Courses Taught

SCM 450W – Design and Mgt Sc (3)
Strategic design and management of supply chains. SCM 450W Strategic Design and Management of Supply Chains (3) This course is about the strategic design and effective operation of supply chains. It will help prepare you for supply chain management positions in manufacturing, distributing, and other service firms including providers of logistics services. The course focuses on the definition, as well as the application, of a single logic that guides the management of all the supply chain activities. Information decision support systems, primarily computer-based, provide the foundation for this logic. Because the determination of inventory locations and the control of inventory levels play a key role in this logic, we spend considerable time on these subjects. The last section of the course covers ways to lead and organize people to manage cross-firm and cross-functional relationships effectively. After completing this course, students should have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to: -Articulate the process perspective and the total systems view of supply chain management, the impact of systems thinking on firm performance, and the nature of relationships supply chain networks. -Quantify the effect of strategic initiatives such as postponement and risk pooling on the financial performance of the firm, as well as on supply chain performance. -Use and apply selected quantitative tools useful in implementing supply chain strategies. -Explain the complex nature of human interaction needed to successfully introduce supply chain concepts in the firm.This is the prescribed capstone course for the Supply Chain and Information Systems major. It builds upon the fundamental supply chain knowledge, skills, and abilities developed in foundation and intermediate courses. Students must complete SCM 421 before taking this course. SCM 450W is a writing-intensive course. In addition to written assignments encompassing case studies, hands-on exercises, and examinations, student evaluations include oral presentations and class participation.

SCM 301 – Sup Chn Mgt (3)
Management of logistics/supply chain processes. Not available to baccalaureate business students in Smeal. Not available to baccalaureate business students in Smeal.

SCM 404 – Dem Fulfil (3)
Analysis of demand fulfillment and the role of distribution operations management in the supply chain. SCM 404 Demand Fulfillment (3)This course introduces the student to how customer demand is managed and how subsequent orders are filled in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets. Topics focus on the demand fulfillment process, which encompasses flows of goods, information, and funds from the moment a business receives an order from a customer until all requirements for the order are satisfied in full. These topics include: *role of demand management and distribution operations in the supply chain*transportation management*distribution center processes *inventory control and order management elements*facility costing and productivity analysis*strategic demand management and distribution operations issues in the supply chain.Both theoretical and quantitative perspectives will be offered on these topics. Additionally, each topic will be addressed from strategic and financial perspectives. After completing this course, students will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to: *Explain the role of demand management in the supply chain*Explain the role of distribution operations in demand management*Determine the strategic and financial impacts of demand management and distribution operations management*Articulate the role of information systems in demand management and distribution operations management*Use quantitative techniques to analyze supply chain processes*Describe related system software. This is one of three prescribed foundation courses for the Supply Chain and Information Systems major for which SCM 301 Supply Chain Management is a prerequisite. This course also satisfies the prerequisite for SCM 421 Supply Chain Modeling and Analysis. Student evaluations are based on individual and group homework assignments and computer-lab exercises, as well as on at least three written examinations.

SCM 406 – Strat Proc (3)
Analysis of strategic procurement in the supply chain. SCM 406 Strategic Procurement (3) SCM 406 provides an in-depth analysis of the procurement process and supplier management, with strong emphasis placed on managing a supplier base for both products and services. Elements examined include the strategic role of procurement in supply chains, the identification and evaluation of requirements, the strategic make-versus-buy decision, how to identify, evaluate, and select potential suppliers and conduct a post-purchase evaluation; and the impact of information technology on strategic procurement. Both theoretical and quantitative perspectives will be offered. In addition, the topics will be addressed from strategic, financial, and global perspectives. In light of these perspectives, the course objectives are to develop a comprehensive understanding of: (1) the supplier selection and evaluation process (2) the relationship between product design and the supplier base (3) the types of relationships that exist between buyers and sellers (4) the impact of information technology on strategic purchasing and supply management. Students will also develop skills in using quantitative tools to select and evaluate suppliers. This is the third of three prescribed foundation courses in the Supply Chain and Information Systems major.