Course content

The overall topic is design, planning, and control of industrial supply chains. This includes the basic theories of supply chain management; strategic fit of product, market, and supply chain; supply chain control models; multi-echelon Inventory management; forecasting and aggregate planning; coordination and information sharing; ICT, digitalization and industry 4.0 for supply chain management; distribution and sourcing; qualitative and quantitative methods for mapping, analysis, and decision support. The aspect of sustainability is also addressed.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

• Profound and specialized knowledge about planning and control of material and information flows in the supply chain of manufacturing and trading enterprises
• Thorough understanding of the supply chain system, its components and processes, and how to design, manage, and improve supply chains.
• Understanding and application of relevant methods, models, analytical and simulation-based tools, ICT and industry 4.0 technologies.
• Insight into what constitute core technologies within the respective processes.
• Training in scientific solution of industrial problems and report-writing.

Skills:

• Ability to apply acquired knowledge for developing holistic solutions within management of industrial supply chains and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Ability to transform theories to practical application based on well-founded choices of relevant alternative solutions.
• Critically and independently evaluate analytical and simulation-based tools, methods, technical models and solutions.
• Perform and document a scientific study of industrial problems.

General competence (attitudes):

• Understand the role of logistics in a broader societal perspective.
• Cooperate and contribute to multidisciplinary interaction.
• Communicate technical logistic problems and solutions.

Learning methods and activities

The teaching is given in English and the Examination papers will be given in English only. Students are free to choose Norwegian or English for written assessments. The main learning model consist of the following elements: Ordinary lectures, guest lectures given by industrial managers, industry visit, exercises consisting of case examples, supply chain management game, and an industrial assignment.

Compulsory assignments

• Assignment
• Exercises

Further on evaluation

5 out of 7 exercises and the assignment must be approved before the exam can be taken.

Mandatory work from previous semester can be accepted by the Department by re-take of an examination if there haven't been any significant changes later.

If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.

Recommended previous knowledge

TPK4100 Operation Management.

Course materials

Will be given at the beginning of the semester. The literature and prescribed text is English.