Indicate two (2) future trends that in your opinion are likely to affect the procurementand supply management of rice for Singapore. Justify with examples specific to thesupply of rice. I have researched on past Past examples of other soft commodities:- on 28th April 2022 Indonesia announced a complete ban on palm (cooking) oilbecause of domestic shortages resulting in rising prices. This ban was lifted 23rd May2022, three weeks later.- on 14th May 2022 India banned the export of wheat exports with immediate effect, tocalm local prices.- on 23rd May 2022 Malaysia announced the ban on export of live chickens toSingapore effective from 1st June 2022 - to curb domestic supply and pricing issues.This ban was eventually lifted 11 Oct 2022, four and a half months later.
Q: Question 2 Your company has been awarded a contract to erect 124 pylons for an electricity company.…
A: Given Data: Number of pylons: 124 Target handover rate: 6 pylons per week Working week: 5 days, 8…
Q: account
A: Step 1: Definition of Standard CostsStandard costs are predetermined estimates of material, labor,…
Q: Which of the following statements is most accurate in describing ‘preferredsuppliers’?A preferred…
A: The question pertains to preferred suppliers. A preferred supplier is a company that has an…
Q: Distinguish how the three major types of CRM (strategic, operational, and analytical) can be used to…
A: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy for managing a company's relationships and…
Q: Give five areas of publicly available information that help to establish the health and public image…
A: - **Data Source**: Financial platforms (e.g., Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, or Google Finance). 2.…
Q: Red Flags" for management to identify and understand for fraud risk in the financial statements.…
A: One of the most common red flags for fraud risk in financial statements is the presence of unusual…
Q: You’ve reached out to Human Resources nearly 3 months ago asking for a compensation review after…
A: References: https://www.thecut.com/article/how-to-ask-for-a-raise.html…
Q: Mr. Lane was a builder/roofer/carpenter who traded as a one-man firm. He was categorized as self…
A: The determination of whether an individual is an employee or a self-employed contractor is not…
Q: Which of the following is NOT an effective way to maximize student performance on standardized…
A: The question is asking us to identify which of the given strategies is not effective in maximizing…
Q: Question 1 Toodles Inc. had sales of $1,840,000. Cost of goods sold, administrative and selling…
A: SOLUTION Income Statement & Operating Cash Flow (OCF)We have financial information for Toodles…
Q: Patel sat down with the head of public relations, the CEO, and a few Board members to weigh options.…
A: Simplified Crisis Response Plan for Pipeline Hazard (72 Hours)When a pipeline hazard occurs,…
Q: Why does a dietitian manager need to know about the importance of ordering and supply restocking as…
A: A dietitian manager's understanding of ordering and supply restocking is crucial for their work…
Q: what should you expect to learn froom class HRM595, a Negotiation Skills class, in busniess…
A: In HRM595, you will first learn the basics of negotiation. This includes understanding what…
Q: Identify the components amd processes (stages) of team development with an explanation on each…
A: Approach to Solving the QuestionUnderstand the Team Development Concept: Review Bruce Tuckman's…
Q: Explain how strategic CRM puts the customer first, as well as the pros/cons of operational and…
A: Strategic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a type of CRM where the customer is placed at…
Q: What is the answer fir Question 3?
A: Approach to solving the question:Identify the subject area: First, determine whether Question 3…
Q: 1. What are the advantages/ disadvantages of good communication in the workplace. Give one reference…
A: ReferencesIndeed. (2025). 10 benefits of effective communication in the workplace. Lyra Health.…
Q: how do i revise what i have annotated ?
A: Start by reviewing the annotations you have made. This involves going through each annotation,…
Q: What is an example of a brief statement of your call to full-time service and a call to a teaching…
A: My call to full-time service was a profound experience that happened during my college years. I felt…
Q: 1) View the video What is Operations Management (14.01 minutes, Ctrl+Click on the link); what are…
A: Approach to Solving the QuestionUnderstand the Problem: Carefully read the problem to identify the…
Q: Scenario: XYZ Construction Ltd. has been contracted to build a small commercial office building. The…
A: 1. Project Network Diagram and Task DependenciesUnderstanding job dependencies and visualizing them…
Q: Theory of management
A: The theory of management encompasses classical, behavioral, and modern approaches, each providing…
Q: How do you integrate a Biblical worldview into a Christian School classroom?
A: One of the most direct ways to integrate a Biblical worldview into a Christian school classroom is…
Q: Is Gino, the CEO, out of line for asking employees to accept a small raise (after not getting pay…
A: Approach to solving the question:Freeform Detailed explanation: Ethics of Gino's Decision: The first…
Q: Please give me true answer this financial accounting question
A: Step 1: Define Holding Period Total ReturnHolding period total return (HPR) measures the total…
Q: Which works best at customization of HRIS. BambooHR vs WorkDay? Give ex
A: 1. Overview of BambooHR and Its Customization Capabilities BambooHR is a cloud-based Human Resource…
Q: Please original work Background information: Mergers and acquisitions are inherently risky. No…
A: The $35 billion Sprint-Nextel merger in 2005 failed because of cultural conflicts, technology…
Q: Why is it important as an employee physical therapy company, should consider language as a…
A: What other factors would you implement?Beyond language, implementing cultural competence and…
Q: What are the total assets at the end of the period on this general accounting question?
A: Step 1: Define AssetsAssets refer to the resources that a company has on hand to generate revenues…
Q: . Each company offers similar services, including event planning, catering, transportation,…
A: **1. Political Factors** **Opportunities:** - **Government Support for Tourism & Events** -…
Q: The number of children reported by each respondent. nomial, ordinal and countinous
A:
Q: In procurement evolution, which statement below should i choose to be themost relevant to ‘limited…
A: **"Supply management is often viewed as a lower-level support function."** Full Explanation:…
Q: Rivalry is intense in nations with conditions of ________ supplier bases, ________ consumer demand,…
A: The question is asking about the conditions under which rivalry is intense in a nation. Rivalry here…
Q: We are all from different social, cultural, economic, and demographic backgrounds. This human…
A: Impact on Understanding PeopleThese interactions helped me realize that diversity is not merely a…
Q: The term skunkworks is used to refer to a specialized type of outside contractor that corporations…
A: The term 'Skunkworks' is actually derived from the world of engineering and technology. It was first…
Q: This year Baldwin achieved an ROE of 1.3%. Suppose next year the profit margin (Net Income/Sales)…
A: Return on Equity (ROE) is a measure of financial performance calculated by dividing net income by…
Q: Please original work Talk about your current organization’s greatest needs for creating a balanced…
A: Greatest Needs for a Balanced ScorecardAligning strategic objectives with quantifiable and…
Q: Question 5 (1 point) Top-down communication involves the flow of information from lower-level…
A: Question 5 :Top-down communication refers to the flow of information from higher-level management to…
Q: A profit pool can be defined as the total profits in an industry at all points along the industry…
A: The correct answer is c) value. A profit pool refers to the total profits earned in an industry at…
Q: Objective: An international client hired your firm to invest$30 million in an industry in a foreign…
A: Investment in China's AI industry presents a favorable prospect due to its faster growth in the…
Q: Please original work Talk about what “influencing” means in regard to the balanced scorecard…
A: The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic management instrument that assists firms in aligning…
Q: Human resource information systems (HRIS) are more than just for storing information. What are some…
A: 1. **Employee Information Management** - **Function**: Centralizes employee data, such as personal…
Q: You are the newest member of an international HR staff at Transnational Electronics (TE). Your…
A: HR Strategy and Response for Improving Productivity at Transnational Electronics (TE) Factory in…
Q: In regards to the Belize Road Safety Project 2012Identify and describe the technique or method used…
A: **Key Factors in Selection:** 1. **High Road Fatality Rates** - Belize had one of the highest…
Q: Kroger’s QueVision System Improves Customer Service Kroger has annual sales in excess of $100…
A: The simplest way to allay cashiers' and baggers' worries about the QueVision system is to see how…
Q: Please original work In general terms, how will LEGO Company practice mass customization?…
A: Customer Types for LEGOLEGO's customers fall into three primary categories:B2C Customers (End…
Q: Late Night Cookies spends $160 on ingredients and boxes to make 100 boxed orders of cookies. This…
A: The first step in calculating the break-even point is to identify the fixed costs. Fixed costs are…
Q: provide correct answer
A: Step 1: Definition of Average Days Sales in ReceivablesThe Average Days Sales in Receivables…
Q: The three components of the triple constraints are
A: In project management, the three major constraints to success include scope, time, and cost. Each is…
Q: Considering your analysis, after reading Himachal Fertilizer Corporation Part A, make a…
A: FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATIONS.
Indicate two (2) future trends that in your opinion are likely to affect the procurement
and supply management of rice for Singapore. Justify with examples specific to the
supply of rice.
I have researched on past Past examples of other soft commodities:
- on 28th April 2022 Indonesia announced a complete ban on palm (cooking) oil
because of domestic shortages resulting in rising prices. This ban was lifted 23rd May
2022, three weeks later.
- on 14th May 2022 India banned the export of wheat exports with immediate effect, to
calm local prices.
- on 23rd May 2022 Malaysia announced the ban on export of live chickens to
Singapore effective from 1st June 2022 - to curb domestic supply and pricing issues.
This ban was eventually lifted 11 Oct 2022, four and a half months later.

Step by step
Solved in 2 steps

- Avion, Inc. Susan Dey and Bill Mifflin, procurement managers at Avion, Inc., sat across from each other and reviewed a troubling performance report concerning a key supplier, Foster Technologies. The report detailed the deteriorating performance of Foster Technologies in the areas of material quality and on-time delivery. At this point, Kevin ODonnell, another procurement manager, entered the room. Why can changes within a supply chain disrupt the normal flow of goods and services within a supply chain?Avion, Inc. Susan Dey and Bill Mifflin, procurement managers at Avion, Inc., sat across from each other and reviewed a troubling performance report concerning a key supplier, Foster Technologies. The report detailed the deteriorating performance of Foster Technologies in the areas of material quality and on-time delivery. At this point, Kevin ODonnell, another procurement manager, entered the room. What parts of the supply chain are most closely involved with the situation in this case? What is the responsibility of each part in order to maintain a smooth flow of material?The Global Sourcing Wire Harness Decision Sheila Austin, a buyer at Autolink, a Detroit-based producer of subassemblies for the automotive market, has sent out requests for quotations for a wiring harness to four prospective suppliers. Only two of the four suppliers indicated an interest in quoting the business: Original Wire (Auburn Hills, MI) and Happy Lucky Assemblies (HLA) of Guangdong Province, China. The estimated demand for the harnesses is 5,000 units a month. Both suppliers will incur some costs to retool for this particular harness. The harnesses will be prepackaged in 24 12 6-inch cartons. Each packaged unit weighs approximately 10 pounds. Quote 1 The first quote received is from Original Wire. Auburn Hills is about 20 miles from Autolinks corporate headquarters, so the quote was delivered in person. When Sheila went down to the lobby, she was greeted by the sales agent and an engineering representative. After the quote was handed over, the sales agent noted that engineering would be happy to work closely with Autolink in developing the unit and would also be interested in future business that might involve finding ways to reduce costs. The sales agent also noted that they were hungry for business, as they were losing a lot of customers to companies from China. The quote included unit price, tooling, and packaging. The quoted unit price does not include shipping costs. Original Wire requires no special warehousing of inventory, and daily deliveries from its manufacturing site directly to Autolinks assembly operations are possible. Original Wire Quote: Unit price = 30 Packing costs = 0.75 per unit Tooling = 6,000 one-time fixed charge Freight cost = 5.20 per hundred pounds Quote 2 The second quote received is from Happy Lucky Assemblies of Guangdong Province, China. The supplier must pack the harnesses in a container and ship via inland transportation to the port of Shanghai in China, have the shipment transferred to a container ship, ship material to Seattle, and then have material transported inland to Detroit. The quoted unit price does not include international shipping costs, which the buyer will assume. HLA Quote: Unit price = 19.50 Shipping lead time = Eight weeks Tooling = 3,000 In addition to the suppliers quote, Sheila must consider additional costs and information before preparing a comparison of the Chinese suppliers quotation: Each monthly shipment requires three 40-foot containers. Packing costs for containerization = 2 per unit. Cost of inland transportation to port of export = 200 per container. Freight forwarders fee = 100 per shipment (letter of credit, documentation, etc.). Cost of ocean transport = 4,000 per container. This has risen significantly in recent years due to a shortage of ocean freight capacity. Marine insurance = 0.50 per 100 of shipment. U.S. port handling charges = 1,200 per container. This fee has also risen considerably this year, due to increased security. Ports have also been complaining that the charges may increase in the future. Customs duty = 5% of unit cost. Customs broker fees per shipment = 300. Transportation from Seattle to Detroit = 18.60 per hundred pounds. Need to warehouse at least four weeks of inventory in Detroit at a warehousing cost of 1.00 per cubic foot per month, to compensate for lead time uncertainty. Sheila must also figure the costs associated with committing corporate capital for holding inventory. She has spoken to some accountants, who typically use a corporate cost of capital rate of 15%. Cost of hedging currencybroker fees = 400 per shipment Additional administrative time due to international shipping = 4 hours per shipment 25 per hour (estimated) At least two five-day visits per year to travel to China to meet with supplier and provide updates on performance and shipping = 20,000 per year (estimated) The international sourcing costs must be absorbed by Sheila, as the supplier does not assume any of the additional estimated costs and invoice Sheila later, or build the costs into a revised unit price. Sheila feels that the U.S. supplier is probably less expensive, even though it quoted a higher price. Sheila also knows that this is a standard technology that is unlikely to change during the next three years, but which could be a contract that extends multiple years out. There is also a lot of hall talk amongst the engineers on her floor about next-generation automotive electronics, which will completely eliminate the need for wire harnesses, which will be replaced by electronic components that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable. She is unsure about how to calculate the total costs for each option, and she is even more unsure about how to factor these other variables into the decision. Calculate the total cost per unit of purchasing from Original Wire.
- The Global Sourcing Wire Harness Decision Sheila Austin, a buyer at Autolink, a Detroit-based producer of subassemblies for the automotive market, has sent out requests for quotations for a wiring harness to four prospective suppliers. Only two of the four suppliers indicated an interest in quoting the business: Original Wire (Auburn Hills, MI) and Happy Lucky Assemblies (HLA) of Guangdong Province, China. The estimated demand for the harnesses is 5,000 units a month. Both suppliers will incur some costs to retool for this particular harness. The harnesses will be prepackaged in 24 12 6-inch cartons. Each packaged unit weighs approximately 10 pounds. Quote 1 The first quote received is from Original Wire. Auburn Hills is about 20 miles from Autolinks corporate headquarters, so the quote was delivered in person. When Sheila went down to the lobby, she was greeted by the sales agent and an engineering representative. After the quote was handed over, the sales agent noted that engineering would be happy to work closely with Autolink in developing the unit and would also be interested in future business that might involve finding ways to reduce costs. The sales agent also noted that they were hungry for business, as they were losing a lot of customers to companies from China. The quote included unit price, tooling, and packaging. The quoted unit price does not include shipping costs. Original Wire requires no special warehousing of inventory, and daily deliveries from its manufacturing site directly to Autolinks assembly operations are possible. Original Wire Quote: Unit price = 30 Packing costs = 0.75 per unit Tooling = 6,000 one-time fixed charge Freight cost = 5.20 per hundred pounds Quote 2 The second quote received is from Happy Lucky Assemblies of Guangdong Province, China. The supplier must pack the harnesses in a container and ship via inland transportation to the port of Shanghai in China, have the shipment transferred to a container ship, ship material to Seattle, and then have material transported inland to Detroit. The quoted unit price does not include international shipping costs, which the buyer will assume. HLA Quote: Unit price = 19.50 Shipping lead time = Eight weeks Tooling = 3,000 In addition to the suppliers quote, Sheila must consider additional costs and information before preparing a comparison of the Chinese suppliers quotation: Each monthly shipment requires three 40-foot containers. Packing costs for containerization = 2 per unit. Cost of inland transportation to port of export = 200 per container. Freight forwarders fee = 100 per shipment (letter of credit, documentation, etc.). Cost of ocean transport = 4,000 per container. This has risen significantly in recent years due to a shortage of ocean freight capacity. Marine insurance = 0.50 per 100 of shipment. U.S. port handling charges = 1,200 per container. This fee has also risen considerably this year, due to increased security. Ports have also been complaining that the charges may increase in the future. Customs duty = 5% of unit cost. Customs broker fees per shipment = 300. Transportation from Seattle to Detroit = 18.60 per hundred pounds. Need to warehouse at least four weeks of inventory in Detroit at a warehousing cost of 1.00 per cubic foot per month, to compensate for lead time uncertainty. Sheila must also figure the costs associated with committing corporate capital for holding inventory. She has spoken to some accountants, who typically use a corporate cost of capital rate of 15%. Cost of hedging currencybroker fees = 400 per shipment Additional administrative time due to international shipping = 4 hours per shipment 25 per hour (estimated) At least two five-day visits per year to travel to China to meet with supplier and provide updates on performance and shipping = 20,000 per year (estimated) The international sourcing costs must be absorbed by Sheila, as the supplier does not assume any of the additional estimated costs and invoice Sheila later, or build the costs into a revised unit price. Sheila feels that the U.S. supplier is probably less expensive, even though it quoted a higher price. Sheila also knows that this is a standard technology that is unlikely to change during the next three years, but which could be a contract that extends multiple years out. There is also a lot of hall talk amongst the engineers on her floor about next-generation automotive electronics, which will completely eliminate the need for wire harnesses, which will be replaced by electronic components that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable. She is unsure about how to calculate the total costs for each option, and she is even more unsure about how to factor these other variables into the decision. Calculate the total cost per unit of purchasing from Happy Lucky Assemblies.The Global Sourcing Wire Harness Decision Sheila Austin, a buyer at Autolink, a Detroit-based producer of subassemblies for the automotive market, has sent out requests for quotations for a wiring harness to four prospective suppliers. Only two of the four suppliers indicated an interest in quoting the business: Original Wire (Auburn Hills, MI) and Happy Lucky Assemblies (HLA) of Guangdong Province, China. The estimated demand for the harnesses is 5,000 units a month. Both suppliers will incur some costs to retool for this particular harness. The harnesses will be prepackaged in 24 12 6-inch cartons. Each packaged unit weighs approximately 10 pounds. Quote 1 The first quote received is from Original Wire. Auburn Hills is about 20 miles from Autolinks corporate headquarters, so the quote was delivered in person. When Sheila went down to the lobby, she was greeted by the sales agent and an engineering representative. After the quote was handed over, the sales agent noted that engineering would be happy to work closely with Autolink in developing the unit and would also be interested in future business that might involve finding ways to reduce costs. The sales agent also noted that they were hungry for business, as they were losing a lot of customers to companies from China. The quote included unit price, tooling, and packaging. The quoted unit price does not include shipping costs. Original Wire requires no special warehousing of inventory, and daily deliveries from its manufacturing site directly to Autolinks assembly operations are possible. Original Wire Quote: Unit price = 30 Packing costs = 0.75 per unit Tooling = 6,000 one-time fixed charge Freight cost = 5.20 per hundred pounds Quote 2 The second quote received is from Happy Lucky Assemblies of Guangdong Province, China. The supplier must pack the harnesses in a container and ship via inland transportation to the port of Shanghai in China, have the shipment transferred to a container ship, ship material to Seattle, and then have material transported inland to Detroit. The quoted unit price does not include international shipping costs, which the buyer will assume. HLA Quote: Unit price = 19.50 Shipping lead time = Eight weeks Tooling = 3,000 In addition to the suppliers quote, Sheila must consider additional costs and information before preparing a comparison of the Chinese suppliers quotation: Each monthly shipment requires three 40-foot containers. Packing costs for containerization = 2 per unit. Cost of inland transportation to port of export = 200 per container. Freight forwarders fee = 100 per shipment (letter of credit, documentation, etc.). Cost of ocean transport = 4,000 per container. This has risen significantly in recent years due to a shortage of ocean freight capacity. Marine insurance = 0.50 per 100 of shipment. U.S. port handling charges = 1,200 per container. This fee has also risen considerably this year, due to increased security. Ports have also been complaining that the charges may increase in the future. Customs duty = 5% of unit cost. Customs broker fees per shipment = 300. Transportation from Seattle to Detroit = 18.60 per hundred pounds. Need to warehouse at least four weeks of inventory in Detroit at a warehousing cost of 1.00 per cubic foot per month, to compensate for lead time uncertainty. Sheila must also figure the costs associated with committing corporate capital for holding inventory. She has spoken to some accountants, who typically use a corporate cost of capital rate of 15%. Cost of hedging currencybroker fees = 400 per shipment Additional administrative time due to international shipping = 4 hours per shipment 25 per hour (estimated) At least two five-day visits per year to travel to China to meet with supplier and provide updates on performance and shipping = 20,000 per year (estimated) The international sourcing costs must be absorbed by Sheila, as the supplier does not assume any of the additional estimated costs and invoice Sheila later, or build the costs into a revised unit price. Sheila feels that the U.S. supplier is probably less expensive, even though it quoted a higher price. Sheila also knows that this is a standard technology that is unlikely to change during the next three years, but which could be a contract that extends multiple years out. There is also a lot of hall talk amongst the engineers on her floor about next-generation automotive electronics, which will completely eliminate the need for wire harnesses, which will be replaced by electronic components that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable. She is unsure about how to calculate the total costs for each option, and she is even more unsure about how to factor these other variables into the decision. Based on the total cost per unit, which supplier should Sheila recommend?The Global Sourcing Wire Harness Decision Sheila Austin, a buyer at Autolink, a Detroit-based producer of subassemblies for the automotive market, has sent out requests for quotations for a wiring harness to four prospective suppliers. Only two of the four suppliers indicated an interest in quoting the business: Original Wire (Auburn Hills, MI) and Happy Lucky Assemblies (HLA) of Guangdong Province, China. The estimated demand for the harnesses is 5,000 units a month. Both suppliers will incur some costs to retool for this particular harness. The harnesses will be prepackaged in 24 12 6-inch cartons. Each packaged unit weighs approximately 10 pounds. Quote 1 The first quote received is from Original Wire. Auburn Hills is about 20 miles from Autolinks corporate headquarters, so the quote was delivered in person. When Sheila went down to the lobby, she was greeted by the sales agent and an engineering representative. After the quote was handed over, the sales agent noted that engineering would be happy to work closely with Autolink in developing the unit and would also be interested in future business that might involve finding ways to reduce costs. The sales agent also noted that they were hungry for business, as they were losing a lot of customers to companies from China. The quote included unit price, tooling, and packaging. The quoted unit price does not include shipping costs. Original Wire requires no special warehousing of inventory, and daily deliveries from its manufacturing site directly to Autolinks assembly operations are possible. Original Wire Quote: Unit price = 30 Packing costs = 0.75 per unit Tooling = 6,000 one-time fixed charge Freight cost = 5.20 per hundred pounds Quote 2 The second quote received is from Happy Lucky Assemblies of Guangdong Province, China. The supplier must pack the harnesses in a container and ship via inland transportation to the port of Shanghai in China, have the shipment transferred to a container ship, ship material to Seattle, and then have material transported inland to Detroit. The quoted unit price does not include international shipping costs, which the buyer will assume. HLA Quote: Unit price = 19.50 Shipping lead time = Eight weeks Tooling = 3,000 In addition to the suppliers quote, Sheila must consider additional costs and information before preparing a comparison of the Chinese suppliers quotation: Each monthly shipment requires three 40-foot containers. Packing costs for containerization = 2 per unit. Cost of inland transportation to port of export = 200 per container. Freight forwarders fee = 100 per shipment (letter of credit, documentation, etc.). Cost of ocean transport = 4,000 per container. This has risen significantly in recent years due to a shortage of ocean freight capacity. Marine insurance = 0.50 per 100 of shipment. U.S. port handling charges = 1,200 per container. This fee has also risen considerably this year, due to increased security. Ports have also been complaining that the charges may increase in the future. Customs duty = 5% of unit cost. Customs broker fees per shipment = 300. Transportation from Seattle to Detroit = 18.60 per hundred pounds. Need to warehouse at least four weeks of inventory in Detroit at a warehousing cost of 1.00 per cubic foot per month, to compensate for lead time uncertainty. Sheila must also figure the costs associated with committing corporate capital for holding inventory. She has spoken to some accountants, who typically use a corporate cost of capital rate of 15%. Cost of hedging currencybroker fees = 400 per shipment Additional administrative time due to international shipping = 4 hours per shipment 25 per hour (estimated) At least two five-day visits per year to travel to China to meet with supplier and provide updates on performance and shipping = 20,000 per year (estimated) The international sourcing costs must be absorbed by Sheila, as the supplier does not assume any of the additional estimated costs and invoice Sheila later, or build the costs into a revised unit price. Sheila feels that the U.S. supplier is probably less expensive, even though it quoted a higher price. Sheila also knows that this is a standard technology that is unlikely to change during the next three years, but which could be a contract that extends multiple years out. There is also a lot of hall talk amongst the engineers on her floor about next-generation automotive electronics, which will completely eliminate the need for wire harnesses, which will be replaced by electronic components that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable. She is unsure about how to calculate the total costs for each option, and she is even more unsure about how to factor these other variables into the decision. Are there any other issues besides cost that Sheila should evaluate?
- The Global Sourcing Wire Harness Decision Sheila Austin, a buyer at Autolink, a Detroit-based producer of subassemblies for the automotive market, has sent out requests for quotations for a wiring harness to four prospective suppliers. Only two of the four suppliers indicated an interest in quoting the business: Original Wire (Auburn Hills, MI) and Happy Lucky Assemblies (HLA) of Guangdong Province, China. The estimated demand for the harnesses is 5,000 units a month. Both suppliers will incur some costs to retool for this particular harness. The harnesses will be prepackaged in 24 12 6-inch cartons. Each packaged unit weighs approximately 10 pounds. Quote 1 The first quote received is from Original Wire. Auburn Hills is about 20 miles from Autolinks corporate headquarters, so the quote was delivered in person. When Sheila went down to the lobby, she was greeted by the sales agent and an engineering representative. After the quote was handed over, the sales agent noted that engineering would be happy to work closely with Autolink in developing the unit and would also be interested in future business that might involve finding ways to reduce costs. The sales agent also noted that they were hungry for business, as they were losing a lot of customers to companies from China. The quote included unit price, tooling, and packaging. The quoted unit price does not include shipping costs. Original Wire requires no special warehousing of inventory, and daily deliveries from its manufacturing site directly to Autolinks assembly operations are possible. Original Wire Quote: Unit price = 30 Packing costs = 0.75 per unit Tooling = 6,000 one-time fixed charge Freight cost = 5.20 per hundred pounds Quote 2 The second quote received is from Happy Lucky Assemblies of Guangdong Province, China. The supplier must pack the harnesses in a container and ship via inland transportation to the port of Shanghai in China, have the shipment transferred to a container ship, ship material to Seattle, and then have material transported inland to Detroit. The quoted unit price does not include international shipping costs, which the buyer will assume. HLA Quote: Unit price = 19.50 Shipping lead time = Eight weeks Tooling = 3,000 In addition to the suppliers quote, Sheila must consider additional costs and information before preparing a comparison of the Chinese suppliers quotation: Each monthly shipment requires three 40-foot containers. Packing costs for containerization = 2 per unit. Cost of inland transportation to port of export = 200 per container. Freight forwarders fee = 100 per shipment (letter of credit, documentation, etc.). Cost of ocean transport = 4,000 per container. This has risen significantly in recent years due to a shortage of ocean freight capacity. Marine insurance = 0.50 per 100 of shipment. U.S. port handling charges = 1,200 per container. This fee has also risen considerably this year, due to increased security. Ports have also been complaining that the charges may increase in the future. Customs duty = 5% of unit cost. Customs broker fees per shipment = 300. Transportation from Seattle to Detroit = 18.60 per hundred pounds. Need to warehouse at least four weeks of inventory in Detroit at a warehousing cost of 1.00 per cubic foot per month, to compensate for lead time uncertainty. Sheila must also figure the costs associated with committing corporate capital for holding inventory. She has spoken to some accountants, who typically use a corporate cost of capital rate of 15%. Cost of hedging currencybroker fees = 400 per shipment Additional administrative time due to international shipping = 4 hours per shipment 25 per hour (estimated) At least two five-day visits per year to travel to China to meet with supplier and provide updates on performance and shipping = 20,000 per year (estimated) The international sourcing costs must be absorbed by Sheila, as the supplier does not assume any of the additional estimated costs and invoice Sheila later, or build the costs into a revised unit price. Sheila feels that the U.S. supplier is probably less expensive, even though it quoted a higher price. Sheila also knows that this is a standard technology that is unlikely to change during the next three years, but which could be a contract that extends multiple years out. There is also a lot of hall talk amongst the engineers on her floor about next-generation automotive electronics, which will completely eliminate the need for wire harnesses, which will be replaced by electronic components that are smaller, lighter, and more reliable. She is unsure about how to calculate the total costs for each option, and she is even more unsure about how to factor these other variables into the decision. Based on this case, do you think international purchasing is more or less complex than domestic purchasing? Why? Is it worth the additional effort?Avion, Inc. Susan Dey and Bill Mifflin, procurement managers at Avion, Inc., sat across from each other and reviewed a troubling performance report concerning a key supplier, Foster Technologies. The report detailed the deteriorating performance of Foster Technologies in the areas of material quality and on-time delivery. At this point, Kevin ODonnell, another procurement manager, entered the room. Explain the role of performance measurement in managing supply chain activities.





