Q& A + a case review

Q & A consists of 5 questions listed below (with references) What is the difference between data mining and statistics? Discuss how data mining is being used by corporate executives to improve strategic planning and to increase market share. (Give an example from your place of employment or from research on the internet). Illustrate in words and by a graph a supply chain strategy. Discuss how you can develop a supply chain strategy without an ERP System? Discuss the importance of accurately measuring supply chain costs. Case Review/Analysis Assignment g/analytical skills please complete the following: Assume you are Fitter Snacker’s new marketing manager, hired to clean up some of the company’s problems, as outlined in the beginning of Chapter 3. You just started this job, and you are getting to know your sales team and the company’s processes. Describe all the problems you observe about the way Fitter’s sales force currently takes and fills an order. Now convince upper management of the need to improve the existing system and put an ERP system in place. If Fitter installs an ERP system, how could they reorganize their sales division to be more efficient? Be specific about how you would rearrange divisions, or consolidate them. Fitter’s current sales order accounting processes involves recording sales in each division and then periodically sending certain sales data to Accounting for invoicing and financial reporting. Complete sales order data are retained in each sales division for business analysis purposes. Assume that different divisions of the Yummy Foods Company buy NRG-A and NRG-B bars from each of Fitter’s sales divisions. To complicate matters, some divisions of Yummy buy store-brand bars from Fitter. (Yummy owns convenience store outlets.) Fitter management has asked for an analysis of the Yummy Foods account. They want to determine if there are opportunities to expand the company’s relationship with Yummy; however, they want to assess the profitability of the relationship before proceeding. The management team wants to see what products each division sells to Yummy, how much is sold, and on what terms. Assume that in Fitter’s current system, all the required data are available only at the sales division level. What steps will be needed to pull this company-wide analysis together? (Review how each division sells its products.) Do you think a sales division manager will be enthusiastic about sharing all data with his or her counterpart in the other division? Do you think there might be some reluctance? Why? Continuing the Yummy Foods example, now assume that Fitter has an SAP ERP system installed. Each sales division records sales in the same way. Sales records exist in real time and are kept in the company’s common database. What steps will be needed to pull this company-wide analysis together? Do you expect that the divisions will meet the new system with enthusiasm or reluctance?