BUS 274f (2)
SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYTICS
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2016
Class Hours: Thursday 6:30 pm – 9:20 pm
Location: Lemberg- Room 54
Office Hours: Thursdays 5:30-6:30 or by appointment
Office 1D
Professor: Judith Taylor CPIM, CIRM, CSCP
taylorjudith@brandeis.edu
Revision date January 22nd, 2016
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Overview
The course counts toward the analytics specialization. It is designed for 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. We focus on supply chains—the networks of
suppliers, factories, warehouses and stores that collectively enable the production and
distribution of products or services to the end customer.
We will learn how to create and optimize supply chain processes so that they can achieve a
company’s strategic goals. The course is organized into three broad sections: strategic/design,
planning, and operational. The three sections encompass the Supply Chain Operations
Reference (SCOR) model of supply chains, which is Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return.
The class format includes lectures, problem solving exercises, presentations and case
discussions. The content covers both quantitative and qualitative materials. By the end of the
course, you should have developed the ability to use analytical tools and conceptual
frameworks to make effective decisions about supply chains, as well as gained a better
understanding of the major strategic issues and trade-offs that arise in supply chain
management.
Learning Goals
In this course, you will learn key concepts related to managing global supply chains.
By the end of the course you will:
 Appreciate the importance of supply chains in your daily life
 Have an awareness of how external forces and variability impact supply chains
 Understand various supply chain strategies and how they must be aligned with a
company’s goals in order for it to succeed and meet customer requirements
 Study the various components that make up a supply chain and how they impact each
other
 Learn effective techniques to measure and improve supply chain performance
Teaching Methods
The focus of the course will be on learning and applying fundamental management principles
and techniques for global supply chains. In our classes, we will use a variety of formats to
deepen our understanding including lectures, case study discussions, student presentations and
exercises. We will apply what we learned in homework assignments, case write ups and an
exam.
Course Prerequisite
None, although it is helpful if students have taken the MBA core course in Operations
Management
Course Materials
Textbook The following book is required for the course, and may be purchased from the
Brandeis bookstore, Amazon.com or any other bookseller that carries it.
Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operation- Sunil Chopra and Peter Meindl.
2016, 6th edition. Pearson, Boston MA. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-380020-3
Case Materials
Each student may need to purchase cases and/or simulations from Harvard Business Publishing.
Instructions for accessing these materials will be provided in class.
Articles
Various articles or links to articles will be posted on Latte that pertain to the weekly topic.
These articles may be used with a specific assignment, but at a minimum, will need to be read
prior to class.
Grading
Grades are based on the following components: class participation, case write ups, homework
and exam.
Class Participation (20%) 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. There are only 7 scheduled classes
for this course so missing even one will be a substantial percentage of the classroom time.
For case discussion and group exercises, you are expected to actively listen, respond to
questions, express your viewpoints, and respond to comments or presentations from your
fellow students. One or two high quality comments during class is preferred over frequent, lowquality participation.
Points will be assigned for each class as follows:
0- Absent from class
1- Attended class, but did not contribute to class activities
2- Some contributions to class activities
3- Quality contributions to class activities
Each student will rate their own participation level at the end of every class on their name card.
The name cards will be returned the following week with the score assigned by the instructor.
If you disagree with the score, you can talk to the instructor about ways in which you can
increase your participation level.
Individual Case Write ups (30%)
During the course, you will prepare case write-ups that discuss all of the key concepts covered
in the case. Case submissions should not exceed 1 page. They are due at the start of class via
Latte. Specifics will be provided in the course calendar.
Homework Assignments (included in participation)
Students should come prepared to discuss assigned homework questions or problems in detail
during class.
Final Project and Presentation (50%)
The final exam consists of a team paper and team presentation on a company of the team’s
choice. The homework exercises and case write ups that you have done during the course
should be incorporated into your company analysis.
Total 100%
Communication
We will use Latte for posting course slides and for class announcements. Please always refer to
Latte before each class for the most up-to-date assignment. Assignments should also be
submitted on Latte unless otherwise instructed. Email 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
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. (see
http://www.brandeis.edu/global/current-students/academic/integrity/index.html). The use of
old course files borrowed from previous students is strictly forbidden, as is using case or
problem solutions that may be available from the web or other sources. This is considered an
act of cheating and plagiarism. Students may be required to submit work to TurnItIn.com
software to verify originality. 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.
Finally, please be on time for class, prepared to participate, and with laptops and cell phones
put away. Professionalism in class elevates your reputation and increases the quality of the
experience for everyone!