Essentials of Procurement

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module will demonstrate the importance of procurement strategies and techniques within both service and manufacturing environments. You will gain a clear understanding of the importance and scope of the procurement function and will explore and critically assess the elements of contracts and contractual obligations. The module will also allow you to demonstrate how supplier selection and assessment criteria leads to improved procurement performance.

Information Technology for Logistics

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

Logistics Management

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module provides you with a critical analysis of the current theory and practice in logistics management in its global context. You will be introduced to the principles and concepts of logistics management and given an insight to its internationalisation, as well as a review of the role of the logistics-management function within organisations. 

Your analytical and evaluative skills will be developed through the critical examination of theories, models, tools and techniques employed in logistics management. The purpose of the module is to equip you with a foundation of essential knowledge of contemporary logistics management and its application domestically and internationally.

Topics covered may include:

• logistics in different parts of the world 
• the role of logistics in international supply chain management 
• logistics functions and processes
• packaging and materials handling
• transportation infrastructure
• transportation operations 
• ports management 
• sourcing 
• reverse logistics 
• relationship development and management
• green logistics
• future issues in logistics and its management

Management of Negotiation

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

This module equips you with the knowledge, understanding and skills to manage the negotiation process at the tactical and strategic levels. Managing negotiations is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-functional, therefore the approach is integrative. Organisational, behavioural and psychological elements are studied together, with the objective of improving the effectiveness of negotiations.

The principal argument is that the main techniques are common to all negotiations, however organisational, behavioural and psychological considerations constrain choices and actions in specific contexts.

The module provides participants with a broad understanding of the negotiation process and the development of negotiating strategies and tactics across a range of contexts. Conceptual foundations are studied and combined with role play and live scenario building (including video feedback), enabling you to formulate and explore ideas, and providing opportunities to extend your negotiating skills.

Managing Complex Projects, Products and Systems

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

During this module you will address three central issues:

Organisational capabilities: how organisational forms and capabilities in project management, systems integration and software engineering are essential in the design and production of CoPS. Special emphasis is given to project management capabilities.

Models of innovation: how industrial structures, product life cycles and innovation management in CoPS differ from the conventional model of innovation often based on the mass production of consumer goods.

Firm strategy: how firms are changing their strategic positions, building new service capabilities and creating customer-centric organisations to provide bundles of products and services as integrated solutions to their customer's needs.

Managing Operations and Quality

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module provides you with an understanding of how the fundamental principles of operations management can support the improvement of management performance in both public and private organisations. These principles may be applied equally to both manufacturing and service operations.

You will develop an understanding of the systemic and interactive nature of operations and quality management problems and their relationship to the external environment, through the application of quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, utilising guided problem-based activities and case study analysis.

Quality management processes – the ideas, theories and tools that are central to organisational development, change management, and the performance improvements that are generally desired for individuals, teams and organizations – will be explored. Methods used to measure organisational performance other than financial output or profit, including focusing on the essential activities, resources and other factors that impact on outputs, will be analysed and applied.

Personal and Professional Development

15 credits
All year teaching, year 1

This module aims to develop your mastery of personal and interpersonal effectiveness in order to support career entry and development, thereby enabling positive and professional organisational impacts. The module facilitates acclimatisation to your local learning environment as a basis for contributing to contemporary working environments at local, national and international/global levels. From employers' point of view, the module develops rounded graduates who have not only a subject/technical capacity but also a personal and professional capability.

This capability, which is readily transferable to the workplace, distinguishes those who successfully complete the module from other graduates. The module comprises study of, and development in, the individual and interactive organisational behaviours that underpin professional performance and mindful practices in the workplace.

1. Elements of effective self-management in the workplace
   
   Content/applications: self-perception, self-awareness, personal values, learning preferences, personal reflection, communication styles, verbal and nonverbal communication, self-management, stress management, reflective practice.
   
   Core concepts: perception, perceptual world and filters, habituation, mental sets, conditioning, behaviour modification, cognitive and social learning, reflective thinking.
   
   
2. Elements of effective interpersonal relationships in the workplace
   
   Content/applications: confidence and assertiveness, cultural awareness and sensitivity to diversity factors, crosscultural communication, teams and team building, team-based and creative decision-making, listening and communicating, handling emotion and conflict. 
   
   Core concepts: socialisation, behaviour modification, cultural similarities and differences, prejudice, group working.
   
   
3. Individual strategies and techniques for self-development
   
   Content/applications: personal development planning, goal setting, identification of priority learning and training needs, receiving feedback, crosscultural relations.
   
   Core concepts: motivation and exchange.
   
   
4. Qualities of personal leadership approaches and their impacts on others
   
   Content/applications: influence and persuasion, negotiation, networking, diversity management, managing feedback, cooperation and compromise, goal accomplishment.
   
   Core concepts: leadership, power, leaderful behaviour. 
   
   
5. Development of continuing professionalism in engaging with others in the workplace
   
   Content/applications: continuous professional development, ethical principles in the management of others, international and global mindsets.
   
   Core concepts: life-long learning, emotional and social literacy, ethics.

Research Methods for Supply Chain and Logistics Management

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

The main aims of this module are to introduce a range of research methods for the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, to advance your analytic research skills through practical experience, and to develop your abilities in reading and evaluating journal articles and research papers.

The main topics to be covered are:

• Literature reviews, searches and referencing
• Social science research
• Case study research
• Comparative and longitudinal methods
• Survey research
• Basic concepts in statistical analysis
• Goodness-of-fit tests and contingency tables
• Correlation analysis
• Simple comparative tests
• ANOVA: one-way and RCB designs
• Two-variable regression
• Multiple regression.

Research Projects (GSCM)

30 credits
Summer teaching, year 1

The main aims of this module are to introduce a range of research methods for the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, to advance your analytical research skills through practical experience, and to develop your skills in reading and evaluating journal articles and research papers.

The main topics to be covered are:

• literature reviews, searches and referencing
• social science research
• case study research: comparative and longitudinal methods
• survey research
• basic concepts in statistical analysis
• goodness-of-fit tests and contingency tables; correlation analysis
• simple comparative tests
• ANOVA: one-way and RCB designs
• two-variable regression
• multiple regression.

Supply Chain Management

15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1

This module aims to develop a knowledge and understanding of the role and extent of supply chain management in modern organisations. Leading on from this, you will develop a critical understanding of the key processes involved in global supply chain management including sourcing, procurement, warehousing, inventory management and logistics. 

The module assists in understanding how different technologies can be used to expand and support organisations on a global basis and how they can be used reconfiguring supply chain networks and achieving competitive advantage. You will have the opportunity to explore the current operation of existing global supply chains across different organisations and in a variety of industry sectors. 

The module will finally examine key issues and concerns arising from global supply chain management including forming collaborative partnerships, building trust and managing different languages and cultures. 

Topics covered may include:

• introduction to supply chain management 
• outline of key supply chain management theories
• evolution of globalised supply chain networks 
• understanding supply chain processes
• sourcing (international sourcing) and procurement (sustainable procurement), 
• warehousing, inventory management (co-managed inventory), 
• logistics (outsourcing & 3PL)
• applications of different technologies: internet, ERP systems, RFID
• reconfiguring supply chain networks and achieving competitive advantage
• management of global supply chains: visibility in the supply chain
• challenges of global supply chains: collaboration, partnerships, trust, culture 
• consolidation and revision.

Supply Chain Modelling

15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1

The aim of this module is to examine quantitative approaches to optimizing supply chain and logistics management using appropriate modelling techniques. The module will enhance the Supply Chain Management module delivered in TB1 and will equip you with an understanding of how to apply modelling and control techniques in a number of supply chain and logistics settings.