1. Chapter 8 – Exercise 1
List the four elements of an EDI system.

2. Chapter 8 – Exercise 2
List the transaction types that take place between trading partners that seem suitable for EDI implementation. Suggest some communications that would not be suitable for this technology.

3. Chapter 8 – Exercise 3
Review the advantages of EDI and evaluate how each applies to the EDI implementation proposed in the Pens and Things example.

4. Chapter 8 – Exercise 4
The advantages of EDI are typically given in comparison to paper orders; if the orders were sent by fax, which of the advantages would still apply?

5. Chapter 9 – Exercise 1
For each stage of the business trade cycle, see Figure 10.5, list the stage specific advantages (and any disadvantages) of using EDI.

6. Chapter 9 – Exercise 2
What problems might be encountered by a small food processing company, which supplies several supermarkets, when required by its customers to implement EDI.

7. Chapter 9 – Exercise 3
EDI is typically applied to trade exchanges, orders, invoices, etc. but it can also be used for non trade purposes. In the UK, students apply for university places through the UCAS clearing centre (and other countries have similar schemes). The procedure is that students submit their applications to UCAS and the clearing centre passes the application onto the preferred universities. Each university then accepts, rejects or makes an offer and the decision is passed back to the student via the UCAS clearing centre. Suggest how EDI (and other ICT technologies) might be used to update such a scheme.

8. Chapter 9 – Exercise 4
Section shows three instances where a mature EDI supply chain (JIT supply coupled with sharing of market information suppliers) can facilitate a change in the nature of the product or service – can you suggest any further real examples or possibilities that could be developed?