Supply Chain Management

Course overview

A supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This course shows you the whole chain and the decisions that make it work, with spreadsheet exercises and a final project where you analyse and improve a real or realistic supply chain.

Who this is for

• Supply chain, operations and planning staff
• Procurement and logistics professionals who want the bigger picture
• Business owners with stock and suppliers
• Graduates entering supply chain careers

Curriculum

1. 01Supply chain fundamentals25 min

   • Supply Chain FundamentalsUnderstand what a supply chain is, the flows of goods, information and money through it, how strategy shapes it, and the careers it offers.
   • Badge: SCM Basics
2. 02Demand planning and forecasting25 min

   • Demand Planning and ForecastingUnderstand why demand is hard to predict, use simple forecasting methods, allow for seasonality and trends, measure forecast error and connect forecasts to plans through sales and operations planning.
   • Badge: Demand Planner
3. 03Sourcing and supplier management20 min

   • Sourcing and Supplier ManagementDecide what to make and what to buy, choose and develop suppliers, plan around lead times and reliability and manage supplier risk.
   • Badge: Sourcing
4. 04Inventory management25 min

   • Inventory ManagementUnderstand why stock is held, set reorder points and safety stock, calculate economic order quantity, classify items by ABC analysis and keep stock records accurate.
   • Badge: Inventory Control
5. 05Operations and production planning25 min

   • Operations and Production PlanningPlan capacity and schedules, apply lean thinking to remove waste, manage quality and find and manage bottlenecks.
   • Badge: Operations
6. 06Warehousing and distribution25 min

   • Warehousing and DistributionDesign warehouse layout and flow, improve picking, packing and dispatch, design a distribution network by comparing total cost and use cross-docking and fulfilment models.
   • Badge: Warehouse & Dist
7. 07Transport and logistics25 min

   • Transport and LogisticsChoose transport modes for a supply chain, plan routes and loads, measure transport cost and service, and manage carriers.
   • Badge: Transport Planner
8. 08Supply chain technology and data25 min

   • Supply Chain Technology and DataUnderstand ERP and planning tools, tracking and visibility, how to use spreadsheets for supply chain analysis and why data quality decides whether any of it works.
   • Badge: SC Technology
9. 09Risk, resilience and sustainability25 min

   • Risk, Resilience and SustainabilityIdentify types of supply chain risk, plan contingencies and backups, weigh resilience against cost and build more sustainable chains.
   • Badge: Risk & Resilience
10. 10Performance measurement20 min

    • Performance MeasurementUse the right KPIs (fill rate, on-time delivery, inventory turns and cash-to-cash), understand cost to serve, build dashboards and reviews and run continuous improvement.
    • Badge: SC Performance
11. 11Global supply chains and trade20 min

    • Global Supply Chains and TradeWeigh global against local sourcing, allow for tariffs, trade rules and long lead times, account for currency and total cost, and manage supply across countries.
    • Badge: Global Chains
12. 12Final project: analyse and improve a supply chain55 min

    • Final Project - Analyse and Improve a Supply ChainMap a real or realistic supply chain, find its problems with data, recommend improvements with numbers and present your case.
    • Badge: SC Project

Projects you'll build

• Analyse and improve a supply chain

  Map a supply chain, find its biggest problems with real or realistic numbers, and recommend improvements.

Assessment and certificate

You are assessed with a final assessment (pass mark 60%) and a final project. Your certificate is awarded when you meet those requirements. Paying for the course does not award it on its own.

Frequently asked questions