Courses

This course explores supply chain strategies, performance drivers, and their alignment with financial goals. Using real-world examples, students will learn to analyze financial statements, create budgets, and use KPIs to boost performance. Topics include total cost of ownership, cost-to-serve analysis, benchmarking, and risk management. Practical applications emphasize financial resilience and sustainability in dynamic supply chains.

The massive amounts of data that supply chains generate can be leveraged to analyze & improve supply chain performance. Successful firms use supply chain analytics to integrate the data collected, information technology, statistical analysis, quantitative methods & computer-based models to get valuable insights into the supply chain operations & make fact-based decisions. Students in this class will learn how to develop frameworks for unstructured business problems, formulate decision models, analyze alternatives using a variety of analytical techniques, & make data-driven decisions. Special emphasis will be placed on learning a variety of descriptive, predictive & prescriptive analytics methodologies, techniques & tools and their application to business & supply chain problems.

This course highlights the importance of managing supplier relationships, including supplier performance and engagement. It emphasizes building long-term relationships with select suppliers, focusing on overall management of cost, quality, and delivery, rather than just price. It also covers the process of sourcing events to ensure effective supplier selection and management, providing a hands-on introduction to evaluating outsourcing opportunities within the supply chain, exploring advantages and disadvantages, and the process of identifying and selecting potential third-party service providers, including developing business cases and cost analysis.

This course covers the fundamentals of demand planning and supply planning and their integration in improving synchronization in the supply chain. Students learn key elements of demand planning, including the forecasting processes, data management, statistical and econometric models, and demand shaping strategies. The course also covers supply strategies to fulfill demand, providing students with hands-on experience in formulating and optimizing models for designing supply chain networks, building sales and operations plans, and allocating resources.  Students completing the course will have a sound understanding of how to integrate forecasting and demand shaping strategies with supply strategies to optimize the surplus in the supply chain.

This course provides an in-depth understanding of global logistics and risk management strategies for the supply chain. Students will explore how to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities of international suppliers and markets as well as risk management techniques. Key topics include cultural awareness, compliance, legal systems, contracts, finance, foreign exchange, global trade, market evaluation, international freight, and total ownership costs. Additional topics include assessing and managing demand, supply, currency, credit and other risks. By the end of the course, students will acquire additional skills to work and manage the myriad issues related to cross-border business and overseas suppliers.

This course trains students to design, manage, and optimize global transportation and distribution systems. Key topics include mode selection, network design, freight procurement, and last-mile delivery. Emphasis is on leveraging AI, IoT, and blockchain to improve logistics visibility and performance while addressing compliance, sustainability, and risk. Students will use analytical tools to assess logistics trade-offs, develop resilient strategies, and enhance service, cost efficiency, and performance.

Students in the SCM program are required to undertake a culminating capstone project that involves working in small groups to identify and analyze a supply chain-related problem at a company in the Chicago area, and then design and implement solutions to the supply chain problem. Students begin the project in their second year and work on it throughout the entirety of their second year of the program.  Student teams are assigned a faculty advisor and a sponsor from the company where the project is done who will guide them through the project. The final deliverables for the project are a white paper and a formal presentation that describe the project problem, the analysis, and recommendations.

This course highlights two critical drivers of supply chain performance: inventory and quality. The first part is focused on designing optimal inventory policies that balance supply chain responsiveness with efficiency. Students will learn to apply a variety of theoretical inventory models used to determine optimal levels of cycle inventory, safety stock to counter supply and demand variability, and optimal service levels and product availability in the supply chain.  In the second part of the course, the focus will shift to designing supply chain processes and managing of the quality of processes. Topics include the value, costs and dimensions of quality, statistical process control (SPC) methods in supply chain processes, establishment of quality improvement programs and reporting.

This course provides an in-depth understanding of modern marketing principles and customer relationship management strategies. Students will explore how businesses attract, engage, and retain customers through data-driven marketing, digital tools, and customer-centric approaches. Key topics include Market Segmentation, Customer Value Proposition, Product Management, Pricing Strategies, Advertising and Online and Offline Sales Channels, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Customer Experience and Engagement, Big Data and Customer Analytics, and Ethical and Sustainable Marketing. By the end of the course, students will have the skills to develop and implement effective marketing and CRM strategies that drive long-term customer value and business success.

This course emphasizes leadership strategies for success in dynamic supply chain environments. Key topics include establishing a positive organizational culture, managing change effectively, improving performance, and fostering employee engagement. Students explore project and talent management, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, team building, and organizational effectiveness to lead high-performing supply chain teams.

Future leaders in supply chain management will require proficiency in the administration, utilization, and optimization of supply chain technologies. This course aims to develop students’ understanding of how organizations manage their IT investments, select and implement suitable technology and software solutions, and various packaged software solutions and technologies in supply chain management.  A comprehensive analysis is provided on eCommerce and its consequential impact on B2C and B2B relationships, supply chain operations, and the deployment of associated technologies. The course also covers emerging technologies with a detailed review of Artificial Intelligence and its applications within the supply chain domain.

This course explores the principles of designing and managing sustainable supply chains, focusing on returns management and circular economy strategies. Students learn to develop ethical and eco-friendly supply chains, minimize environmental impact, improve resource efficiency, and create value through ethical sourcing, reverse logistics, and waste reduction. Topics include managing carbon footprints, ESG reporting, regulatory compliance, and using innovation to build responsible, closed-loop supply chains.

Students in the SCM program are required to undertake a culminating capstone project that involves working in small groups to identify and analyze a supply chain-related problem at a company in the Chicago area, and then design and implement solutions to the supply chain problem. Students begin the project in their second year and work on it throughout the entirety of their second year of the program.  Student teams are assigned a faculty advisor and a sponsor from the company where the project is done who will guide them through the project. The final deliverables for the project are a white paper and a formal presentation that describe the project problem, the analysis, and recommendations.