Courses Taught

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 822 – Supply Management (3)
An overview of the strategic role that supply management has in effective supply, demand, and value chain operations.SCM 822 provides an overview to the sourcing processes in supply chain management. The course focuses on the establishment of an effective supply base and relationships with suppliers. Specific topics include supply market analysis, spend analysis and supplier segmentation, supplier selection and evaluation, and buyer-supplier negotiation.

SCM 863 – Managing SC Risk & Resiliency (3)
This course is designed to teach students to identity, assess and implement strategies and tactics for managing supply chain risk by building and maintaining resiliency in the supply chain. The case is made for supply chain resiliency, models and theory are presented for managing risk, practical tools for building and improving supply chain resiliency are taught, and cases demonstrating best practices in industry are studied. The successful student will then be prepared to design, build and maintain resilient supply chains.

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.

SCM 496 – Indep Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.

SCM 860 – Sc Transform (4)
Strategic supply chain transformation and innovation with emphasis on (re)configuration of key capabilities to achieve competitive advantages. SCM 860 Supply Chain Transformation and Innovation (4) This course focuses on strategic supply chain transformation, innovation, and organizational change. The course examines current issues and best practices with respect to supply chain strategy; value creation through design and redesign of supply chain capabilities; transformational outsourcing; supply chain role in new product design, development, and market introduction; technology adoption; and change management. Supply chain transformation initiatives offer firms great potential for improving profitability and competitive positioning, both within the market and within the supply chain. Because sustainable competitive advantage is not found in one set of supply chain capabilities, strategic transformations must constantly assemble and reassemble the key capabilities that give the firm and its supply chain successive temporary advantages. This assembling or redesigning of capabilities chains should be an on-going process as the most significant value producing capabilities in any given industry change over time. The ability to consistently assemble the set of capabilities that produce competitive advantages is what some refer to as the ultimate core capability.After completing this course, students should have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to:1. Articulate the meaning of competitive strategy in the context of transformation of supply chain capabilities chains. 2. Understand value creation through transformation of supply chain capabilities over time. 3. Identify the supply chain structure that is appropriate for various business situations 4. Examine the development of essential elements of rapid response supply chain capabilities 5. Understand the conditions under which functional activities, such as, manufacturing, product design, and new concept development, are amenable to outsourcing 6. Assess operational and strategic challenges of vertical integration and outsourcing and in particular, highlight the nature of the strategic tension created by supplier decisions to integrate vertically into capabilities previously performed by critical customers 7. Articulate the role of supply chain transformation in support of new product development 8. Identify ways to organize and lead change in organizationsThe evaluation of students is based on individual and team case study submissions, short paper and problem assignments, on-line discussion postings, and peer reviews.This prescribed course in the on-line Master of Professional Studies in Supply Chain Management (MPS/SCM) os the capstone course taken in the second year of study that integrates previous topics.

SCM 494H – Research Project (Variable)
Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

SCM 820 – Strategic Procurement (4)
Strategic planning for the source/buy process, including developing andmanaging supplier relationships, global issues, and e-procurement.

SCM 800 – Essentials of Supply Chain Management (4)
Introductory course for MPS

Selected Publications

Research Impact and Media Mentions