Nissan Canada INC. Case summary
Lionell C. Henderson
Northwood University
MBA 676: Integration & Implementation
Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management
Fall 2015 Evening – Cedar Hill, Texas
Dr. Lavelle J. Lemonier, Sr., PhD (ABD)
Executive Summary
Nissan Canada Inc.’s corporate manager of automobile planning, Dave Richardson (the protagonist), has been approached by the director of ordering for Nissan North America, Eric Caldwell, to examine the new Integrated Customer Order Network as part of the suggested automobile ordering process. This new technology is intended to shift to ordering process from a make –to-stock to a make- to- order system for the Japan and North America operations.
1. Problem / Key Issues.
a. What is the
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What are the key issues (sub-problems) that need to be resolved in order to solve the main problem? There are several important issues Dave Richardson must address in analyzing this problem. First, he must anticipate what issues may arise during the implementation phase of this project and how it may affect the company moving from a make-to-stock to a make-to-order system. Secondly, he must improve upon Nissan Canada’s Inc.’s current inferior demand forecasting issues. This system, through the utilization of spreadsheets, telephones, fax, and emails as a form of communication with dealers, extends the order processing times. Lastly, there is currently a three-month window for assembly plants and suppliers in receiving orders that add to the …show more content…
What business acumen (analytical tools or concepts) did you apply to the resolution of the Key Issues? I would employ a more efficient customer demand forecasting method that would address the main problems such as the ICON concept. This would allow the company to: “Shift to a more customer-centric (pull model) focus supporting increased customer demands” (Hunter, 2007), and “Alignment of core practices and processes to Nissan’s Global Brand Initiative” (Hunter, 2007), while, “Supporting Nissan goals of: increased revenue, lower cost, higher customer satisfaction, reduced lead times, lower finished goods inventory, and maximize synergies with Renault” (Hunter, 2007).
4. What is the solution? A dual ordering process is needed to support manufacturing and sales such as the “ ICON will allow Nissan to capture exact dealer orders, on short notice, align our supply chain accordingly to have the right car in the right place at the right time” (Hunter, 2007). Sales would use “Manugistics planning tools, demand planning, and demand fulfillment, to more accurately predict customer demand, at the model mix level, for the forecast production month” (Hunter, 2007).
5. What steps are needed to be taken to implement and evaluate this
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