Green Supply Chain Management

Assignments

Each homework assignment is due in class.

ASSIGNMENTS	DESCRIPTION AND SUPPORTING FILES
Homework 1: Reverse Logistics	Reverse Logistics Paper Questions: Based on Reading 1 in Required Readings, please answer the following three questions (no more than 400 words): Why is packaging reduction (in Figure 1) considered a green logistics activity and not a reverse logistics activity? Please add one more example of a “green supply chain management” activity that will not be considered a “reverse logistics” activity. For each of the strategic reasons of returns (see Table 4) select one of the five products used during the class discussion (soda can, jackets, laptop, hybrid car, batteries) that you think will illustrate the reason best. Explain why. Review the return policy of Zappos.com an online retailer of shoes. Do you think that some of the problems described in the paper will also apply to their business model? Justify your answer.
Homework 2: ReCellular Case	Read Reading 2 in Required Readings, and answer the following pre-session questions: In less than 200 words, what are the main differences and similarities between Genco (as presented in class by the invited speaker) and ReCellular (as described in the case study)? In less than 200 words, do you think the ReCellular business model is viable in the long-term? Why?
Homework 3: Whirlpool Case	Read Reading 3 in Required Readings, and answer the following pre-session questions: Using the information of the “Whirlpool Corporation: Reverse Logistics” Case Study answer the following questions: What is the estimated cost of Whirlpool to comply with the EPR legislation under an IFO model? How does this cost compare with the cost of regular distribution? Do you expect for a Whirlpool “closed-loop” system to have higher or lower costs than an IFO model? If you were Ellacot, what will you do and why?
Homework 4: WidgetCo Carbon Footprinting	Please read Reading 4 in Required Readings in submit your filled out Excel worksheet (the cells highlighted in blue) along with a brief (1–2 pages) response to the questions in the case study.
Homework 5: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)	LCA review: Please read the posted LCA study (see Reading 5 in Required Readings) and submit a 1–2 page document that answers the following questions. What are two assumptions or omissions of the Hand Drying Systems LCA that could bias the study results? Justify your answer and, if possible, estimate the impact on the study results. If you were the manufacturer of the Xlerator hand drying system, what would be your response to this study?
Homework 6: Palm Oil Case Study	Palm Oil Case Study Assignment (PDF)