Module 9

Dell is a company that is known for their custom built laptops and desktops. Due to a very efficient supply chain and assembly line, Dell can mass produce these customized computers. After reading how fast the process is, I began to wonder how well these computers are actually put together and how many issues result from the fast pace supply chain, but the computers must work well enough for Dell to be a very wide known and successful company.

Friedman states that Dell is comprised of six factories. Only two of the factories actually reside in the United States. Each of these factories have their own supplier logistics center (SLC) which is practically a warehouse full of all the parts needed to produce around twenty-five thousand computers six days a week. The SLC receives their parts from over twenty five different suppliers. Because of the massive amount of computers that are produced within the hour, the SLC must be prepared to deliver parts to Dell factories every two hours.  These deliveries are based on the customer’s order.

Once the parts arrive at the Dell factory they go through an assembly of workers who put together each individual part. The computer is then prepared with the software and operating system requested by the customer. Next the computer is boxed up and shipped to the buyer via large 747 airplanes and UPS trucks.

Sadly strategic supply chaining can also be used for malicious purposes. Dell uses their supply chain to provide customers with their products in a timely manner, while at the same time, Al-Qaeda uses their supply chain to pass information and perform well planned attacks. Osama bin-Laden was able to outsource the task and planning for the 9/11 bombing to terrorists who specialized in the needed areas of expertise. Due to the “flattening of the world” bin-Laden was able to put together a team of skilled professionals that contained individuals from all over the world.

Al-Qaeda supply chain doesn’t only consist of executing terrorist attacks; it also consists of multiple charities and pro Al-Qaeda organizations. These charities and organizations were able to receive their money through propaganda campaigns. To prepare for the 9/11 attack, bin-laden was able to receive the funding needed from these organizations through the use of the internet. He used this global network for wire transfers, online transfers from overseas bank accounts and many other methods. Al-Qaeda definitely uses supply chaining from propaganda campaigns all the way up to the final attack.

The curse of oil, according to Friedman, refers to nations run by dictators and monarchs who have spent all of their time and money drilling for oil and leave little or no money and effort to be put towards the people.  In this type of economy the rich definitely get richer and the poor definitely become poorer. Because of oil, the talents of the people become viewed as being much lower in importance. As long as the oil continues to flow, the dictators and monarchs can keep a tight hold on their power. These nations tend to have weak education systems and very little or no rule of law.

 I can see many reasons why dictators who care about nothing other than power would suppress on the peoples education and freedom. First off they only care about investing in themselves, so dispersing money towards an education program would seem like a waste of money to them. Secondly if the people were able to gain an education they, as dictators, would have less of a grasp on the people’s freedom and would then have more competition in their oil drilling businesses. Friedman also explains that their actually are some Arab countries that are innovating and successful in today’s world. And wouldn’t you believe, these countries are the countries promoting educational opportunity and creating job growth for the people.