Use This Information for Questions That Refer to the United

question 228

Multiple Choice

Use this information for questions that refer to the United Tools case. Terry Harter is marketing manager for United Tools,and Mike O'Reilly is the firm's logistics manager.They work together to make decisions about how to get United's hand and power tools to its customers-a mix of manufacturing plants and final consumers (who buy United tools at a hardware store) .United Tools does not own its own transport facilities,and it works with wholesalers to reach its business customers.
Together,Harter and O'Reilly try to coordinate transporting,storing,and product-handling activities to minimize cost while still achieving the customer service level their customers and intermediaries want.This usually requires that United keep an inventory of most of its products on hand; but demand for its products is fairly consistent over time,so inventory is easy to manage.
Harter has identified four options for physical distribution systems she could use to reach two of her key wholesalers,Ralston Supply and Ricotta Tool Co.The total cost for each option-and the distribution service levels that can be achieved-are as follows:
$\begin{array}{c}\begin{array}{lll}\\1.\\2.\\3.\\4.\\\\\end{array}\begin{array}{lll}\text{Main feature of system:}\\Airfreight\\Inland ~waterways\\Trucks\\Rail ~and ~regional\\warehouses\\\end{array}\begin{array}{lll}\begin{array}{rc}\text { Total Cost}&\text { Distribution Service Level }\\\$ 1,000,000 & 95 \text { percent } \\\$ 300,000 & 60 \text { percent } \\\$ 500,000 & 70 \text { percent } \\\$ 650,000 & 80 \text { percent }\\\\\end{array}\end{array}\end{array}$
Ralston Supply expects a very high level (90 percent) of distribution customer service.Ricotta Tool Co.is willing to settle for a 70 percent customer service -leveleven if that means some products will occasionally be out of -stockif it gets products at a lower price.
For its large retail hardware customers (like Home Depot) ,United regularly ships smaller orders directly to individual stores or in some cases to the retail chain's warehouses.Cross-country shipments usually go by rail,while regional shipments usually go by truck.
As marketing manager,United's Terry Harter should realize that

• A)transporting costs may limit her choice of target markets.
• B)a supply chain can only consist of one distribution channel.
• C)the lowest-cost distribution system is the best alternative.
• D)None of these answers is correct.

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Definitions:

Vegetable

Edible plants or parts of plants, such as leaves, roots, flowers, or seeds, commonly consumed as food and important sources of nutrients.

Seed Dispersal

The mechanism by which seeds are spread away from their parent plant, reducing competition and aiding species spread.

Sexual Reproduction

A biological process by which organisms create offspring by combining genetic material from two different sexes.

Flowering

The process by which plants produce flowers, which are the reproductive structures that facilitate sexual reproduction involving pollination and seed production.