BUS 174a
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2016
Class Hours: TBD
Location: TBD
Anita L. Tucker, DBA
Associate Professor of Operations Management
Office Hours: TBD
I am happy to meet with you at your convenience, just send me an email request.
Sachar 215
781-736-8542 (office phone)
atucker@brandeis.edu
Revision date September 26, 2015
1
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Overview
As studies of Dell, Apple, Zara and Wal-Mart have shown, well-run supply chains create
competitive advantages for firms. The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
defines supply chain management as all of the activities related to planning and managing the
sourcing of materials, converting those materials into finished goods and services, and
transporting those materials and goods to customers. Successful supply chain management
requires coordination and collaboration among internal functions (e.g. marketing, product design,
sales, finance, operations) and channel partners (e.g. suppliers, third-party service providers,
customers).
In this class, we will learn how to optimize supply chain processes so that they achieve a
company’s strategic goals. The course is organized into the Supply Chain Operations Reference
(SCOR) model of supply chains, which is Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return. By the end
of the course, you should understand the basic activities in an organization’s supply chain, such
as planning, the selection of suppliers, negotiations and coordination with suppliers, production
and inventory decisions, and logistics. You will learn how to use analytical tools and conceptual
frameworks to make effective decisions about supply chains, and understand the major strategic
issues and trade-offs that arise in supply chain management.
This course is designed for undergraduate business students who would like to pursue a career in
consulting or take a position in operations, marketing or finance functions in a manufacturing,
retail or distribution firm.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course you should be able to:
1. Understand the key drivers of supply chain performance.
2. Describe the main supply chain processes and how they link to an organization’s
competitive advantage in its industry.
3. Analyze supply chain-related data to diagnosis problems and develop solutions to
optimize performance.
4. Articulate and select among a variety of strategies that reduce supply chain costs or
increase responsiveness.
Teaching Methods
The focus of the course will be on learning and applying fundamental principles and techniques
for managing supply chains. In our classes, we will use a variety of formats to deepen our
1
understanding including lectures, case study discussions, hands on exercises and simulations. We
will apply what we learned in homework assignments, case write ups and exams.
Course Prerequisite:
Students should have taken Bus 172a, Operations Management.
Workload Expectation:
You are expected to spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for
classes (readings, paper, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).
Materials
Textbook. The following books are required for the course, and may be purchased from the
Brandeis bookstore, Amazon.com or any other bookseller that carry them.

Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operation, 5th edition (2012) by
Sunil Chopra and Peter Meindl, ISBN 9780132743952, Publisher: Pearson. I will refer to
this textbook as “CM”. To save money, you may purchase the 4th edition of the textbook,
but check to make sure you are doing the right homework problems and readings.

Supply Chain and Logistics Management Made Easy: Methods and Applications for
Planning, Operations and Integration, 1st edition (2015) by Paul Myerson, ISBN 9780133993349, Publisher: Pearson. I will refer to this book as “Myerson”.

Getting to Yes, updated edition (2011) by Roger Fisher and William Ury, ISBN 9780143118756, Publisher: Penguin Book.
Case Materials:
The case materials for the first week of class are available from the course pack link below. Each
student should purchase his or her own materials. I have separated out these materials to make it
cheaper for students to be able to participate in our class discussions, particular students who are
uncertain about whether or not they are going to enroll in the course.
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/41146491
The remaining cases for the rest of the semester are available from the link below. Every student
should purchase these materials once they have determined they are going to take the course.
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/41345595
2
Finally, you will be doing the Global Supply Chain Simulation in groups of three. The
coursepack link for the simulation is below. You may decide to purchase only one copy for your
team ($15) and split the costs among the three of you. Alternatively, if you want to be able to
play around with the simulation software on your own, you might wish to purchase your own
copy.
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/41321161
Resources:
There are many excellent sources of further information about supply chains.

API is the premier association (over 43,000 members) of supply chain and operations
management professionals. As a full-time student, you can join, for free! APICS runs
conferences, provides educational seminars, has a website with job postings for members,
and offers a certification exam to become a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).
You are eligible to take the exam when you have your undergraduate degree. After two
years of supply-chain work experience, you are qualified to take the exam for
Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM). You will notice that
many job posting related to supply chain say that they prefer CSCP/CPIM.
http://www.apics.org/community/membership/benefits/student-membership

CSCMP: Another professional supply chain organization is the Council of Supply Chain
Management Professionals (CSCMP), which boasts 9,000 members worldwide.
https://cscmp.org.
Student membership is $40/ year. Members can view job postings on their website. They have
helpful career website www.careersinsupplychain.org. Job titles for people with 0-4 years of
experience include consultant, customer service manager, fulfillment manager, and supply chain
analyst. CSCMP also has a certification program SCPro™, which has three levels. People with a
bachelor’s degree can eligible to take the Level One exam. Finally, CSCMP offers educational
seminars, publications, and an annual conference.
Grading:
Grades are based on the following components:
Class Participation
20%
Homework/ Assignments (4)
16%
Performance on the Global Supply Chain 15%
Simulation
3
Exam
24%
Paper
25% (20% paper, 5% presentation)
Total
100%
Class Participation Class participation is determined by your preparation and active
engagement during class. Class attendance is required. Please be courteous to your fellow
students by arriving on time and refraining from leaving in the middle of class. If you are unable
to attend class, please let me know in advance, if possible. You will not be penalized for one
absence, but absences beyond that will hurt your grade.
For case discussions, you are expected to actively listen, respond to questions, express your
viewpoints, and respond to comments from your fellow students. I will keep a record of class
participation for each student and assign a grade based on the quality of your in-class comments.
One or two high quality comments during class is preferred over frequent, low-quality
participation. Participation is necessary, as attendance without participation will result in a C
participation grade (assuming there are no more than the allowed number of absences). High
quality (e.g., contributing analysis, synthesis) participation for most classes will be an A.
Consistent, although not always breakthrough participation will be a B. Extra weight will be
given to participation during classes which are case study discussions. Around the middle of the
semester, I will provide each student with individual written feedback on participation, and
encourage you to meet with me after receiving this feedback to discuss your participation.
Homework/Assignments
Homework is graded and points assigned based on showing your work, effort, and the
correctness of that work. Assignments will be handed in through Latte. Your submission must be
your own, but you may work with other students to discuss the homework.
Simulation
Global Supply Chain: As a capstone experience for the class, we will play the global supply
chain simulation game. This interactive online simulation allows students to try their hands at
managing the complexities of a global supply chain by putting them in the shoes of the supply
chain manager of a mobile phone manufacturer. The game is developed to simulate the more
complex (thus more realistic) decision setting. You will be working in a group of three to do
the simulation. It is a difficult simulation, so please make sure you do the preparation analysis.
To reward those who put in the effort, your team’s performance on the simulation will count
toward your grade, and your individual grade on the simulation will be determined in part by
your team members’ ratings of your contribution to the team’s efforts.
4
Exam
For the exam, you should create and bring with you a double-sided sheet of paper with formulas
and notes for your use during the exam. You should bring a calculator to the exam. Other books,
notes, or electronic devices (e.g. smart phones) are not allowed. To do well in the class, you will
need to work through all of the relevant end-of-chapter problems until you are able to get them
right. Please note that only doing the assigned homework problems is insufficient preparation for
the exams. The homework problems are simply meant to check that you can work through at
least one variant of the problems we discuss in class. However, as there are so many different
variants of the problems, in order to be sure that you will be fast enough and versatile enough to
solve these problems during the limited exam time, you should work through all of the end-ofchapter problems.
Paper
You will work in a group of three students to write one paper on a supply chain topic. The
paper is due at the end of the semester. Your group will have 10 minutes to present the main
findings of your paper to the class during the last two class sessions. Note the project proposal
will be due in class 6. Please write no more than two pages as your proposal. Your individual
grade on the paper will be influenced by your team members’ rating of your contribution to the
effort.
Possible topics for the paper include: to analyze an existing logistics process and suggest any
improvements that need to be made, or to study a supply chain research topic such as supply
chain analysis of private branding at big box retailers, RFID and smart supply chain (Internet of
Things, IoT), analysis of a real supply chain, your own ranking of the best supply chain in the
world, or e-business trends in 21st century, etc. Examples include:
• To investigate the supply chain impact of one of the following emerging technologies: drones,
finger printing technology of smart phone, self-driving vehicle technology, and big data
• An in-depth study of the distribution system and store deliveries at McDonalds or any other
firm
• A design of a logistics system for a manufacturer of refrigeration equipment or any other goods
• A comprehensive analysis of the battle between e-business and traditional stores
• Empirical study on what supply chain management skills employers want
• A consulting type of project focusing on solving real supply chain issues
The project report should not be a detailed description of everything you have done/researched,
but a specific set of observations, insights, and recommendations, together with supporting
evidences. It should begin with an executive summary no longer than 250 words. If you study a
real supply chain process, the following general guidelines can be used:
1. Executive summary
5
2. Define the process and the context (business unit) in which it operates.
3. What is the strategy / market of the business unit?
4. What does this imply in terms of the logistics process you are studying? What must this
process be able to do particularly well in terms of cost, time, quality, and flexibility? The
headings mentioned here are broad. You are expected to identify specific dimensions along
which the process is expected to do particularly well.
5. Describe the current process structure in terms of information, inventory, transportation, and
location.
6. Discuss the process capabilities, given the current structure, in terms of the specific
dimensions identified by you in 4.
7. Discuss existing problems and weaknesses in the current process. What additional capabilities
does the process need to develop?
8. How should the process be restructured to develop these capabilities? Discuss why the
changes suggested by you will have the desired effect along the key dimensions identified by
you.
9. Discuss how the suggested changes should be implemented with a time line. Explain any
resistance you may face in implementing the changes.
Please note that these are general guidelines. I am not looking for a project report with nine
points in the sequence listed above. Please feel free to add to or alter the above list as best fits
your project.
Communication
Always refer to Latte for the most up-to-date class schedule, as well as for posting of course
slides and class announcements. Assignments should also be submitted on Latte unless otherwise
instructed. Email usually is the best way to reach me besides coming to my office hours.
Special Accommodation
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to
have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Academic Integrity
Academic honesty: You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. Please consult
Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures related to
academic integrity. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com software to verify
originality. I consider submitting other’s work as your own to be a serious violation of personal
honesty and the academic ideal that binds the university into a learning community. This
6
includes submission of any of the following:
• material copied from a published source: print, Internet, CD-ROM, audio, video, etc. (This
includes online solutions that may be available for the textbook’s problems and case-lets).
• another person's unpublished work or examination material
• a rewritten or paraphrased version of another person's work without proper citation
• allowing another or paying another to write or research a paper for one's own benefit
• purchasing, acquiring, and using for course credit a pre-written paper
Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic
Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from
the university. Citation and research assistance can be found at LTS - Library guides.
Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible
referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and
suspension from the University. You are encouraged to discuss problems with classmates on two
conditions: (1) you cite the contributions of others clearly, (2) you write up the assignment on
your own, alone! The use of case solution and homework solutions from previous students or
found on the internet is strictly forbidden; I consider it as an act of cheating and plagiarism.
Please be on time for class, prepared to participate, and with laptops and cell phones away.
Professionalism in class elevates the quality of the experience for all.
7
Class #
Topic
1
Introduction to SCM
2
Aligning the supply
chain to the
organization’s
strategy
3
Supply Chain
Network
4
Supply Chain
Network
5
Planning:
Forecasting
6
Planning: Inventory,
Cycle Stock
Bus 174a Tentative Course Outline – Always Check Latte!
Reading
Class Content
Class Content Assignment
Due
Myerson textbook: Chapter 1:
In class we will do a
Introduction, pages 3-5 Definition hands-on exercise to
of SC, 5-7 SCOR model
simulate a global
supply chain
CM Chapter 2: Supply Chain
Performance: Achieving Strategic
Fit and Scope
CASE: Seven Eleven Japan
Be prepared to discuss the
KEL026
case preparation questions
during class.
Fisher, “What is the right supply
chain for your products?” Harvard
Business Review 75 (1997): 105117
CM Chapter 4: Designing
HW1: Turn in your written
Distribution Networks and
answers to the questions for
Applications to Online Sales
Blue Nile and Diamond
Retailing
CM: Chapter 5: Network Design
HW2: Turn in your written
in the Supply Chain
answers to the questions for
CM: Chapter 6: Designing Global
SportsStuff.Com
Supply Chain Networks
CASE: Ranger Creek Brewing and
Be prepared to discuss the
Distilling(Ivey W14673)
case preparation questions
during class.
CM Chapter 7
Myerson: Chapter 4: Inventory
Paper Proposal is Due
Planning and Control
Topics covered: EOQ, ROP
8
7
Planning: Inventory
Safety Stock
8
Planning
9
Planning: Aggregate
Planning and S&OP
10
Sourcing
models, Fixed quantity, fixed
period ABC
CM Chapter 12: Managing
Uncertainty in a Supply Chain:
Safety Inventory
CASE: Toffee Inc.: Demand
Planning for Chocolate Bars
W15155
CM Chapter 8: Aggregate
Planning in a Supply Chain
(sections 8.1-8.3, pages 211-216)
Chapter 9: Sales and Operations
Planning
Topics covered: S&OP, MRP,
BOM
CM Chapter 15: Sourcing
Decisions in a Supply Chain
HW3: Turn in your written
answers to the questions for
ALKO Inc (page 351)
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
*Potential SAP or
S&OP guest speaker
TBD Reading on Accenture’s 7step sourcing process
CASE: IKEA’s global sourcing
challenge (9-906-414)
11
Sourcing
12
Negotiation Exercise TBD: Getting to Yes or Chapter
14 from Monzka on Negotiations
13
14
15
Review
EXAM
Make
16
Deliver:
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
During class we will
do a role play on a
supplier negotiation
case
Review for Exam
CASE: Scotts Miracle-Gro: The
Spreader Sourcing Decision (Ivey
908M78)
CM Chapter 14: Transportation in
9
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
Outline of topics to be
Transportation
a Supply Chain
17
Transportation
CASE: Dollar Tree Logistics
(UV1448)
18
Return
Myerson Chapter 10: Reverse
Logistics and Sustainability
covered in your paper are
due
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
Optional: Rather than
reading the O’Rourke
article, you can listen to this
pod cast on sustainability in
supply chains:
http://www.sciencemag.org.
resources.library.brandeis.e
du/content/suppl/2014/06/0
4/344.6188.1124.DC1/1124.
mp3
O’Rourke, Dara. 2014 Science.
“The science of sustainable supply
chains.” Vol 344 (1224) 6 June
2014, p 1124-1127.
19
Global Supply
Chains
In class exercise: Global Supply
Chain Simulation
20
Global Supply
Chains
21
Lean Supply Chains
22
Value Stream
Mapping
During class we will debrief from
the Global Supply Chain
simulation
Myerson Chapter 18: Lean and
Agile Supply Chains
Myerson Chapter 18: Lean and
Agile Supply Chains
23
Collaboration in
Supply Chains:
Quick Response
CASE: Sport Obermeyer (695022
CM Chapter 10: Coordination in a
Supply Chain)
10
Be prepared to play the
simulation during
class. Bring your
laptop.
Rough draft of your paper is
due
HW4: Create a Value
Stream Map of the supply
chain for a key ingredient of
a local business. You can
include this assignment in
your paper if it fits.
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
24
Delayed
Differentiation
25
Final Class: Paper
Presentations
26
Final Class: Paper
Presentations
CASE: HP Deskjet (GS3A)
Be prepared to discuss the
case preparation questions
during class.
Bring your
presentation on a flash
drive
Bring your
presentation on a flash
drive
11