1- What is the difference between purchasing and supply management? What is the difference between a supply chain orientation and supply chain management?

2- Would you agree that the importance of the individual supply chain management activities vary with the type of business (e.g., purchasing vs. inbound transportation) and provide examples?

3- Discuss the two or three most important benefits to centralized purchasing authority. Justify your choices. Discuss the two most important benefits to decentralized purchasing authority. Justify your choices.

4- What factors contribute to the increasing importance of purchasing within the organizational hierarchy?

5- Can you provide examples of suppliers or industries that are currently utilizing a price volume model, market share model, competition pricing model, and revenue pricing model?

6- What are the benefits from measuring the total cost of ownership for a purchased item? Are there any potential disadvantages of this approach? If so, what are they?

7- List the important items that should be included when entering into a long-term contract (e.g., more than one year) with a supplier?

8- You are a supply manager for a major distributor; the CEO has strongly encouraged that you buy lighting products for the new municipal stadium from a supplier that belongs to the CEO's country club. How would you handle this attempt to influence you?