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What is supply chain management?
Supply chain management refers to the movement and storage of goods as they move from raw materials all the way to the final user. Steps in this process involve the movement, production, and storage of raw materials and semi-finished products, and the wholesaling, distribution, and retailing of the finished product. Achieving efficiency in the supply chain is accomplished by developing knowledge of transportation, inventory control, warehousing, materials handling, packaging, purchasing, and the tools necessary to analyze and coordinate these activities. The concepts of total cost analysis (taking all costs into account before making decisions), and cost trade-offs (letting one or more costs rise to take advantage of greater savings in other costs) are central to supply chain operations and management. These concepts, once honed, apply to many facets of business and personal decision making.
Where is supply chain management and operations used?
Supply chain management represents 10 percent of our country's gross domestic product. All companies that deal with physical goods of necessity utilize supply chain management to get their products to their customers. Transportation companies are a large part of the supply chain. In addition, many third-party companies exist to service manufacturers. Included are consultants, telecommunications, distribution firms, and various combinations of these, which may also combine with transport companies. Even service organizations have need for the supply chain function in ordering and maintaining supplies and repair parts.
What kinds of career choices can I expect and what is the job outlook?
Economists and employers single out supply chain management for its strong growth potential. In its "Best Jobs of the Future" issue, U.S. News & World Report, lists supply chain management as one of 20 hot job tracks for the 21st century. Membership in the discipline's professional organizations has increased by 250 percent in the last 10 years. A major accounting firm reports that many companies are moving to get high caliber individuals into the supply chain management positions as they recognize the impact on competitiveness and financial performance. Growth in the field is expected to continue well into the 21st century.
Graduates with a supply chain management background can find employment in a wide range of occupational specialties including logistics, facility management, transportation management, traffic management, operations and production, and purchasing, to name but a few. Salaries for recent graduates in supply chain programs, according to several surveys, rank near the top among the various business majors.
What kinds of courses will I take?
Students in the supply chain operations and management program take the core curriculum required of all John L. Grove College of Business students. These courses include accounting, finance, information systems, marketing, economics, business law, operations, organizational behavior, and statistics to provide a broad business background.
In addition to these courses, there are both required courses and electives in the major, in which students will develop cross-functional team skills that emphasize cost analysis, e-business, logistics network modeling, and information management. Students in the department can major in either Logistics or Supply Chain Management. The Logistics major consists of four required courses (Logistics Management, Transporation Theory, Supply Chain Management, and Strategic Warehouse Management) and two interdisciplinary electives from Marketing, Management, Geography, or Supply Chain Management. The Supply Chain Management major consists of five required courses (Logistics Management, Strategic Procurement, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management, and Data Mining) and one interdisciplinary elective from Marketing, Management, Geography or Logistics Management. Supply Chain Management Program (B.S.B.A.)
May students who are not majoring in supply chain management take those courses?
Certainly. It is advantageous for all business majors to take at least a basic course in the supply chain area to get an understanding of what is involved in the movement and storage of goods and how this function interacts with other areas of the firm. In fact, in some schools' business programs, at least one of these courses is part of the core business curriculum.
Where can I get more information?
For specific program information contact:
Dr. Hong K. Rim, Chair
Department of Finance and Supply Chain Management
228 Grove Hall
Shippensburg University
1871 Old Main Drive
Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299
(717) 477-1434
Fax: (717)-477-4067
E-mail: hkrim@ship.edu
John L. Grove College of Business
(717)477-1435
E-mail: business @ship.edu
John L. Grove College of Business is accredited by the AACSB International
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