Supply Chain Management (SCM) encompasses the integrated planning and execution of processes required to optimise the flow of materials, information and financial capital for the delivery, maintenance and disposal of products and services.  This relies on the efficient, effective and responsible management of these processes, within and between organisations. Successful SCM is crucial for any competitive business both in manufacturing and service sectors, but also for non-profit organisations.

Recent geopolitical events and natural disasters have once again illustrated the dependence of businesses and society as a whole on global supply chains and resilient operations. As Supply Chain Management section, we constantly strive to create, disseminate and help apply rigorous and relevant knowledge to enable future and current managers and policy makers to design and operate supply chains that deliver goods and services, economically and sustainably.

Prof. Finn Wynstra

Portrait of Finn Wynstra

The expertise of our SCM section – one of the largest groups in its kind worldwide – is broad yet concentrated on the processes of global logistics, sourcing, facility logistics and distribution, and addresses aspects such as sustainability, digitalisation, analytics and behavioural aspects. In education, we contribute to pre-experience and post-experience programs, including a specialised MSc program in Supply Chain Management and a specialised MSc program in Business Analytics & Management. Our research combines analytical and data-driven methods, and is often carried out in collaboration with (inter)national partners.

Education and research are intertwined with our engagement with practice, which is globally inspired and locally anchored. Rotterdam is home to the biggest sea port in Europe, and the Netherlands is an international gateway to the massive markets of Western Europe, resulting in an important and strong logistics sector. We also interact with policy makers and NGO's, for whom SCM is an increasingly relevant field.

 

About our research

Research

Meaningful impact is integral to all our research endeavours. Offering research excellence in the dynamic fields of design, management, optimisation, co-ordination and planning, our Supply Chain Management faculty members are right at the very heart of Europe’s most important and advanced logistical hub – the Netherlands. Our long-standing excellence in academic study means we not only collaborate hand-in-hand with industry, but also play an integral part in setting national and international research agendas.

Research Topics­­­

Developing analytical approaches to improve the economic and environmental performance of supply chains. Some of this research is organised through ERIM’s Closed Loop Supply Chain centre.

Optimisation of warehouse, port terminal and cross-dock operations, with related material handling systems. Work on port terminals is done within the SmartPort@Erasmus and material handling research is organised via the Material Handling Forum.

A subtheme to improve the performance of passenger and cargo transportation systems. Research is organised through the SmartPort@Erasmus and the Erasmus Centre for Optimization in Public Transport (ECOPT).

Studying behavioural operations management and purchasing and supply management is organised through the Purchasing and Supply Management Centre.

Teaching

The SCM section offers a dedicated and specialised Master programme in Supply Chain Management and an executive Master Programme in Customs and Supply Chain Compliance.  Together with the Erasmus School of Economics, we offer an executive Master Programme in Maritime Economics & Logistics and contribute to various open and customized executive programs in Operations and Supply Chain Management.

Moreover, we offer courses in the area of Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management and Management Science in a great number of RSM programmes, including the Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration (IBA), the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Bedrijfskunde), The International Full-time MBA, The Executive MBA (EMBA), The Global Executive OneMBA, The Cologne-Rotterdam Executive MBA,  The Part-time Bedrijfskunde (PMB), and The Master in Management (MIM).