1 – 5. How would you characterize the competitive strategy of a high-end department store chain such as Nordstrom? What are the key customer needs that Nordstrom aims to fill?

2. Where would you place the demand faced by Nordstrom on the implied demand uncertainty spectrum? Why?

3. What level of responsiveness would be most appropriate for Nordstrom’s supply chain? What should the supply chain be able to do particularly well?

4.How can Nordstrom expand the scope of the strategic fit across the supply chain?

5. Reconsider the previous four questions for other companies such as Amazon.com, a supermarket chain, and auto manufacturer, and a discount retailer such as Wal-Mart.