MO9635 - Global Supply Network Management

You will learn through a blended combination of webinar-based lectures, class-based seminars and open learning (e-portal based) material, case studies, visiting speakers and directed learning. Where available and suitable, recorded lectures, internet resources and multimedia will be used. The learning process include one-hour weekly webinar-based lectures, and two-hour weekly class-based (which will include group exercises and presentations), The summative assessment will consist of one group-based presentation and an individual written assessment.

The live webinar-based lectures and class-based seminars are highly interactive sessions that are aimed at increasing your participation and engagement with the learning material. The interactive sessions are held individually and in small groups to improve the engagement levels. The seminars include group exercises, individual case studies, presentations, critical evaluation of journal articles, workshops and directed learning. These hands-on approaches will enhance your theoretical and practical skills and help in problem solving and contribute to your personal and professional development.

Directed learning is centred upon activities such as reading the suggested journal articles for interactive activities. Independent learning is dependent on you identifying and pursuing areas of interest within the context of logistics and supply networks that will inform you in critically evaluating the material and writing your final assignment. The pedagogical approach in this module is based on critical reflection of the material and the continuous feedback during the learning process that will develop your competence in writing the final assignment that forms a part of the summative assessment.

As a Level 6, final-year undergraduate module, the content will challenge you to think both strategically, about contemporary issues relating to supply chain networks and the socio-political interface with these supply chain networks. This will make you aware of ethical and sustainability issues impacting on business and professional practice, linking stakeholder viewpoints to customer requirements and business objectives. It will utilise research outputs, externally and from within NBS, from applied research journals, academic literature, institutes, trade bodies and trade magazines.

Support will be provided to you by the member of academic staff leading the module and the module’s wider teaching team providing the webinar-based lecture input and online support materials. The use of a teaching team allows that subject specialist staff to deliver the webinar-based lectures and class-based seminars. Further support in the form of additional drop-in sessions and continuous feedback, particular within seminars on the learning material is provided to improve your engagement levels.

The seminar sessions will be delivered to groups of up to 25 students and will be facilitated by a group of academic staff with subject expertise who can offer support and guidance.

Your module is also supported by an e-learning portal, which accommodates lecture material and seminar instructions, supportive learning resources, alongside assessment details and various support facilities such as electronic reading list comprising your “recommended to purchase” and to read book(s), academic reports, conference papers and journal articles that are relevant to the logistics and supply network. The module lectures will be supported by electronic recordings available through the module e-learning portal.

The module summative assessment contains two components, and both will be provided to you at the beginning of the module and continuous support in the form of instructions and feedback is provided throughout the delivery of the module. Adequate assessment support such as a marking guide, marking rubric, assessment briefing and assessment surgery will be provided for you. Seminars will be dedicated to assessment briefing and associated formative feedback. There will be electronic recordings of the briefing and guidance for both assessment components.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

Acquire, apply and critically assess knowledge of supply networks in global and local contexts. [MLO1]

Apply and critically appraise knowledge of supply network complexities and their related solutions. [MLO2]

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work in a team. [MLO3]

Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. [MLO4]

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Demonstrate and critically appraise cultural, ethical and social awareness in assessment of the interface of societal issues with the management of logistics and supply networks. [MLO5]

Formative Assessment:

Formative assessment comprises group work, case study reviews, oral presentations, review of journal articles and the related discussions, debates and reflections during the module seminars. In addition, feedback and formative assessments are supplemented routinely during the interactive delivery of the module though both its webinar-based lectures and class-based seminars.

Summative Assessment:

Summative assessment is based on two different tasks i.e., a group presentation (20%) and an individual written submission (80%) of 2,500 words. Both the tasks are designed to be reflective of the critical and analytical skills acquired during the module. You are required to apply relevant theories, concepts, strategies, and tools to address the given assignment tasks. The assignment is research based and requires you to work with peer reviewed journal articles and relevant material in the field. The summative assessment is aimed at you critically appraising contemporary issues relating to global supply networks, and in doing so, assessing the listed module learning outcomes. The group presentation will assess MLO1-MLO4 inclusive, the individual assessment will assess MLO1, MLO2 and MLO5.

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Global supply network management is the core in understanding the design, functioning and the management of global supply chains and networks. The module provides you with significant knowledge to critically appraise the strategic role of supply networks, its complexities, and the related sustainable solutions in global and local contexts. The concepts and theories discussed during the interactive and engaging seminar and webinar-based lecture sessions will enable you to build problem solving skills, apply them to practical situations that are likely to occur in your professional life and critically assess the solutions offered. The module is research driven and involves developing knowledge in contemporary issues in global supply networks using latest journal articles and related material that is tutored through your seminar activities. The summative assessments within the module represents an explicit engagement with the practical issues in operations, logistics and supply management, thereby facilitating a problem-based learning. The comprehensive skills you have developed in this module will be critical in building your career in the field of logistics, operations, and supply chain management specifically and in business management more generally.