INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Bruce C. Hartman,
Phone, email
and Office Hours,
Website
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- You will learn to use a variety of tools and concepts which are
state-of-the-art in supply chain management today. You'll apply them
to meaningful case studies.
- You'll have to integrate ideas from your previous courses in
logistics, transportation and business.
- You will learn to use some quantitative decision techniques to
understand the possibilities in a situation.
- You will improve professional skills of presentation, research, and
writing.
- You will practice running a consulting project to improve a supply
chain.
WHY YOU NEED THIS COURSE:
In this course we will view the supply chain from the point of view
of a general manager. Logistics and supply chain management is all about
managing the hand-offs in a supply chain - hand-offs of either
information or product. The design of a logistics system is critically
linked to the objectives of the supply chain. Our goal in this course is
to understand how logistical decisions impact the performance of the firm
as well as the entire supply chain. The key will be to understand the
link between supply chain structures and logistical capabilities in a
firm or supply chain. The course is in part self directed, so you get
to develop you own areas of interest in supply chains And you will start
to think like a top logistics executive, global business owner, or
general manager.
RECOMMENDED PREREQUISITES:
MGT340
TEXT AND MATERIALS:
- Chopra, S. and P. Meindl. Supply Chain Management:
Strategy, Planning and Operation, 3rd Edition, Pearson-Prentice Hall,
2005. ISBN: 013101028. There is a 2nd edition, and that is ok also.
There is a 4th edition, and I may use some material from it, but you don't have to buy it.
- Other material will be supplied as needed by the instructor.
- Course material will be posted on the CMA internet.
SOFTWARE:
- MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint.
- Mac software is OK to work in but you MUST deliver documents
properly formatted to be read with the MS Office products.
- You will use the internet heavily for research, reading, and for
key business sites.
- Other free downloadable software may be suggested by the
instructor.
EVALUATIONS:
- Your team will analyze several Cases. All student teams will write cases,
but one particular team will be leading the discussion. You will be
graded on two factors: the quality of your content and your
presentation, and how well you stimulate relevant, insightful
discussion from your audience. A rubric will be supplied. Audience
participation when not presenting will also be evaluated, and you
should expect to participate and consistently make thoughtful
contributions and respect the learning environment.
- In the Supply Chain Consulting
Project you will analyze a supply chain plan for some portion of
a business over the semester. The final stage will include a
presentation, to an executive of the organization, if you are doing
this, as well as the instructor and class. This will test your ability
to think in terms of improving a supply chain and work with
stakeholders to understand their perspectives and issues.
- Cases and your consulting project will be excellent items for
inclusion in a personal portfolio you'll be creating which will
showcase your capabilities, your knowledge, and what you have learned
about supply chains in your business program.
- Two Status Reports are
required on the consulting project, in which your team outlines the
project status for consumption by your clients, their executives, and
the instructor. Each note is to be two pages maximum, professionally
prepared. they will be shared with these parties, and are the primary
means of communication with the executives before project completion.
- There will beProblem Sets
which will cover certain required quantitiative material. In most
cases you will be required to solve some problems using Excel. There is
no right way to lay out the answer, but you will be graded on your
understanding and implementation of the algorithms appropriately for
the problems posed. To prepare for these it is ALWAYS a good idea to
work the problems at the end of each chapter, even if it is not
required in an assignment. I will post the answers on request.
Experience shows it is beneficial to form a study group to practice the
problems and explaining them to one another. You're encourged to do so.
A group solution will be graded the same for all students; all will be
assumed to participate equally in the exercise.
- Each team will give a number of Lectures (conduct a class) on a case from
the text. Students will be assigned the case topic and will prepare it
with the instructor's agreement, and arrange their presentation so as
to encourage student involvement and enthusiasm. The lecturing team
will need to write a Powerpoint presentation for calss. Warning!!!
These are usually mathematical or computer based in nature and will be
cases from the text.
- There may be opportunities for Bonus points for special events and
activities. These usually require an email submission as
documentation.
- I will check Attendance,
and monitor your Participation
in the activities and events of the class. Participation means showing
interest and making contributions to the class learning experience, by
talking and by bringing up ideas of interest to the class and subject.
- There may be announced or unannounced Quizzes which will test your reading and
preparation for class. To prepare for these it is ALWAYS a good idea to
work the problems at the end of each chapter, even if it is not
required in an assignment. I will post the answers on request.
Experience shows it is beneficial to form a study group to practice the
problems and explaining them to one another. You're encouraged to do so.
GRADING:
- Cases/Lectures(40%) + Status Reports(10%) + Project(30%) +
Exercises(10%) + Quizzes/Attendance/Participation(10%) + Bonus=
TOTAL (100%)
- I expect that 90% or above will earn an A, 80% or above a B, 70% or
above a C, and 60% or above a D.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Leadership: You will be able to take a leadership role in a state
of the art supply chain project.
- Critical thinking: Through projects, cases, and papers you learn
how to evaluate information from a variety of sources. Your
deliverables are measured partly on how you diagnose and how you defend
your conclusions.
- Communication: The class is interactive, and student participation
is critical. Your deliverables are expected to communicate clearly at
all times, whether in writing or in a presentation, or in your
discussions in class. Students are responsible for many classroom
activities such as lectures, case analyses, and critiques.
- Ethics: Supply chains afford many opportunities for behaving
ethically in transactions with your partners. Your choices and those
of your company will be informed by your thoughts about the properness
of the behaviors you're encouraging, and how they are viewed by
stakeholders and the public at large. You'll be asked to provide your
ethical insights and opinions, and be able to defend them.
- Research: In projects and case studies you will discover how to
research options and work out their consequences. By using
quantitative modeling you will research the expected effects of making
changes, and be able to relate the research to your clients or use it
in your decision making.
- Global emphasis: Competition between supply chains today are
global. You will be encouraged to think globally about each situation
analyzed. Several of the cases are global in nature.
- Technology: Today's supply chain management uses the best technical
practices and quantitative decision techniques. You'll be expected to
gain significant familiarity with some of these tools.
PROFESSIONAL WRITING STANDARDS:
All assignments need to be completed in a professional, neat, and
legible manner. Your score will be reduced for unprofessionally submitted
assignments, or those where the presentation of material is not lucid and
clear. You should use a style manual such as the MLA or the APA style
manual for your writing.
When you write
or create work products it is expected to be your thought and words, and
not simply the words or ideas of others. All use of others'
material, such as from other students, from articles, or from the
internet, must be clearly attributed as a quote, and cited properly in a
bibliography or list of references. All writing should be spell checked
and, of course, grammar checked. The type must be 12pt, 1.5 spacing, and
with 1 inch margins. A professional looking Powerpoint presentation may
be required.
PROFESSIONAL SPREADSHEET PREPARATION:
All spreadsheets should be prepared so that the reader can easily
follow what is being done, and so that the sheet can be handed to another
worker for further enhancement, since most supply chain operations
require a great deal of cooperation, even with other companies. A
portion of your grade on a spreadsheet project will be based on how
understandable you have made the computations. If the reader can't
understand it, it isn't much use in a business setting, where cooperation
is the norm.
SOME COMMENTS:
- It is expected that you will conduct yourself appropriately, with
respect for each other, for faculty and staff, and for college
property.
- You are expected to use email and the internet to obtain class
material and to communicate with me and with classmates. It is
university policy.
- You must attend class, the whole class, to succeed in this course.
There is no allowance or exception for standing watch. If you need to
be absent from class for a legitimate purpose, give me as much notice
as possible. Use email!
- In order to be successful in this course, you must read each day's
reading assignment and think about it BEFORE the next class meeting.
You should spend a minimum of 2 hours on your reading and homework for
each hour in class.
- I expect participation in class, and we'll do things to make you
get involved. You should ask questions-- chances are, if you have a
question then someone else in the class does also. I will always stop
to explain or answer a question.
- Students are responsible for comprehending all reading assignments
and problems regardless of whether or not they are directly covered in
class.
- You are encouraged to work in study groups to discuss and master
the subject.
POLICIES:
- ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The University's policies on plagiarism and
academic integrity are in force. You as an individual are expected to
know them and follow them. In particular, copying material from any
source, including the internet, without quotation, attribution and
citation is a violation of academic integrity policies. Punishment for
breach of these policies include no credit for an item, an F in the
course, referral to the school's committee on academic integrity,
and/or other sanctions.
- ATTENDANCE: You need to attend all classes. If you find you are
unable to attend, let me know as much in advance as possible so we can
deal with your loss.
- DRESS AND GROOMING: The ranking cadet officer in the class will be
responsible to see to it that all regulations concerning dress and
grooming are adhered to.
- MAKEUP EXAMS: The only reason that is acceptable for needing a
make-up exam is a death in the family or some other equally horrible
incident. If you need to miss an exam, give me as much notice in
advance as you can.
- CHANGES: While every effort will be made to follow the rules in
this outline, change may sometimes be necessary. I reserve the right to
make changes, and when this happens, due care will be taken to give as
much notice to the students as possible.
- STUDENT CONDUCT: All students are governed by Student Conduct Code
of The California State University. The full text of the code is
contained in Title V, Section 41301 of the California Code of
Regulations and also in the University Course Catalog. Each student is
responsible for knowing and adhering to the code.