Sustainable Management of Global Supply Chains

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/E_IBA2_SMG

Course Objective

Society is putting increasing pressure on companies to re-evaluate their supply chains and realign decisions with sustainability in mind. While the focus used to be exclusively on economic goals, environmental and social aspects are becoming increasingly important. These new dimensions present global companies with new complex tasks. The objectives of this course are to provide students with an overall framework for managing global supply chains and developing strategies (Knowledge; Quantitative Skills), describe the developments, challenges, and opportunities in the management of sustainable and global supply chains (Broadening your Horizon) and showcase innovative approaches for success (Bridging Theory and Practice). Academic & Research Skills After successfully completing this course, youcan analyze decisions related to international procurement, production, and distribution networks and evaluate their impact on coordination and pricing within a supply chain and sustainability;are able to recognize fundamental structures and to leave out irrelevant information, i.e., can create the strategy, structure, and planning of a supply chain in a fact-based and structured manner;can put forward well-founded, substantiated points of view. Bridging Theory and Practice After successfully completing this course, youcan explain contemporary concepts and theories on supply chain strategy and planning, specifically in the context of sustainability;can explain the topics of supply chain network design, outsourcing & sourcing strategies, contract design, incentive alignment, pricing and revenue management, sustainability, and humanitarian logistics.can apply your theoretical knowledge of supply chains to real-life problems;make connections between the concepts discussed in order to operate in an international context successfully;can provide companies with recommendations about their processes and possibly conduct consultancy on supply chain design and management;can build models for (re) designing the physical flows while controlling the financial and information flows within supply chains;can analyze decisions related to international procurement, production, and distribution networks and evaluate their impact on coordination and pricing within a supply chain and sustainability;can create the strategy, structure, and planning of a supply chain in a fact-based and structured manner. Broadening your Horizon After successfully completing this course, you candescribe the developments, challenges, and opportunities in the management of sustainable and global supply chains;critically discuss the infrastructure constraints, the logistics inefficiencies, and limitations in service operations;discuss and formulate recommendations on how to create opportunities in (sustainable) supply chain management with an emphasis on international aspects of global supply chains.

Course Content

This course focuses on the effective design and execution of global supply chains, with an emphasis on the opportunities and challenges that growing concerns about sustainability present. More specifically, this course covers topics related to global supply chain strategies, global network optimization, outsourcing & sourcing strategies, and contract design. Furthermore, the course tackles advanced supply chain concepts such as supply chain coordination, incentive alignment, pricing and revenue management and discusses their relation to sustainability. You are introduced to theoretical concepts with emphasis on key trade-offs and phenomena, as well as best practice examples. You are also exposed to quantitative models and problem-solving tools (in Excel) applicable to the design and planning of (sustainable) supply chains. Upon completion, you should be able to look strategically at the full supply chain.

Teaching Methods

Lectures Tutorials Participation

Method of Assessment

Written Exam
- Individual assessment Practical assignment(s)
- Group assessment Participation assignment(s)
- Individual assessment

Literature

Books: Chopra, S., & Meindl, P. (2019). Supply chain management. Strategy, planning & operation. 7th Global Edition. Prentice Hall, Pearson Higher Education. The book introduces students to advanced supply chain theories, methodologies, concepts, necessary knowledge, and quantitative skills to effectively design and operate international supply chains. Because the foundations of SCM from this book were already addressed in the Global Supply Chain Management Course of year 1, these more advanced topics are accessible to all students. Additional readings: From the book of Bouchery, J., Corbett, C. J., Fransoo, J. C., Tarkan, T. (Eds.). (2018) Sustainable Supply Chains: A Research-Based Textbook on Operations and Strategy. Springer International Publishing. (available online) The book outlines and illustrates the current state of affairs and future needs and trends in the sustainable management of supply chains. It bridges theory and practice and broadens students' horizons related to the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. Additional literature (exercises, case studies, professional and scientific articles) will be distributed via Canvas.

Entry Requirements

n/a

Recommended background knowledge

1.1 Business Mathematics1.4 Global Supply Chain Management1.6 Business Processes