BUS3022 introduces students to the concepts, practices, and strategic importance of modern supply chain management. The course examines supply chain design as a competitive tool — exploring how organizations structure procurement, production, distribution, and logistics activities to support their overall strategic objectives. Students develop a working knowledge of supply chain functions and the analytical thinking needed to evaluate supply chain performance and alignment with business goals.
Supply chain concepts and strategic alignment
Core topics
- Supply chain fundamentals: The structure and flow of supply chains — from raw material sourcing and supplier management through production, warehousing, transportation, and final delivery to the customer
- Supply chain design: How organizations configure supply chain networks to balance cost, speed, flexibility, and reliability — and why design decisions are driven by competitive strategy, not just operational efficiency
- Procurement and supplier management: Sourcing strategies, supplier selection, contract management, and supplier relationship management — the upstream activities that determine input quality and cost
- Inventory and demand management: Inventory control principles, demand forecasting, and the trade-offs between holding costs and service levels that every supply chain manager must navigate
- Logistics and distribution: Transportation modes, distribution network design, warehousing, and last-mile delivery — how goods move efficiently from production to consumption
- Supply chain performance: Key metrics (fill rate, order cycle time, inventory turnover, total supply chain cost) and approaches for evaluating and improving supply chain effectiveness
BUS3022 assignments include supply chain case analyses, network design exercises, and strategic alignment papers
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Case analyses, network design, strategy papers.
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Frequently asked questions
Supply chain decisions directly affect an organization's ability to compete on cost, speed, quality, or flexibility. Companies like Apple and Walmart have built significant competitive advantages through supply chain design choices — Apple through tight control of a global supplier network, Walmart through pioneering cross-docking and data-driven replenishment. BUS3022 helps students understand that supply chains are not just operational infrastructure but a core source of strategic differentiation, which is why the course emphasizes supply chain design in relation to organizational strategy.