COURSE SYLLABUS
M&L 7380 – LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
Spring 2015
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hrs:
Walter Zinn
500 Fisher Hall
By appointment
Class: TR 10:15-11:45am
Phone: 292-0797
e-mail: zinn.13@osu.edu
Course Description
Logistics Management is the introductory graduate logistics course. The objective is to give
students a managerial knowledge of basic concepts and principles. These include core
logistics functions, cost integration and supply chain management. It also includes
relationships with suppliers, customers and other firm functions such as manufacturing and
finance. We will approach issues from multiple but interrelated perspectives of reducing
cost, managing risk and creating competitive advantage. Special emphasis is placed on
implementation.
Text & Course Package
Required Text: Supply Chain Logistics Management; D. Bowersox, Closs, Cooper and J.
Bowersox; 4th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, ISBN 978-0-07-802405-4
A course packet containing the 3 cases for the class is available in the following site:
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/33191781. To order, either login or register as a
student and select the Strategic Logistics Management ML7380 course packet.
Course Method
Class meetings will be as interactive as possible. Everyone is expected to participate in
class. As an aide to note taking, I will email PowerPoint slides in the evening before the
lecture when they’ll be shown. In addition, during the term, we will work on three cases
covering key issues in logistics. The cases were selected to provide a variety of current
logistics issues facing industry. Finally, as the term progresses, I might assign readings of
interest to the course.
Analyzing Cases
Detailed preparation is required for each case. First, please read and prepare the case before
each case class. This is exceedingly important to create the proper environment for the
discussion. Second, students will meet during class for case discussion meetings. The
meetings are held during each case class and last approximately 20 minutes. Informal
1
groups will typically discuss questions 1, 2 and 4 in the outline. The assignment may
change for certain cases. The objective of the meeting is not that groups reach consensus,
but that group members become familiar with the different individual perspectives.
Finally, students will work in self-selected groups of up to 4 students and turn in the last 2
cases (Henkel and Exel) for grading. Groups must work independently of each other.
While adjustments may be needed in response to the circumstances of a particular case,
the outline to be followed when analyzing a case is described below. Use the outline to
prepare the case at home. We will use it for class discussion also. Be familiar with all
facts of the case before beginning your analysis.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is the principal protagonist in the case? What issues is he/she facing?
Is the main protagonist also the key decision maker?
What is the key goal that he/she is trying to accomplish?
How far along is he/she in achieving the goal?
How are the issues in the case going to affect:
 Others in the company
 Suppliers
 Distributors
 Consumers
6. Are there questions that need to be answered before a decision is made?
7. What are the implementation problems that the decision maker is likely to
face? How would you address them?
8. What would you do next if you were in the main protagonist’s place?
Case Write-Ups
The case write-up are due at the beginning of the class when the case will be discussed
and is considered late if delivered after the class has begun. Late cases will not be
accepted.
The case write-up is limited to two double-spaced typewritten pages. One extra page is
allowed for tables and figures. With two exceptions, please follow the case analysis
outline described above. First, your decision must be stated clearly in the first paragraph
of the write-up. Second, the page limitation makes it necessary that you restrict the writeup to the issues that you judge most important, as opposed to the more extensive analysis
done in preparation for class. Most importantly, please do not repeat case information in
your write-up.
Extra Credit
You may earn up to 40 extra credit points in the course by performing one or more of the
following activities:
2



Logistics in the news: Identify a news item of interest to the course and talk
about it in class for 5 minutes. You have to get it approved by the instructor at
least one day in advance. Max. 20 points.
Special Topics: I will in one or more classes suggest a topic of discussion for
the next class. Interested students should collect materials about it and let me
know. Extra credit is awarded if I use the material in class. Max. 20 points.
There is a maximum of 1 student presentation per class on a first approved,
first serve basis.
Evaluation/ Grading Criteria
There is one midterm, two group case studies, a final and a class participation grade. The
midterm and final might include short essay questions, cases or problems.
Evaluation
Grading Criteria
Points
Midterm
Case Study 1
Case Study 2
Final
Class Participation
300
125
125
300
150
1000
Extra credit (up to)
40
Point Total
Grade
940 - 1000
910 - 939
880 - 909
820 - 879
790 - 819
760 - 789
700 - 759
670 - 699
610 - 669
- 609
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
E
Honor Code
The Fisher College Honor Code and the University Academic Misconduct Policy are
strictly enforced. Please familiarize yourself with both. A useful description of academic
misconduct is available at: http://oaa.osu.edu/coam.html.
3
Schedule
Date
Topic
Key Issues
Chapt.
Part 1 - Introduction and Integration
Mar 5
Introduction,
Integrated Logistics
Class Overview, Star Diagram, Logistics
Concepts and Costs.
Ch. 2
10
Supply Chain Management
Marketing Functions, Logistics Functions
and Supply Chain Processes.
Ch. 1
12
Customer Service
Elements of Service, Cost of Lost
Sales, Consumer Response to Stockouts.
Ch. 3
16-20
Spring Break
24
Procurement & Third Parties Strategic Role of Procurement, Supplier
Outsourcing, Partnerships Success & Failure
Factors, Value of Reliable Suppliers.
Chs. 4, 14
Case 1 – Bose Corporation
26
Part 2 – Logistics Functions & Global
31
Inventory Management
Uses of Inventory, ABC Analysis, Base and
Safety Stocks. Forecasting and Inventory,
Portfolio Effect, Postponement.
Apr 2
Catch-up & Review
7
Midterm (class materials, text and case)
Ch. 6 (p. 132-145)
Ch. 7
Case 2 – Henkel Iberica
9
14
Warehousing &Transportation Uses of Warehouses, Public vs. Private
Warehouses, Cross-Docks, Merge-in-Transit
Five Modes of Transportation.
16
Guest Speaker
Mr. Weber Pimenta, Partner, Visagio.
4
Ch. 8, 9
21
Uses of Information
In Logistics
Order Cycle, EDI, VANs, CPFR
RFID.
Ch. 6 (p. 116-132)
23
Global Logistics
Global vs. Domestic, International
Distribution, Trade Blocks.
Ch. 11
Case 3 – Exel Plc
28
30
Final
5