INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN
Instructional goals
The course "International Operations and Global Supply Chain" provides students with in-depth insight into different areas of Operations and Supply Chain Management emphasizing real-world problems that companies face in the real market. The syllabus covers different types of Operations Management algorithms and methods that are helpful for decision-making and problem-solving in the field of International Operations and Supply Chain Management. The students will find out more about various types of Supply Chain and Logistic planning by working in groups on case studies, exercises and projects using the methods that are thought in the class during the semester.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in management, statistics, and quantitative methods.
Course Contents
Introduction to International Operations and Supply Chain Management.
Inventory management and supply chain implications (2 weeks: EOQ- EPQ-Stochastic models).
Forecasting Methods in Supply Chain Management.
Production organization and scheduling (2 Weeks: Production Scheduling-Project Scheduling).
Capacity planning and Footprint Design
Physical network – key economics in warehousing and transportation economics
Physical network – the key economics in the last mile delivery
Global Supply Chain in the new post-pandemic scenario
Omnichannel model and the review of the Operations in this business model
Reference Books
Several references will be suggested during the course including book chapters, papers, datasets, simulations, games, and business cases.
These references will be found in the description of each week.
Teaching Methods
The material will be presented by a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, in-class exercises, multimedia cases, short videos, homework, case analysis and presentation, and class discussion of assigned readings and simulations. When possible a cooperative, student-centered learning approach will be undertaken to enable a high level of student involvement.
Assessment Method
The assessment will be pursued through:
continuous assessment – individual – 50%
Class Participation
Participation and results during Supply Chain Simulations
group project – 30%
final exam – 30%
The deliverable of the Group Project will be a paper (word), maximum 15 pages, including annexes, pictures, etc.
Thesis assignment criteria
Students are very welcome to pursue their thesis in the area of Operations and Supply Chain.
Students will have to present a proposal that will be carefully assessed.
A good proposal is a key to formalizing the thesis process.
Week 1 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Introduction to International Operations and Supply Chain Management.
In this session, we introduce new concepts and terminologies related to Operations Management and link them to Supply Chain problems and challenges. It will be explained to them why these issues e important and how we can analyze and solve these problems during the semester.
On-campus session: Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management
Online session: Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management
Material will be made available on-line.
Week 2 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Inventory management and supply chain implications.
In this session, students learn about stocks and inventory and their important role in reducing costs. Moreover, they will learn how to solve and Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model.
Inventory management:
EOQ – Economic Order Quantity
Service Level Calculation
Introduction to Operations and new technologies. The objective is to define with students the technology on which Group Project will be based on.
On-campus session: Inventory Management
Online session: Operations and new technologies
Material will be made available on-line.
Week 3 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Introduction to real issue in a simple business context, such as a Restaurant. Introduction to Order Simulation and impact on stock-holding with the Root Beer Game.
Case discussion – the Supply Chain in Oldani case.
Introduction to the Root Beer Game Simulation
On-campus session: Case discussion and review.
Online session: Introduction to the Root Beer Game: enrollment and Briefing to the Group
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Chef Davide Oldani and Ristorante D'O. Gary P. Pisano, Alessandro Di Fiore, Elena Corsi, Elisa Farri - Jan 31, 2013(Revised: Oct 21, 2013). Product #: 613080-PDF-ENG
Enrollment of the following case will be necessary in order to participate to the simulation. Participation will be individual.
Supply Chain Management Simulation: Root Beer Game V2, By: HBSP, Publication Date: Jul 5, 2012, Product #: 6619-HTM-ENG, Discipline: Operations Management
Additional material will be made available on-line.
In order to participation to the Root Beer Simulation, online registration is compulsory.
Week 4 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Inventory management and supply chain implications will be analyzed in the Scientific Glass case.
The Root Beer Game will get started with its first session.
On-campus session: Case discussion and review.
Online session: Root Beer Game: first run
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Scientific Glass Incorporated: Inventory Management (Brief Case), By: Steven C. Wheelwright, William Schmidt, Publication Date: Jun 30, 2010, Product #: 4208-PDF-ENG
Enrollment of the following case will be necessary in order to participate to the simulation. Participation will be individual.
Supply Chain Management Simulation: Root Beer Game V2, By: HBSP, Publication Date: Jul 5, 2012, Product #: 6619-HTM-ENG, Discipline: Operations Management
Additional material will be made available on-line.
In order to participation to the Root Beer Simulation, online registration is compulsory.
Week 5 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Forecasting Methods and the use of Artificial Intelligence
This session will include both a front lesson on basic statistical methods for Demand Forecasting and case discussion.
The impact of Machine Learning and AI on Forecasting will be discussed during class.
On-campus session: Case discussion and review.
Online session: Root Beer Game: second run.
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
PittaRosso: Artificial Intelligence-Driven Pricing and Promotion, By: Ayelet Israeli, Publication Date: Oct 4, 2021, Product #: 522046-PDF-ENG
Enrollment of the following case will be necessary in order to participate to the simulation. Participation will be individual.
Supply Chain Management Simulation: Root Beer Game V2, By: HBSP, Publication Date: Jul 5, 2012, Product #: 6619-HTM-ENG, Discipline: Operations Management
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Week 6 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Production Scheduling and Capacity planning
This session deals with the allocation of resources to tasks over given time periods and its goal is to optimize one or more objectives.
On-campus session: Production Scheduling and capacity planning
Online session: Exercise
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Week 7 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Global Supply Chain and how to approach Global Network Design
The key economics in Network Design – Industrial and Logistics
The global supply Chains during the pandemic
Post-pandemic global Supply Chain redesign
This session discusses how a network of manufacturing plants and warehouses is designed: underlying logics, effects of globalization and new waves for “lift&shift”.
Sustainability within Global Supply Chains will be discussed.
On-campus session: Network design class.
Online session: Global Supply Chain simulation – first run
Key material:
Why Global Supply Chains May Never Be the Same | A WSJ Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KtTAb9Tl6E
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Enrollment of the following case will be necessary in order to participate to the simulation. Participation will be individual.
Global Supply Chain Management Simulation V2, By: Janice H. Hammond, Publication Date: Sep 1, 2016, Product #: 8623-HTM-ENG, Type: Single-player
Week 8 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Network design and modelling
This session deals with capacity utilization in the short term and new capacity building in the longer term.
On-campus session: network design and modelling
Online session: Exercise and introduction to Global Supply Chain Simulation
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Each group will have to submit the Project Work by 31st October 2023 @6.00 pm.
Week 9 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
Physical flows and network footprint design, analyzing the Zara case.
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Zara: An Integrated Store and Online Model (A), By: Antonio Moreno, Pub Date: Jan 6, 2020 (Revised: Oct 1, 2021), Product #: 620073-PDF-ENG
https://thestrategystory.com/blog/zara-swot-analysis/
On-campus session: Case discussion.
Online session: Global Supply Chain: second run (TBC)
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Week 10 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
The omnichannel strategy and the (re)design of the distribution network: the Zalando case.
Sustainability within Operations @Zalando will be discussed.
On-campus session: Case discussion.
Online session: Global Supply Chain enrollment – debriefing first run
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Zalando: A Digital Foundation for Fashion Supply Chain Success - By: Richard Markoff, David Schroder, Arnd Huchzermeier, Ralf W. Seifert, Length: 20 page(s), Publication Date: Sep 29, 2022, Discipline: Operations Management Product #: IM1259-PDF-ENG
COMPULSORY: Watch the related videos
Additional material will be made available on-line.
Week 11 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
The physical network and new technologies by Amazon.
This section will discuss today’s largest logistic network on a global basis: Amazon.com.
Sustainability within Operations @Amazon will be discussed.
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Amazon.com: Supply Chain Management, By: P. Fraser Johnson, Ken Mark, Publication Date: Jul 26, 2018, Product #: W18451-PDF-ENG
Videos will be watched during class:
How Amazon's Super-Complex Shipping System Works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qanMpnYsjk
Inside Amazon's Smart Warehouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMPbKVb8y8s
Link for Amazon site visits: https://app.hopin.com/events/virtual-fulfillment-center-tour-db29ee5d-d065-4314-a1e8-06de6b752f93/reception
On-campus session: Case Discussion
Online session: Global Supply Chain: debriefing – second run.
Week 12 Contenuto sessioni on line e on campus
The physical network and new technologies in the last mile deliveries.
The focus will be on Glovo and its expansion, but also the new development in the Taxi business with Avs (Autonomous vehicles)
Case material (Students have to read it BEFORE class):
Glovo: Expanding Quick Commerce - Antonio Moreno, James Barnett - Pub Date: Apr 23, 2021- Product #: 621094-PDF-ENG
On-campus session: Case discussion.
Online session: Open Q&A session
Additional material will be made available on-line.