that they can sort out contact details, meeting times, etc.
- Your second priority is to start thinking about what technology/topic your group could take. I would like it if everyone contributed at least one idea to the blog post for their group to kick things off (this should be a given as I will be taking blog participation into account when calculating your final blog marks).
Monday, 1 August 2011
Tony Goodwin option 1 week 4
Like the others, I agree with Gallaugher that Zara's strategy is counter intuitive from the norm. Their methods have been to improve current strategy instead of changing to new, more common strategy and it has been hugely successful.
Outsourcing is the manufacturing standard for large fashion and other corporate giants and would seem like the correct thing for a company like Zara to do, however with risks surrounding ethics and environment, with other large companies such as Gap and Nike coming under fire for employing child labour, offering near slave wages and doing so with minimal safety. Zara instead, produces much of its materials through subsidiaries and manufactures in house negating any of that risk, and it does so efficiently enough not to cost much more than if it were to outsource. Another benefit that Zara has had from this is a further increase in their speed to market.
Instead of adjusting clothing to suit a season or trend Zara holds only enough stock in store to last a few weeks, restocks twice a week. They are able to take a new item of clothing from sketch to the shelf in just 10 days, this helps to reduce the risk that other firms such as Gap carry by forecasting months ahead, and instead they can provide what the customer wants, when they want it.
Part of the reason why Zara s strategy seems counter intuitive is because unlike the other firms, they did not conform to normal changes, instead they stuck to what they are good at, and kept making improvements on that.
Outsourcing is the manufacturing standard for large fashion and other corporate giants and would seem like the correct thing for a company like Zara to do, however with risks surrounding ethics and environment, with other large companies such as Gap and Nike coming under fire for employing child labour, offering near slave wages and doing so with minimal safety. Zara instead, produces much of its materials through subsidiaries and manufactures in house negating any of that risk, and it does so efficiently enough not to cost much more than if it were to outsource. Another benefit that Zara has had from this is a further increase in their speed to market.
Instead of adjusting clothing to suit a season or trend Zara holds only enough stock in store to last a few weeks, restocks twice a week. They are able to take a new item of clothing from sketch to the shelf in just 10 days, this helps to reduce the risk that other firms such as Gap carry by forecasting months ahead, and instead they can provide what the customer wants, when they want it.
Part of the reason why Zara s strategy seems counter intuitive is because unlike the other firms, they did not conform to normal changes, instead they stuck to what they are good at, and kept making improvements on that.
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