210700 Supply Chain Essentials

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Business
Credit points: 3 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

Today’s businesses are continuously subjected to a volatile and disruptive environment. For businesses to grow and become efficient, they must constantly streamline their business and supply chain operations. In this subject, students learn the foundational concepts, tools, and techniques of operations and supply chain management. These fundamentals are used for the effective design, planning, and operations of interconnected businesses involved in sourcing, manufacturing, and distributing products and services to the end-users. The subject also provides an opportunity to understand sustainable business operations and global supply chain management processes and practices from a systems perspective. Through a blended process of experiential, engaging, and reflective learning, this subject arm students with an understanding of how the supply chain operates and discusses relevant issues and techniques for companies seeking to improve and enhance the management of their supply chain operations.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1.	Appraise the importance of operations and supply chain as a means of customer satisfaction, productivity, and competitive advantage in a global environment
2.	Evaluate how businesses manage operations and supply chain business processes that result in value creation through applications of a number of concepts, analytical methods, and tools
3.	Explain approaches to design, plan and control manufacturing, distribution, and service operations with an aim to improve performance across supply chains and value networks

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject provides a broad introduction to supply chain management principles and develops awareness of the critical need for effective supply chain management in today’s volatile and disruptive environment. Students learn about the fundamentals of supply chain management and develop an understanding of key transactional and operational business practices, processes and systems within and across organisations. Through this course learners are able to acquire the knowledge and skills to select and apply appropriate operations methods, tools and techniques in different contexts – in order to build supply chain resilience for sustainable and inclusive growth.

This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute(s):

Professional readiness
Critical and creative inquiry
Effective communication

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject content is delivered online over six weeks through a mixture of reading material, diagrams, podcasts etc. Students work through the content at their own pace, with asynchronous interactive activities such as quizzes and discussion questions embedded into each topic for students to regularly receive feedback and self-assess their progress. These activities provide opportunities to learn, apply and discuss the knowledge gained from the subject. Online synchronous sessions are held three times during the session to allow students to interact, ask questions of teaching staff, and receive clarification for assessments.

Content (topics)

Introduction to essentials of Supply chains (SCs)
Strategic Approach to planning and designing SCs
Sourcing/Procurement, forecasting, and inventory management In SCs
SC Warehousing, distribution and logistics
Emerging technologies and risk management in SCs
SC Industry applications (case studies and vignettes)

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Unbundling SC processes and practices (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2
Weight:	40%
Length:	500 words excluding references
Criteria:	Level of detail of the research conducted when selecting the focal firm and their SC Completeness in the mapping of the SC in its current state Accuracy and extent of the unbundling of SC processes and in identifying SC business practices that are value creating for different SC performance objectives Coherent communication and clarity of the discussion

Assessment task 2: Design a new supply chain (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3
Weight:	60%
Length:	500 words excluding references (Critical Reflection 250 words; 1 page e-poster or infographic equivalent to 250 words).
Criteria:	Depth and rigour of analysis as demonstrated in the infographics or e-poster Design of the focal firms new SC model via the infographic or e-poster Critically reflect on your experiences of re-bundling the processes and practices into an innovative SC through the use of technological solutions and strategic partnerships, and how this new SC contributes to value creation for the focal firm and its stakeholders Coherent communication and clarity of the discussion

Minimum requirements

Learners must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

There is no prescribed textbook required.

References

Resources from various sources will be used throughout the course.