| Course | OPM-4200 Supply Chain Management |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 5 |
| Paper type | Module 5 case assignment: relationship management and information sharing |
| Length | About 555 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Operations Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for OPM 4200 Module 5
From Forty to Two Hundred and Ten: Tracing and Taming the Bullwhip in an E-Bike Supply Chain
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Operations Management, Thomas Edison State University
OPM-4200: Supply Chain Management
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
From Forty to Two Hundred and Ten: Tracing and Taming the Bullwhip in an E-Bike Supply Chain
The Problem
The motor supplier complains that the company's orders swing wildly, and the company complains that the supplier cannot deliver extra motors on short notice. I compared the standard deviation of weekly units at three points over one year.
Variance grows almost sixfold from shoppers to dealer orders and more than twenty-seven-fold by the time orders reach the motor supplier, although underlying demand is steady.
| Point in the chain | Weekly mean | Standard deviation | Variance relative to shoppers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoppers buying bikes at dealers | 260 | 40 | 1.0 |
| Dealer orders to the company | 260 | 95 | 5.6 |
| Company orders for motors | 260 | 210 | 27.6 |
Diagnosing the Bullwhip
Lee et al. (1997) identified four causes of the bullwhip effect: demand signal processing, where every stage plans from the orders arriving from downstream instead of from what end customers buy; order batching; price fluctuations that lead buyers to forward buy; and rationing and shortage gaming, in which buyers inflate orders when supply is short. All four appear here.
| Cause | Evidence in the case |
|---|---|
| Demand signal processing | The company forecasts from dealer orders; it never sees dealer sales |
| Order batching | Dealers order monthly; the company orders motors quarterly |
| Price fluctuations | Spring and fall dealer promotions pull orders forward |
| Rationing and gaming | During last year's shortage, dealers doubled orders, then canceled |
Remedies
Information sharing is the most direct remedy. The company should ask its 300 dealers to share weekly sell-through data through the dealer portal proposed in Module 2, offering in return a guaranteed five-day delivery on reorders. Forecasting from actual sales, not dealer orders, removes the first cause. Smaller, more frequent orders reduce batching: dealers can reorder weekly through the portal, and the company can move to monthly motor orders. Replacing seasonal dealer promotions with everyday pricing and a year-end volume rebate removes forward buying. Allocating scarce bikes in proportion to past sales, not current orders, removes the incentive to inflate.
The Motor Supplier Relationship
Fawcett et al. (2007) describe a range of relationships, from arm's-length transactions to strategic alliances, and argue that closer collaboration suits suppliers of critical, hard-to-replace items. Motors are critical: the company has one qualified supplier, and changing would take a year. Dyer and Singh (1998) argued that partners can earn relational rents, profits beyond what either could make alone, from relation-specific investments, knowledge sharing and effective governance. The company should share its sell-through forecast with the motor supplier every month, commit to a rolling six-month volume range, and hold a quarterly review of forecast accuracy and delivery. In return, it should ask the supplier to hold a buffer of 500 motors.
Expected Results
If order variance to the motor supplier fell to the dealer level, the company could cut motor safety stock by about half, roughly $600,000 of inventory, and the supplier could plan production more steadily, which should make the 500-motor buffer cheaper for it to hold. Both firms would also spend less time on expediting, which now takes a planner about a day a week.
Conclusion
The bullwhip in this supply chain is created by the company's own practices and its dealers'. Sharing sell-through data, ordering in smaller lots, steady pricing and fair allocation, together with a collaborative relationship with the motor supplier, address all four causes.
References
Dyer, J. H., & Singh, H. (1998). The relational view: Cooperative strategy and sources of interorganizational competitive advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23(4), 660-679. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1998.1255632
Fawcett, S. E., Ellram, L. M., & Ogden, J. A. (2007). Supply chain management: From vision to implementation. Pearson Prentice Hall.
Lee, H. L., Padmanabhan, V., & Whang, S. (1997). Information distortion in a supply chain: The bullwhip effect. Management Science, 43(4), 546-558. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.43.4.546
OPM 4200 Module 5 instructions, in plain terms
The Module 5 case covers relationship management and information sharing. Expect to diagnose problems such as the bullwhip effect, explain how sharing information would help, choose the right type of relationship with a supplier or customer and propose how to build collaboration. Use data to show the problem where you can, match each cause to evidence and propose remedies that address the causes. Explain what each partner gives and gets, since collaboration lasts only if both sides benefit. Measure variability at each stage of the chain, if data are available, before naming causes. Propose a remedy for each cause you find. Keep each remedy tied to a named cause.
How the OPM 4200 Module 5 example is put together
The paper measures variability at three points in the chain in a table and computes how variance grows. A section applies research on the four causes of the bullwhip, with a table matching each cause to evidence. A remedies section addresses each cause. A section on the motor supplier applies the textbook's range of relationships and research on relational advantage, and a short section estimates the inventory saving. The conclusion ties the remedies to the causes. The expected results section estimates the inventory saving and the time saved on expediting, giving both partners a reason to share data. Variance ratios at each stage quantify how much the bullwhip grows, and the motor supplier section explains why motors call for a closer relationship than fasteners would.
Where the marks sit in the OPM 4200 Module 5 rubric
Mentors grade this case on correct diagnosis, use of chapter concepts and research, remedies that address causes and clear writing. Papers that measure the bullwhip with data, and match each cause to evidence, show analytical rigor. Proposing remedies that give partners a reason to share information demonstrates understanding of relationships. Estimating the benefit shows that the proposals are worth the effort. Showing what each partner gains from sharing information makes the proposal credible. A table that matches causes to evidence makes the diagnosis easy to check. Choosing a relationship type with reasons, such as the cost of switching suppliers, shows judgment rather than a default preference for partnership.
OPM 4200 Module 5 help from the desk
Students lose points by describing the bullwhip in general terms, by proposing information sharing without saying what partners gain or by choosing relationship types without reasons. Others list causes without evidence. Measure variability at each stage. Match causes to evidence. Propose a remedy for each cause. Explain what each partner gives and receives. Show what each partner gains, since information sharing lasts only when both sides benefit. Choose the closeness of each relationship by how critical and hard to replace the supplier is. Give dealers a reason to share their sales data. A free first sample on your own OPM-4200 relationships case is available on request.
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OPM 4200 Module 5 questions, answered
Where can I find a free OPM 4200 Module 5 sample paper?
A bullwhip diagnosis and information sharing plan for an e-bike supply chain is the case above.
What is the bullwhip effect?
The way swings in orders grow larger at each step back from the shopper toward the supplier.
What causes the bullwhip effect?
Demand signal processing, order batching, price fluctuations and rationing and shortage gaming.
How does information sharing reduce the bullwhip?
Upstream firms forecast from actual end demand rather than from distorted orders.
What are relational rents?
Returns that partners earn together through specific investments, knowledge sharing and effective governance.