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Flashcards in Technology in Supply Networks Deck (31)
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1
Q

What is the Garter Hype Cycle for emerging technologies?

A
  • Initial innovation trigger - excitement/hype e.g augmented reality
  • Peak of inflated expectations e.g smart robots
  • Trough of disillusionment: falling due to being poorly implemented, more difficult to use than initially thought e.g virtual reality
  • Slope of enlightenment e.g blockchain
  • Plateau of productivity e.g RFID
2
Q

How does the Garter Hype Cycle relate to new technologies?

A

Question with new technology – need to understand where it is in its cycle; helps establish risk, whether technologies are ready to be used

3
Q

How does Blockchain relate to the Garter Hype Cycle?

A

Blockchain = next generation of tracking technology, more robust, huge surge in interest and attention

Entering its trough due to criticism over cost of implementation, questions over whether it is necessary

Will eventually be established as useful but perhaps not for its original purpose

4
Q

What are the 5 primary capabilities of new and emerging technologies?

A
  • Thinking/reasoning: taking large amounts of data and offering advice
  • Communication/connecting
  • Seeing/sensing
  • Moving physical objects
  • Materials processing
5
Q

What are some advantages of technologies utilising the 5 capabilities?

A

Blockchain = thinking + reasoning and communication + connecting

Drones = materials processing and moving objects and seeing/sensing

Artificial intelligence = sensing/seeing, materials processing

6
Q

How does Ocado use technology?

A

Automated guided vehicles operating on a grid system to pack groceries; can process 65,000 orders a week

Very efficient but limited in terms of flexibility i.e large spikes of demand - human capacity is fundamentally more scalable

7
Q

How does Amazon use Kiva for its technology?

A

Amazon acquired Kiva in 2012 for the use of its robots, saved 20% on operating costs

Large investment at the time $775 million but generated significant savings allowing click to ship cycle to be reduced from 60-75 mins to 15 mins

8
Q

How does RFID work and why is it useful as a communicating/connecting technology?

A
  • Increases asset visibility - currently asset tracking is poor
  • Requires trust, information sharing, integration of SC activities
  • Helps us work out where assets are in supply network: can be passive - involving a scan, or active - having a power source to emit info
  • They hold a small amount of unique data that can be accessed from anywhere
9
Q

How is RFID applied in supply networks?

A
  • Animal identification
  • People identification e.g races
  • Libraries
  • Toll road systems
  • Luggage identification
  • Hospitals
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Military sector
10
Q

What are the 3 stages in managing operations and supply chain technologies?

A

Understand the potential of new technology - what do you need to now about a technology?

Evaluate the impact of new technology on performance - how does the technology affect your operations and supply network?

Develop and implement new technology - how can you introduce new technology smoothly?

11
Q

How do you assess the impact of an OSCM technology on operations performance?

A

Think about how it impacts operations performance in terms of - is it superior/the same/or worse compared to existing technology?

Use indices such as cost, flexibility, broader measures e.g environmental impact

12
Q

How does blockchain relate to bitcoin?

A

Best known as the accounting method for the virtual currency bitcoin.

Uses distributed ledger technology which was later developed in variety of business applications

13
Q

What are the characteristics of blockchain?

A
  • Decentralised, digitalised, public ledger (list) of transactions (movements, authorisations, payments)
  • A block is a record of new transactions
  • When each block is completed (verified) it is added to the chain, thus creating a chain of blocks
14
Q

What are the 5 underlying principles of blockchain?

A

1) It uses distributed databases
2) It uses peer to peer (P2P) transmission
3) It is transparent and can be used anonymously
4) Its records are irreversible
5) It uses computational logic

15
Q

What does the first principle of blockchain mean in practice?

A

Distributed databases used - all participants in the chain have access to the entire database and its history, no single participant controls the data. No need for an intermediary

16
Q

What does the second principle of blockchain mean in practice?

A

Peer to peer transmission = communication occurs between nodes rather than through a central node, each node in the network stores and forwards information to other nodes

17
Q

What does the third principle of blockchain mean in practice?

A

Transparent and anonymous - every transaction visible to everyone with access to the system, each node (user) on a blockchain has a unique 30-plus character alphanumeric address that identifies it - users can choose to remain anonymous

18
Q

What does the fourth principle of blockchain mean in practice?

A

Record irreversibility - once transaction entered, cannot be altered as they are linked to all previous transactions,

Computational algorithms and approaches are used to ensure that records on the database are permanent, chronologically ordered and available to all others on the network

19
Q

What does the fifth principle in blockchain mean in practice?

A

Use of computational logic - the participant can set up algorithms and rules that automatically trigger transactions between nodes,

all blockchain transactions tied to a known computational logic

20
Q

Why is blockchain so useful in supply chain management?

A
  • The more nodes in the ledger network, the greater security
  • Saves time and cost as entire networks are automatically updates every time a transaction is made - significant where there are lots of transactions and crossing national boundaries
  • Cryptographic techniques make it impossible to hack - would need to hack more than half of the nodes in the chain (link to point 1)
  • Security means you can trust the provenance of supplies - important for food or ethical goods
  • Blockchain technology is ‘distributed’ – the whole concept is based on how supply chains operate as parts of networks rather than as individual B2B transactions
21
Q

What are the steps for how blockchain works to record transactions in supply chains (involving supplier, bank, end customer, other SC operation, manufacturer, logistics operation etc)?

A

1) Transaction requested by operation in SC
2) Requested transaction is encrypted and broadcast to P2P network
3) Code of the transaction and requester’s status is validated by the network of nodes using algorithms
4) Once verified, the transaction is combined with other transactions to form a block of data
5) The new block is added to the existing block that sis permanent and unalterable

22
Q

How can you take a strategic perspective on OSCM technology evaluation?

A

Market requirement factors - increased conformance quality, faster response, increased dependability, reduced cost, increased flexibility

Bottom up factors - can it be developed in house, compatibility with skills base, provides learning opportunities

Operations resource factors - reduced risk, improved working conditions, increased strategic capability, increased sustainability, reduced constraint on operations activities

Top down factors - supports LT strategy, increased future-proofing, acceptable financial return

23
Q

How do volume-variety combinations relate to process technologies?

A

Difficult to apply automated technology to high variety, small scale operating or to apply highly flexible technology to automated, large scale inflexible operations

High volume + low variety = automated, dedicated, inflexible tech

Low volume + high variety = manual, small scale, flexible tech

24
Q

What is the assimilation challenge?

A

Overcoming barriers to OSCM technologies - many organisations never see a full return on their products (IT paradox)

Never automate a mess need to re-design the process

Assimilation is a behavioural issue as much as a technology issue. Need to convince individuals on the ground as individuals will find ways to work around systems

25
Q

What are the barriers to OSCM technology assmilation?

A
  • Security risk
  • Lack of skilled personnel
  • Inadequate technological infrastructure of us and partners
  • Lack of integration with partners
  • Implementation costs
  • Company culture
  • Inadequate business processes to support tech
  • Regulatory and legal controls
  • Co-operation of business partners
  • Inadequate technology solutions
  • Upper management support (lack of)
26
Q

What is the challenge of acceptance and compliance (e-procurement context)?

A
  • IT paradox
  • For office supplies; 30-45% of purchases are maverick purchases i.e going outside accepted buying channels
  • Finance need to deal with these receipts and these purchases cost 15-27% more
  • Search costs, order costs, invoicing cots, product price, missed volume discounts, service costs, warranty problems
27
Q

What does Brandon-Jones (2018) say about technology as a service?

A
  • A technology can be viewed as a service to internal customers
  • Technology compliance is largely determined by preceptors of service quality
  • Applied to e-procurement context
  • Preventing companies from forcing technologies on employees - allow employees to see the benefit
28
Q

What is the e-procurement quality scale?

A
Specification
Usability
Content
Processing
Professionalism
Training
29
Q

How is there reduced performance during implementation period of new technology?

A

Dip in performance before an increase to meet forecast performance - people getting their head around the technology

Happens regardless of the expertise of planners and implementers: need to be honest about this with employees

30
Q

How does learning potential depend upon both technological resource and process distance?

A

The further away the technology is from existing processes/technologies, the more difficult it is to learn as there are too many things to change

31
Q

What are the key points about technology?

A
  • Take long term view
  • Consider capabilities of a technology and then ask if you actually need it and if ROI makes sense
  • Technology assessment is key to avoid herding effects
  • Assimilation is key and hard