Supply Chain Management

Teaching Hours and Credit Allocation: 16 hours, 3 credits
Course Assessment: Coursework + Exam


Aims

This course aims to broaden students’ knowledge of the core and specialised areas of supply chain management. It focuses on the strategic and operational processes of the entire network of business that transform inputs (e.g., raw materials and information) into value-added finished products and services for end customers. It examines current developments in the fields of purchasing, logistics and demand-supply balancing of local and global multi-echelon supply chains and acquaints students with key techniques for tackling related issues.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, the successful student will be able to:

  • Investigate and describe the structure and operation of a given supply chain
  • Synthesise the fundamental dimensions of managing supplier relationships and the need for harmonising partners' diverse strategic intents
  • Evaluate the impact of supply chain decisions, including cost, quality and environmental considerations
  • Understand the issues associated with demand-supply uncertainties, inventory control and distribution policies across the supply chain
  • Develop comprehensive strategies for successfully exploiting global supply chains by carefully co-ordinating business processes and controlling internal and external resources
  • Implement the use of advanced technologies in manufacturing and services across global supply chain elements
  • Demonstrate analytical and numerical skills
  • Demonstrate written and oral communication skills
  • Conduct academic and business research into SCM in practice.

Content

The course covers the following topics:

  • The scope, operation and behaviour of supply chains
  • Strategic choices in the supply chain: integration, scale, location, outsourcing.
  • Quality assurance
  • Purchasing operations; procurement: management of outsourcing; contracts
  • Distribution Networks
  • Transport, warehousing and retailing operations
  • Forecasting; scheduling techniques; resource planning techniques.
  • Supply chain modelling and inventory management
  • E-commerce and Information technology for SCM
  • Financial evaluation of supply chain decisions; pricing and revenue Management in the supply chain
  • Supply chain performance and customer value.