Objectives
The aim of the programme is to develop graduates with a sound understanding of procurement principles and practice and who will be able to make a significant contribution to their organisation's competitive effectiveness as well as to the wider environment of society as a whole.
The course offers a clear emphasis on the importance of professional relationships with other corporate functions as well as those with other upstream and downstream players in the overall supply chain. Participants in the course are given the opportunity to develop their knowledge of the concepts and practices of all aspects of procurement management which can, in turn, be applied to the benefit of their own organisations. The orientation of the programme embraces vocational as well as academic aims, forming a platform for further academic study or professional development where appropriate.
Alongside objectives relating to specific subject areas and to the achievement of a balance between theory and practice, the intention is also to encourage development of a mix of personal skills which may be useful to the individual in a wider context.
Within the programme curriculum, selected critical skills are, therefore, given particular emphasis. These include attention to research and analysis using qualitative and quantitative techniques, problem-solving, discussion and negotiation, leadership and decision making, teamwork, presentation and communication skills, essay and report writing - as well as to development of cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary management abilities.
Course description
What is Procurement & why is it an important subject for study?
Procurement is one of today's fastest growing management disciplines, in terms of both managerial activity and strategic importance. Procurement and the management of the entire supply chain have emerged from being sets of functional skills to being recognised as a driving corporate business philosophy - a profit creation centre, rather than simply a cost saving function.
In everyday language and also in managerial contexts, the words and phrases Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management are very closely related and may be regarded as being fundamentally complementary to each other. This interrelationship is recognised by Professional Institutes as well as in academic circles.
This Strathclyde MSc degree in Procurement Management treats the term 'Procurement' as an umbrella, embracing a series of building blocks, of which four in particular -
* Logistics and Inventory Management
* Internationalisation of Business, Sourcing and Competition
* Integration of Supply Chain Operations, leading to development of Procurement as a source of Profitability and Competitiveness
* Integration of Supply Chain Management with corporate Marketing Orientation
- are seen to combine to shape corporate strategy and success - whether locally or internationally.
This degree course therefore combines detailed study of all these subjects, together with others, to provide a curriculum which is of direct relevance to the achievement of an integrated series of corporate strategies, designed to acquire competitive advantage and profitability - the classic win-win scenario.
Course audience
The MSc Degree in Procurement Management has been developed to suit the needs of professionals in and all aspects of Procurement, including Purchasing, Logistics, Supply Chain Management and International Sourcing. The course is designed to equip individuals with skills and understanding that will enable them to make a contribution to development of competitive advantage.
The highly focuses programme offers benefits to both individuals and employers. It is designed to suit the needs of managers and senior personnel from all types of companies and organisations. Typical participants :
* already hold degrees or equivalent qualifications
* are engaged in the procurement function and
* wish to extend their academic and managerial appreciation of the Procurement function.
The course is equally appropriate for executives with experience in other aspects of business who wish to acquire a closer understanding of the procurement discipline.
Programme Structure
The Strathclyde MSc Degree in Procurement Management comprises four principal study elements as outlined below. Successful completion of the Degree course is based on the accumulation of 180 credits, whilst there is an opportunity to leave the programme with the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Procurement Management after successful completion of 120 credits.
Curriculum
The aim of the classes comprising the Curriculum is to provide a thorough grounding in the principles, techniques and practices of procurement management, with particular emphasis on strategy formulation; research; performance measurement, logistics and inventory, implications of international competition. It is also intended to expose participants to the latest research studies and developments of thought and practice - as well as to encourage them to explore the applicability of these concepts and practices in their own environment. The emphasis throughout is therefore interactive.
Assessment is by a variety of mechanisms to suit the needs of the classes concerned and normally comprises a combination of assignment and examination.
The Curriculum comprises two groups of taught classes - Core and Optional - and two elements of Project Work - which entail preparation of a Report (Action Learning Project) and Dissertation respectively.
Core Subjects
Procurement and Marketing in the International Environment
Environmental scanning and strategic analyses; comparatives of international business and their impact; industry and competitor analysis; models for identifying sourcing opportunities; market entry as source exploitation strategies; thinking and acting internationally.
Procurement Research
Analysing market, supplier and product problems, the forces driving market trends and developments, ascertaining suppliers ability to meet current and future demands; eva luation of product suitability, cost and price analysis.
Strategic Procurement Management
Strategic procurement and its contribution to competitive advantage, developing and managing your strategy, performance measurement as benchmarking, global sourcing and its strategic impact, co-makership policies, studying the impact of information management. E Commerce, E business and E procurement.
Total Quality Management
TQM and its impact on purchasing; tools and techniques available for use, contributing to source differential; partnering for quality.
Action Learning Project
A project and report on a subject of topical significance in the procurement arena.
Dissertation
All students who wish to complete the Masters Degree are required to carry out an individual procurement research study and submit a dissertation on a topic of their choice, under the guidance of an individual supervisor.
The Dissertation provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to undertake individual research. Typical projects will include desk research and a literature review, as well as small scale primary research studies and/or case studies of individual companies.
Optional Subjects
Students select four optional classes. Commonly selected classes include :
Logistics and Inventory Management
Concepts and practices of supply-chain management; the benefits and limitations of JIT, essential links between supply management and marketing; efficient logistics and inventory management strategies; inventory determination and eva luation.
Organisational Buying Behaviour and Structures
The changing role of the professional buyer, the role of the various participants in the buying process; interpersonal and group behaviour in the buying situation, the buyer/seller relationship.
International Sourcing: Strategy and Management
The development and implementation of world-wide sourcing; its contribution to sustaining competitive advantage; total cost sourcing; the benefits to SMEs as well as to multinational corporations,
Managing Relationships and Multicultural Negotiations
Effective relationship management in procurement, relationships in a multicultural environment, negotiation skills for global procurement.
Other Options available include
Commercial and Mercantile Law
The significance of the legal environment surrounding business - in both domestic and international contexts. The class includes consideration of international business law and institutions and European Union business law, including Procurement Law.
IT Management, e-Business and the Supply Chain
Management of IT as a strategic business resource - its attributes and limitations, particularly with reference to its role in source identification and evaluation, data collection and management and relationship management - across potentially complex supply chains.
Procurement in the Public Sector
Comparisons between Public and Private sectors' approaches to procurement in concept and in practice. The significance of public service provision and public accountability; impacts of political controls and institutions; the - national interest'; impacts of privatisation, the Public/Private Partnerships; quangos and NGOs; relationships between central and local government; the impacts of devolved government and of constraints and opportunities arising from EU membership and obligations.
Effective Project Management
Development of managerial and technical competences in the management of projects, in a range of environments (public and private sectors; manufacturing and service - products'/supply), involving taking - ownership' of an activity from beginning to end; configuring as well as managing the operation.
Open Learning Route
This Master's Degree is an Open Learning programme designed to enable those people who work or have other commitments which prevent them from undertaking full-time study to undertake courses of study and to earn the same qualifications as are available by other, more conventional means. The keynote to the Open Learning mode of study is flexibility (see below) - based on guided self study of selected materials supplemented by face-to-face intensive seminars led by Strathclyde staff. All course tuition and assessment is undertaken locally, but always under the control of the University of Strathclyde .
Progress to the Master's Degree is governed solely by performance in the formal examinations and coursework assignments and submission of a Dissertation on an approved topic. Each credit is equivalent to approximately 10 hours total study.
The programme provides a comprehensive support package which includes:
* Course materials for each subject supplied as a package comprising essential text books, study units; case studies and other rel eva nt materials.
* Intensive Seminars : Each class incorporates an Intensive Seminar, led by University staff for approximately 16 hours (usually spread over two days at a weekend) per subject. Seminars are held at Strathclyde and in partner institutions in selected countries and cover course revision, supplementary material and examination preparation.
* Support for each subject is provided by a class co-ordinator who will normally be a member of the full-time staff of Strathclyde Business School and who will be readily accessible to everyone undertaking the subject at any given time. You will be allocated a supervisor when undertaking your Dissertation.
Flexibility
A key feature of the Open Learning concept is its flexibility and the participant's own ability to control progress through the curriculum - subject only to a requirement to complete the course between a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years from entry. Most participants find that they are able to complete the course over a period of between 2½ and 3 years with much of the last 9 months or so being devoted to completion of the Dissertation.
In each year there are two semesters and in each semester you are expected to undertake two subjects. In this way the 8 examinable subjects (4 Core Classes and 4 Optional Classes) are covered in two years, with most students also completing the Action Learning Project in year two.
For each subject there is an Intensive Seminar weekend held at the University on a Saturday and Sunday. Whilst attendance is not compulsory it is obviously advantageous to attend - not only from the academic point of view but also from a networking aspect as all the people on the course are working in the Procurement field. If you are unable to attend, Material from the seminar will be sent to you.
External Recognition and Accreditation
In addition to the international EQUIS and AACSB recognition enjoyed by Strathclyde Business School , the course itself is also recognised by leading professional institutions and leading governmental, industrial and commercial organisations in the United Kingdom and overseas
