Compare and contrast the complexity of incorporating transportation costs for an external fleet in India vs USA. How do the Road Transport Office (RTO) regulations in India influence transport rates and how do these rates vary across different states?

What steps are to be followed while implementing IT software packages for supply chain management? Do these steps vary from package to package? How are they standardized?

What is the Bullwhip effect? Explain the various permutations and combinations to reduce this effect in Supply Chain Management (SCM).

What is Physical Distribution Management? Describe its components. Also elucidate the System or Total approach to Physical Distribution Management (PDM).

"The growth in marketing, market segmentation, and increased competition has complicated the materials management function of firms" Elaborate!

What are the objectives and safety considerations of a good warehouse layout?

How can elements of Just-in-time production system (JIT) and Optimized Production Technology (OPT) be incorporated to overcome the limitations of Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP II)?

Discuss how socioeconomic and cultural factors can influence the success of international purchasing, providing relevant examples.

Define the various roles of materials management in the context of internal and external interfaces to materials management system.

Discuss the preventive maintenance. In what ways is preventive maintenance necessary in JIT/Kanban/pull manufacturing as opposed to push manufacturing?

"In TQM organizations, the traditional approach of post-production detection of defects is discouraged, and prevention philosophy is adopted to bring down the non conformance characteristics". Relate this approach to modern maintenance management systems.

TPM

MTWS

MTR

MTBF

Many organizations have standing conflicts among maintenance and production/operations employees. Describe the nature of these conflicts. What are the main causes?

What are the major considerations taken while 'planning for maintenance for a manufacturing unit/machine/equipment? Prepare a maintenance schedule for a plant.

What are the differences in commercialisation approach between developed and developing nations? How do developed nations score over developing nations in R&D business?

What are the different types of R&D Organizations? What kind of R&D Organizations are found in India? Explain.

Quality Function Deployment