Course description
Course Summary
In recent years, consolidation of organisations across the logistics and retailing sectors, the expansion of the Asian economy, EU enlargement and heightened awareness of environmental issues have all led to increased demand for supply chain and logistics professionals.
This course provides the opportunity not only to gain a sophisticated knowledge of theory and practice relating to operations and supply chain management but also to explore current thinking on financial management, business ethics, sustainability and corporate governance as well as key global issues and so develop an understanding of their importance to supply chain management.
This programme will be offered both full-time (over a year) and part-time (one day a week over two years).
Course Details
Typical Modules
Core Modules
* Logistics and Supply Chain Management
* International Management
* Financial Resources Management
* Operations Management
* International Business Ethics, Sustainability and Corporate Governance
* Understanding Business and Management Research
* Dissertation
Elective Modules
Students must choose one elective module from the following:
* Strategic Analysis and Management
* Knowledge, Innovation and Learning
* International Business Strategy
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
This module offers the chance to explore logistics and supply chain management perspectives in depth. You will gain a sophisticated appreciation of logistics and supply chain management issues including inventory management, transportation and warehousing, retail logistics and relevant information technology. You will also consider the relationship with customer service and gain an understanding of demand-driven and market-driven logistics as well as of the outsourcing of key logistics functions and logistics in a global context.
International Management
You will gain a systematic understanding of the theories and concepts pertaining to the management of organisations operating in the international arena and their challenges: legal, cultural, economic, political, technological and ethical. This module also allows the opportunity to explore managerial behaviours and organisational processes relevant to operating in a competitive global environment.
Financial Resources Management
This module critically discusses theories and concepts pertaining to the creation of shareholder value, business and financial planning/management and the challenges of implementing financial strategies in uncertain environments. It also explores approaches to the evaluation of financial statements and how these underpin decision-making in financial management and capital investment.
Operations Management
During this module you will explore the tools and techniques for managing operations. You will gain a greater awareness and understanding of the strategic issues involved in the way organisations manage their operational activities and facilities - both within and beyond the organisation's boundaries. You will also develop a better appreciation of the relation between operations/service design choices and performance imperatives.
International Business Ethics, Sustainability and Corporate Governance
This module provides students with the chance to consider business ethics, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance in the international context. These issues will be addressed from both the "business" side and the "society" side, and for both large corporations and small firms, using a combination of empirical studies and the theoretical resources of moral philosophy.
Understanding Business and Management Research
This module provides students with a balanced view of social science and business research methods enabling a critical understanding of research information. It provides students with knowledge of relevant research methods and techniques for the Master's level project work.
Dissertation
A research-based dissertation is an integral element of the programme to which considerable importance is attached. It offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their academic competence and professional potential. There are few constraints on the research topic other than that it must be directly relevant, amenable to enquiry and of appropriate intellectual depth. The dissertation involves the full cycle of proposal development, literature review, methodology, evaluation, and final reporting.
Strategic Analysis and Management
This module enables students to appreciate the issues and challenges that confront managers responsible for strategic management. It introduces students to concepts, topics and methodological approaches and tools relevant to the analysis of the strategic position of the organisation and the development and implementation of strategies and policies, and their major operational implications.
Knowledge, Innovation and Learning
This module explores learning at the individual, organisational, and societal levels. Under consideration will be issues relating to the management of learning processes - including developments such as the learning organisation, knowledge management, and communities of practice. You will also review ideas associated with innovation theory, technological strategy, intra-firm knowledge flows and the development of networks for the transfer of knowledge.
International Business Strategy
During this module you will explore the sources of competitive advantage and comparative advantage when firms operate in international markets. You will gain an understanding of how to evaluate the key strategic issues facing the multinational enterprise. You will also explore the dynamic inter-relationships between international corporate governance, strategy and innovation.
