Supply Chain Management
Module leader: Dr Brian McGarrie
Duration and timing: total of 24 hours, Summer Term
Overview
The function of supply chain management is to design and manage the processes, assets, and flows of material and information required to satisfy customers’ demands. Costs relating to supply logistics account for 20–25% of a typical firm’s total costs. On the revenue side, supply chain decisions have a direct impact on the market penetration and customer service. Globalisation of economy and electronic commerce has heightened the strategic importance of supply chain management and created new opportunities for using supply chain strategy and planning as a competitive tool.
The aim of this module is to show how supply chain and logistical decisions impact the performance of an organisation as well as the entire supply chain. The emphasis will be on giving you an in-depth understanding, at an advanced level, of the complexities of managing supply chains. The module will also provide a thorough understanding of the tools and techniques necessary to analyse, evaluate and implement best practice supply chain solutions.
Topics covered will include:
- Supply chain strategy
- Push and pull philosophies of supply chain design
- Supply chain mapping
- Growth in international trade, outsourcing and offshoring
- Cultural barriers to trade in global supply markets
- Principles of agile supply chains
- Principles of lean supply chains
- Relationships within the supply chain
- Global sourcing
- Supply chain integration
- Demand amplification
- Information drivers in supply chains
- Demand chain management
- E-supply chain management
- Performance measurement in a supply chain
- Logistics and competitive advantage
- The emergence of inter-modal transport in an international context
- Supply chain integration
- Supply chain risk management
The module is based primarily around lectures, case studies, group discussions and experiences from within the class. You will also draw on key readings to develop a better understanding of risk, crisis and continuity management frameworks and models.
Assessment
An individual case-based report
