Operations and Global Supply Chain Management 2026

This course provides a comprehensive understanding of how operations and global supply chain systems are designed, planned, managed, and improved to achieve operational efficiency, customer value, and competitive advantage. It integrates operations management with the strategic management of supply chains, covering manufacturing processes, facility layout and location, forecasting, quality management, inventory management, aggregate planning, global sourcing and procurement and international logistics.

The course develops students’ ability to apply functional and managerial knowledge to solve operations and supply chain problems (CG1/PO1). Through cases, problem-solving exercises, and applied managerial scenarios, students evaluate operational alternatives and formulate decisions aligned with organizational objectives. The course further develops critical thinking and data-driven decision-making capabilities (CG2/PO2) through quantitative and analytical techniques applied to forecasting, facility location, statistical quality control, inventory management, and aggregate planning.

Given its global orientation, the course enables students to examine operations and supply chain decisions from international and cross-cultural perspectives (CG4/PO4). Students analyse global trade networks, international sourcing strategies and barriers, geopolitical and exchange-rate risks in cross-border supply chains, and market intelligence tools for global sourcing decisions. This enables them to appreciate how differences in economic, institutional, regulatory, and international business environments influence supply chain decisions.

Overall, the course adopts an application-oriented and experiential approach that connects conceptual knowledge with contemporary business practices. It prepares students for career opportunities in operations and supply chain management, procurement and sourcing, global logistics, production planning, supply chain analytics, consulting, as well as roles requiring integration of operational, analytical, global, and financial perspectives.