Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Case Notes
Chapter 15: Operations, Quality, and Productivity
3M
1. What were the objectives of the Lean/Six Sigma program at 3M?
The objectives of the program were to reduce defects, increase efficiency, and reduce
2. What are the key elements of the Lean/Six Sigma program at 3M?
The Lean/Six Sigma program included the following elements:
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Lean/Six Sigma program at 3M.
By almost all measures, the Lean/Six Sigma program at 3M has been a huge success and
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
4. What are the challenges associated with maintaining the success of the Lean/Six
Sigma program at 3M?
The most notable challenge is the issue of maintaining the organization’s overall ability
5. Why do you think that Lean/Six Sigma has grown in popularity in many
organizations? Do you think that Lean/Six Sigma will continue to be popular in
the future? Why or why not?
6. Do you think the use of Lean/Six Sigma undermines the ability of an organization
to be innovative? Why or why not?
Zara’s Formula to Successful Fast-Fashion: Innovative Supply Chain Management
1. What category does Zara fall under from an operations flexibility perspective?
The case discusses the financial decline of Sears Holdings and some of its stakeholders’
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
2. Explain how just-in–time (JIT) inventory to affects Zara’s pricing strategy.
JIT inventory procurement is underpinned by a highly developed forecasting systems.
3. Explain how utilizing both its in-house facilities and external manufacturers
maximizes the efficiency of Zara’s supply chain. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of each form of manufacturing?
Since fast-fashion merchandise requires a quick turnaround to get items on shelves,
4. What other companies utilize Zara’s business model? How much control do these
companies have over their supply chain?
Answers will vary. Companies such as H&M and Forever 21 are most likely to
5. Which of Porter’s three competitive strategies does Zara utilize? Explain why
This is not a straight forward question since Zara combines a low-cost strategy with
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
6. Is Zara a product innovator or a process innovator? Explain why.
Zara is a process innovator. Their ability to take a product trend and capitalize on it by
7. Discuss the need for a team approach to supply chain management at Zara.
In order to convert ideas to products on shelves, team work is critical for Zara’s SCM. In–
8. Apply the four stages of the systems process and describe how Zara controls each
stage of the process.
The input stage is a key stage for Zara. Ideas are turned into design that will then be
moved to into the next stage. Managers determine what garment to produce and how
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019