BUS 274f (2)

SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYTICS

COURSE SYLLABUS

Spring 2016

Class Hours: Thursday 6:30 pm – 9:20 pm

Location: Lemberg- Room 54

Office Hours: Thursdays 5:30-6:30 or by appointment

Office 1D

Professor: Judith Taylor CPIM, CIRM, CSCP

Revision date January 22nd, 2016

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Overview

The course counts toward the analytics specialization. It is designed for students who would like to pursue a career in consulting or take a position in operations, marketing or finance functions in a manufacturing, retail or distribution firm. We focus on supply chains—the networks of suppliers, factories, warehouses and stores that collectively enable the production and distribution of products or services to the end customer.

We will learn how to create and optimize supply chain processes so that they can achieve a company’s strategic goals. The course is organized into three broad sections: strategic/design, planning, and operational. The three sections encompass the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model of supply chains, which is Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return.

The class format includes lectures, problem solving exercises, presentations and case discussions. The content covers both quantitative and qualitative materials. By the end of the course, you should have developed the ability to use analytical tools and conceptual frameworks to make effective decisions about supply chains, as well as gained a better understanding of the major strategic issues and trade-offs that arise in supply chain management.

Learning Goals

In this course, you will learn key concepts related to managing global supply chains.

By the end of the course you will:

  • Appreciate the importance of supply chains in your daily life
  • Have an awareness of how external forces and variability impact supply chains
  • Understand various supply chain strategies and how they must be aligned with a company’s goals in order for it to succeed and meet customer requirements
  • Study the various components that make up a supply chain and how they impact each other
  • Learn effective techniques to measure and improve supply chain performance

Teaching Methods

The focus of the course will be on learning and applying fundamental management principles and techniques for global supply chains. In our classes, we will use a variety of formats to deepen our understanding including lectures, case study discussions, student presentations and exercises. We will apply what we learned in homework assignments, case write ups and an exam.

Course Prerequisite

None, although it is helpful if students have taken the MBA core course in Operations Management

Course Materials

Textbook The following book is required for the course, and may be purchased from the Brandeis bookstore, Amazon.com or any other bookseller that carries it.

Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operation- Sunil Chopra and Peter Meindl. 2016, 6th edition. Pearson, Boston MA. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-380020-3

Case Materials

Each student may need to purchase cases and/or simulations from Harvard Business Publishing. Instructions for accessing these materials will be provided in class.

Articles

Various articles or links to articles will be posted on Latte that pertain to the weekly topic. These articles may be used with a specific assignment, but at a minimum, will need to be read prior to class.

Grading

Grades are based on the following components: class participation, case write ups, homework and exam.

Class Participation(20%) Class participation is determined by your preparation and active engagement during class. Class attendance is required. Please be courteous to your fellow students by arriving on time and refraining from leaving in the middle of class. If you are unable to attend class, please let me know in advance, if possible. There are only 7 scheduled classes for this course so missing even one will be a substantial percentage of the classroom time.

For case discussion and group exercises, you are expected to actively listen, respond to questions, express your viewpoints, and respond to comments or presentations from your fellow students. One or two high quality comments during class is preferred over frequent, low-quality participation.

Points will be assigned for each class as follows:

0-Absent from class

1-Attended class, but did not contribute to class activities

2-Some contributions to class activities

3-Quality contributions to class activities

Each student will rate their own participation level at the end of every class on their name card. The name cards will be returned the following week with the score assigned by the instructor. If you disagree with the score, you can talk to the instructor about ways in which you can increase your participation level.

Individual Case Write ups (30%)

During the course, you will prepare case write-ups that discuss all of the key concepts covered in the case. Case submissions should not exceed 1 page. They are due at the start of class via Latte. Specifics will be provided in the course calendar.

Homework Assignments (included in participation)

Students should come prepared to discuss assigned homework questions or problems in detail during class.

Final Project and Presentation (50%)

The final exam consists of a team paper and team presentation on a company of the team’s choice. The homework exercises and case write ups that you have done during the course should be incorporated into your company analysis.

Total 100%

Communication

We will use Latte for posting course slides and for class announcements. Please always refer to Latte before each class for the most up-to-date assignment. Assignments should also be submitted on Latte unless otherwise instructed. Email is the best way to reach me besides coming to my office hours.

Special Accommodation

If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.

Academic Integrity

You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to academic integrity. (see The use of old course files borrowed from previous students is strictly forbidden, as is using case or problem solutions that may be available from the web or other sources. This is considered an act of cheating and plagiarism. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software to verify originality. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS - Library guides.

Finally, please be on time for class, prepared to participate, and with laptops and cell phones put away. Professionalism in class elevates your reputation and increases the quality of the experience for everyone!