Supply Chain Design and Strategy

Catalog description

The focus of this course is the strategic design of supply chain networks. Supply chain design decisions have extraordinary impact on the cost and service value attributes of a product or service over its lifetime. The influence of supply chain design on a firm's profitability and competitive positioning is one reason why competition today extends beyond firm versus firm to supply chain versus supply chain. Supply chain design decisions are among the most financially influential and long-lasting business decisions and yet, supply chain designs should not be static. Ever increasing customer requirements, expanding product lines and customer segments, decreasing product life cycles, and competitive pressures enabled by a growing range of flexible supply chain designs constantly force supply chain executives to evaluate and modify their current supply chain networks and the role of the supply chain in their firm's overall strategy. This course provides an examination of (l) the role of supply chain network design within the context of the firm's competitive strategy, (2) alternative supply chain designs and the factors that influence network design decisions, (3) a framework for the network design process, and (4) the principal models and techniques used for the design of supply chain networks. Students successfully completing the course will be able to: - Explain the importance of achieving strategic fit between a firm's competitive strategy and the design of the firm's supply chain network. - Describe the basic decision- making framework for achieving strategic fit. - Identify the key questions in network design for supply chains - Identify the principal supply chain network design alternatives - Enumerate the principal factors influencing choices among alternative supply chain designs - Present a framework for the supply chain network design process - Examine the principal models and techniques used for making network design decisions - Explain the influence of demand and supply uncertainties on network design choices