UPS Case Study Assignment

AYESHA IKRAM
MBA Professional

QUESTION#1: What are the inputs, processing and outputs of UPS's package
tracking system?
INPUTS: Details of sender, the destination, pick up details, when the package
shall arrive, information transmission to UPS's computer centers.
PROCESSING: Information transmission to package final destination's nearest
distribution centers, monitoring of package in transit, optimal route designing for
the package .
OUTPUTS: Most efficient delivery route, information about progress/status of
any package on UPS's website, e-proof of the receipt of package after 60 seconds
of delivery.
QUESTION#2: What technologies are used by UPS? How are these technologies
related to UPS's business strategy ?
UPS used three technologies:
1.Scannable bar-codes label
2.Delivery information acquisition device (DIIAD)
3.Order management system (OMS)
These technologies are directly responsible for achieving UPS's business strategy
of providing best service while keeping the costs low. Scan able bar code helps
monitoring and updating package status until it gets deliver. DIAD keeps the costs
low by providing operational efficiency to UPS, saving UPS millions of dollars. OMS
helps providing quick and timely deliveries of critical items as time is crucial for
certain businesses and products such as medical equipments.
QUESTION#3: What strategic objectives do UPS's information system address?
UPS's information system provides operational excellence by optimizing its
resources, keeping costs at its lowest, efficient and effective conduct of entire
business activity. UPS's information system provides best customer service by
displaying real time package progress on their website accessible to customers
anytime , quick respond to queries , building customer trust and loyalty. UPS's
investment in most advanced and up-to-date information system gives UPS
competitive edge by keeping it ahead of its competitors by constantly keep
innovating better and more efficient ways of providing best services to its
customers and expanding business in many other business dimensions too.
QUESTION#4: What would happen if UPS's information system were not available
?
If UPS does not has its information system then it would have been almost
impossible to conduct business in more than 200 countries. Without information
system UPS would fail to achieve its core strategy , “providing best service while
keeping costs low". Within the organization , operations wouldn’t have been
efficient as managers, without information system, could not connect to other
managers and employees for real time information sharing . to analyze and make
right decisions at the right time. Optimal resource usage and timely delivery of
packages could not be possible. There would have been no transperacy between
UPS and its customers, losing customer trust and loyalty. UPS is ahead of its
competitors solely because of its advanced Information system. In nutshell,
without information system, UPS's entire business conduct would be uncertain,
inefficient and chaotic.