Supply Chain Management as both a Primary or Secondary Concentration.

Supply chain management is characterized as a set of processes designed to create value by efficiently integrating relevant activities, within and between trading partners, in order to minimize the system-wide costs of moving product from raw material to consumption and satisfying the service requirements of the market. That is, supply chain management integrates functions within and between trading partners so as to minimize product handoffs, increase customer intimacy, improve speed and flexibility of customer service while reducing costs and assets deployed. Well-executed supply chains gain competitive advantage by earning customer, shareholder and employee loyalty.

Students will be trained in analyzing the different elements of supply chains, gain experience in developing integrated supply chain solutions between trading partners, and given a strategic perspective in terms of how supply chains create competitive advantage. Managing supply chains requires understanding how three core areas interact: Marketing and Logistics Management, Operations and Management Sciences and Information and Decision Sciences. Coursework from each of those departments are represented in the concentration and the course material has been coordinated to eliminate duplication and maximize topical coverage. Students who elect to take supply chain as a primary concentration will also be required to take the course "Supply Chain Management: A CEO’s Perspective."