QUESTION B

B$1$

Supply chain decision databases are distinctly different from the corporate transactional databases from which they are derived.

Components of the decision database include structural and numerical elements linked to facilities and transportation networks.

Present a generic modelling paradigm and give examples of a facility and a transportation link in a supply chain, and discuss the implied data requirements from a modelling perspective.

$(13$ MARKS$)$

B$2$

The resource$-$based view of the firm is a new paradigm that suggests a firm$$s sustainable competitive advantage depends heavily on the firm$$s resources and how they are used. Present the key concepts of this theoretical paradigm and discus how they suggest directions for expanding the scope of optimisation models for supply chain management.

$(12$ MARKS$)$