Strategy & Value
New technology works, but delivery is still slow. What else should management examine?
People and business processes.
Sales promises products without knowing inventory levels. What would help?
An integrated ERP system/shared information.
Customers shift from physical products to digital delivery. What challenge is this?
Digital transformation.
Inventory ↑ while sales stay flat. Should you buy more?
Not yet. Examine demand, sales, inventory, and purchasing first.
A manager checks a customer's current order status. OLTP or OLAP?
OLTP
A competitor launches a better app. Should you immediately copy it? Why?
No. First determine whether it supports your strategy and creates value.
Sales, purchasing, and inventory have different product data. What’s the problem?
Lack of integration and consistent shared data.
Your traditional business is profitable, but customers are going digital. What’s the dilemma?
Protect today's business while preparing for the future.
You lower price and revenue rises. Did the price change cause it?
Not necessarily. More evidence is needed.
A manager compares sales across several past periods. OLTP or OLAP?
OLAP
Your company collects lots of customer data but rarely uses it. Does the data create value?
Not by itself. It must lead to insight, decisions, and action.
An order moves through sales → inventory → delivery → billing. What should managers manage?
The end-to-end business process.
Netflix moves from DVDs to streaming. Why is this more than a technology change?
It changes the business model, economics, and customer experience.
Revenue ↑12%, Profit ↓5%. Was this a successful round?
Cannot tell from those two measures alone; investigate other KPIs.
A PivotTable shows revenue by product. Is that automatically an insight?
No. Insight requires interpreting what the information means.
Great technology + poor processes + inconsistent data = poor results. What’s missing?
Alignment of People + Process + Data + Technology.
The ERP works, but employees still use old spreadsheets. Successful implementation?
No. People, processes, and adoption must change too.
Advanced technology is installed, but operations fail. What FreshDirect lesson applies?
Technology alone does not guarantee operational success.
Another team lowers its price. Should your team copy them?
No. Use your own company's data and strategy.
Revenue ↑, Profit ↓, Inventory ↑. What should management do next?
Investigate related KPIs and determine why before acting.
Competitors can copy your technology. How can you sustain an advantage?
Combine it with unique processes, data, capabilities, or execution.
An ERP shares incorrect data across departments. Why is this dangerous?
Bad data spreads across functions and leads to poor decisions.
A digital strategy makes sense, but customers reject the change. What was overlooked?
Change management, communication, customer needs, and execution.
Revenue ↑15%, Profit ↓8%, Inventory ↑22%. Is the strategy working?
Not necessarily. Investigate margins, pricing, demand, purchasing, and costs.
Sales ↓ for three rounds while inventory ↑. What should management investigate?
Demand, pricing, and purchasing; inventory may be outpacing demand.