Duration: 64 hrs 

Course Overview

The supply chain is a crucial part of any business’ success. Optimizing the flow of products and services as they are planned, sourced, made, delivered, and returned can give your business an extra competitive edge.

This course will introduce you to the basic concepts of supply chain management, including the basic flow, core models, supply chain drivers, key metrics, benchmarking techniques, and ideas for taking your supply chain to the next level.

Learning Objectives

• Define supply chain management and logistics
• Explain the vertical integration and virtual integration models
• Understand the stages in the basic supply chain flow
• Identify participants in the supply chain
• Recognize supply chain drivers and ways to optimize them
• Align supply chain strategy with business strategy
• Determine what metrics to track and how to benchmark the related data
• Troubleshoot basic supply chain problems
• Identify ways to develop your supply chain, such as using third-party logistics providers (3PL’s), insourcing processes, developing sustainable and eco-friendly strategies, leveraging process improvement strategies, and adopting new techniques

Course Outline

1. Course Overview
2. Getting Started

• Defining the Terms
• Regulations and Resources

3. The Evolution of the Supply Chain

• Vertical Integration Model
• Virtual Integration Model
• What’s Next?

4. The Basic Supply Chain Structure

• The Links in the Supply Chain
• Making Connections
• Participants in the Supply Chain
• Designing Your Supply Chain
• The Bullwhip Effect

5. Supply Chain Drivers

• Driving Success
• Choosing the Right Transportation Methods
• Making Connections

6. Aligning Your Supply Chain with Business Strategy

• Identifying Your Market
• Making Connections
• Looking at Your Role
• Analyzing the Data
• Taking the Next Steps
• Making Connections

7. Managing Supply Chain Risks
8. Tracking and Evaluating Supply Chain Data

• Ratios and Formulas
• What is Benchmarking?
• The SCOR Model
• The Balanced Scorecard
• Supply Chain Management Dashboards
• Making Connections

9. Troubleshooting Supply Chain Problems

• Signs of Trouble in Your Supply Chain
• Supply Chain Best Practices

10. Sharing Supply Chain Activities

• Outsourcing, Insourcing, Offshoring, and Reshoring
• Third- and Fourth-Party Logistic Providers
• Building Partnerships within Your Supply Chain

11. Sustainable Supply Chain Strategies

• What is Sustainability?
• Reducing the Impact on the Environment

12. Applying Lean Techniques to the Supply Chain

• Lean 101
• Applying Lean to the Supply Chain

13. The Future of Supply Chain Management

• Top Trends
• Making Connections

14. Personal Action Plan
15. Recommended Reading List
16. Post-Course Assessment