This course offers a comprehensive introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM), with a focus on the design, planning, coordination, and continuous improvement of operations and supply chain activities. Its primary objectives are to equip students with a critical understanding of how operational and supply chain principles underpin the broader functioning of businesses, and to develop a foundational “operations vocabulary” that students can apply throughout their academic and professional careers. The course emphasizes the interconnections between operations and other core business functions, particularly finance, accounting, marketing, and information technology. In today’s increasingly competitive global environment, supply chain management represents both a major challenge and a strategic opportunity. Students will be introduced to essential concepts and analytical techniques needed to evaluate, manage, and enhance supply chain processes across various industries and markets. By the end of the course, students will be able to assess supply chain performance and formulate recommendations to improve efficiency, responsiveness, and overall competitiveness.

Knowledge and understanding: This course is intended to provide students both with knowledge and understanding of OSCM theories as well as the capability to use this knowledge in actual decision-making related to operational and managerial problems. The course is structured to develop know-how and skills that allow students to elaborate and employ original ideas in complex contexts of analysis. Knowledge and understanding acquired by students will be evaluated through teamwork mid-term assignments and an individual final written exam. Applying knowledge and understanding: Classes involve a combination of traditional lectures, presentations and discussion of case studies in the OSCM domain. The course is highly interactive and aims at challenging students with exercises and cases based on real managerial problems. Case study discussions are critical to the completion of the course as they give students the opportunity to apply the constructs in real-file situations. Active class discussion is also encouraged and a mid-term teamwork assignment will be proposed to check the learning outcomes. This ability will be also evaluated with the final exam. Making judgements: The course aims at providing students with the ability to deal with complex OSCM problems autonomously. The course has strong emphasis on providing analytical skills, critical thinking, and managerial insights. The topics will be tested according to three main areas: Supply chain strategy (strategic fit, network design, global dual sourcing); Integrating relationships across the global supply chain (sales & operations planning, logistics management); Managing change in supply chain operations (sustainability and project management). Communication skills: Communication skills will be trained through continuous interaction between the students and the teacher as well as among the students themselves. To this end, students are expected to make presentations during classes both individually and in team (e.g. presentation and analysis of teaching cases, data, documents provided by the teacher). The goal is to stimulate students’ ability to communicate in front of an audience and boost their familiarity with communication techniques and tools. Learning skills: With increasing competition around the globe, supply chain management is both a challenge and an opportunity for companies. Thus, a critical goal of this course is to enable the understanding of this double face of supply chain management. Students are required to prepare materials and readings before the classes and discuss them with the teacher. This learning approach aims at fostering the students’ participation and engagement. These skills will be evaluated in-class discussions and during the final exam.

The course addresses the following topics: 1. Introduction to Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM) 2. Operations and Supply Chain Strategy 3. Managing Processes and Capacity 4. Manufacturing processes and product/process innovation 5. Sourcing and supply management 6. Logistics Management 7. Lean, JIT and MRP 8. Sustainability in global supply chains: the triple-bottom line 8. Outsourcing management and problems On successful completion of this course, students will be able to: - Understand the elements of the supply chain - Critically explain the main approaches to supply chain management - Critically understand the links between corporate strategy and supply chain design - Understand the basic process of demand and production planning - Understand the performance metrics of the supply chain - Identify the critical aspects of sustainability in supply chain management contexts

Textbook: “Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain”, by Swink et al., 4th Ed., pub by McGraw-Hill, 2020. Additional books and reading for non-attending students will be communicated through the course webpage learn.luiss.it

Lectures will follow and expand the main topics presented in the book. The book will be integrated by the slides that will be available to students. Every lecture will present a mix of theory and business cases. The cases will illustrate real case examples of the theoretical concepts discussed in the class. The theoretical classes will allow students to improve their knowledge and understanding of the international business environment and of the main tools that managers can use to implement international strategies. The discussions of the assignments will allow students to apply this knowledge working autonomously and developing their skill to make judgments and to take decisions. Finally students, working in small groups, will have the opportunity to present in class one case study in order to develop their communication abilities. Good presentation will receive extra points on the final grade.

For attending students The course assessment will consist of a final exam and group assignments. • Final exam (70% of the final grade): The exam will include questions and problem-solving exercises based on lecture materials, case studies, assigned readings, and the textbook. • Group assignments (30% of the final grade): Groups will be formed during the course. Each group will work on multiple deliverables, including an Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) project, as detailed during the course. Active participation in class discussions and activities is strongly encouraged and will be an integral part of the group assignment evaluation. Mandatory readings for the exam (attending students): • Swink et al. (2020). Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill For non-attending students The final grade will be based entirely (100%) on a written exam, which will consist of four open-ended questions and problem-solving exercises. Mandatory readings for the exam: • Swink et al. (2020). Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill. • Fisher, M.L. (1997). "What Is the Right Supply Chain for Your Product? A Simple Framework Can Help You Figure Out the Answer." Harvard Business Review, 75, 105–116. • Lee, H. (2002). "Aligning Supply Chain Strategies with Product Uncertainties." California Management Review, 44(3), 105–119. • Lee, H., Padmanabhan, V., & Whang, S. (1997). "The Bullwhip Effect in Supply Chains." MIT Sloan Management Review, 38(3), 93–102.

A genuine interest in the topics discussed in the course. Consequently, a grade above 29 is required to be accepted for the thesis. Students will have to present a proposal that will be carefully assessed. A good proposal is the key to formalize the thesis process. Two types of thesis projects will be evaluated: 1. Projects suggested by the students, which must be empirical 2. Projects that the professor is pursuing or running, for which some datasets or information are available for the students in the area of operations and supply chain management, including sustainability and digital transformation.