OIT 655:
Foundations of Supply Chain Management
Driven by technology, data insights, and collaborations, supply chains have evolved from traditional cost centers to vital sources of competitive advantage for leading global companies. Yet, as recent events like pandemics, wars or severe (climate-change induced) weather events serve to remind us, such advancements have also led to heightened complexities and management challenges. Correspondingly, supply chain research has transitioned during the past 60+ years from addressing primarily operational questions related to production, inventory, or logistics to examining strategic issues on information sharing or incentive alignment among the many stakeholders involved in today¿s global supply chains, and to understanding the role of regulation or technology in improving designs and processes. Reflecting these trends, this course sets two main learning objectives. First, to survey some of the foundational tools and techniques used to model and understand supply chains, leveraging ideas from operations research, decision sciences, economics, and computer science. Second, to identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities by covering emerging topics such as supply chain financing, designing and operating socially responsible and environmentally sustainable supply chains, or using technology (AI, online platforms, distributed ledgers, remote sensing) to improve designs and processes. The precise selection of topics varies by year, depending on instructor and student interest. The course is structured as a combination of formal lectures covering some of the foundational topics and seminar-style discussions involving student presentations.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3