Purpose

This assignment allows you to compare Pull vs$.$ Pull strategies for different categories of

products based on data analysis.

You'll be able to integrate inventory and transportation decisions in distribution and

logistics and develop insights from distribution analytics.

Assignment description

Students work individually or form a group of two people. Utilizing the attached data file and

assuming all cost estimates remain the same as before, please perform the following tasks:

$1.$Calculate the percentage $(\%)$ savings from the push strategy to the pull strategy for cold$-$smart,

cold$-$feature, hot$-$smart, hot$-$feature phones, and assess the net cost difference between push and

pull for the flagship stores in NYC and LA$.$

$2.$Based on the results of task $1,$ please develop quantitative insights on the following questions:

Is always pull better than push $($for all types of phones$)$ in the flagship stores in NYC and

LA$?$

How significant are the net cost savings if we move from the push strategy to the pull

strategy?

In which area $($NYC vs$.$ LA$)$ will the pull strategy generate greater savings than the push

strategy?

Submission and grading

The maximum score is $40$ points;

The deliverable is a spreadsheet with the data analysis and answers to questions;

For the group work, each group submits one copy with all group members' names specified;

It is due by the start of class in Week $3.$

Hints

First, you need to calculate the weekly average demand and on$-$hand inventory for the

flagship storcs in NYC and LA;

To perform the calculation in Task $1$ for each store, you may use "VASTA$-$example$-$

calculations.xls$"$ as a template. For instance, for the NYC store, you may copy the demand

and inventory data of the NYC storc $($Cclls $"$A$64"$ to $"$C$68")$ into the data filc and pastc it

into the corresponding cells $($Tab "Input parameters," Cells $"$I$3"$ to $"$K$7")$ of the Excel file,

"VASTA$-$example$-$calculations.xls$,"$ then the calculation will be done automatically.

However, you still necd to interpret the results yoursclf to derive quantitative insights.

Alternatively, you may design your own calculation layout instead of using the example

calculation template.