Course goals
Supply chain management is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the business world. Products are sourced, manufactured and transported on a global scale, leading to the need for skilled specialists in this area. These specialists also need to be increasingly aware of the wider impacts of these activities, with a focus beyond just economic impacts.
Supply chains are complex adaptive systems that are composed of structures, processes and managerial activities which facilitate the flows of products, services, finances and information in (to and) from raw material suppliers to (and from) consumers. They are highly affected by the sustainability challenge and trying to utilize developments in technology, alternative ways of service provision, networking strategies and other managerial initiatives to tackle with this challenge. Introduction of the circular economy concept is altering the way linear supply chains are designed which requires the development and adoption of new strategies at different layers of supply chains.
Significant changes are required in management of supply chains around the world to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. These changes are needed to be done on all three dimensions of the triple bottom line, namely the economy, the society and the environment. Furthermore, changes do not only affect the actors that are involved in production of goods and services but also all the other actors that are involved in distribution, collection or storage of those offerings. It is a mentality change in supply chain management that aims to end the difference between supply chain management and sustainable supply chain management and treat environmental and social performance of supply chains as equally and even more valid than economic performance.
The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge on sustainability in and sustainable development of contemporary supply chains, ranging from suppliers and customers towards logistics services providers and consumers. The course is based on a full supply chain perspective including multiple actors from raw material suppliers, to customers and even post-consumption, second-cycle supply chain members. The links and flows between these actors are covered in relation to sustainable products and services being offered in these structures and managing the sustainability of the actors themselves.
Course results
- To understand the role of value creation and impact measurement in managing future-fit businesses.
- To analyze and evaluate the value creation process of a company from sourcing via production to sales.
- To develop an impact-oriented value chain which creates positive impact for all stakeholders.
- To enable management decisions based on data on value creation and impact towards society.
- To develop a new mindset based on real value creation and positive impact which enables them to build future-fit business models.
- To critical reflect actual business strategies and transform them towards impact oriented business models.
- To apply the knowledge in a team project.
