Master Electives

A key question in supply chain management is how to manage and improve processes in such a way that they align with general business policy.

Supply Chain Simulation and Revenue Management

Supply chain management often involves decision making in an uncertain and dynamic environment. This course presents two important approaches in supply chain management to deal with such uncertainty. The course is organized in two independent trails. One trail focuses on the theory and practice of simulation techniques, while the other trail studies revenue management in supply chains. 

Strategic Sourcing

Firms increasingly outsource parts of their development, production and delivery processes to specialised external suppliers. The implication, then, is that managing suppliers is of crucial importance to the success of the firm, in terms of costs and prices, but also in terms of quality and delivery performance, and increasingly also with respect to innovation. 

The objective of the course is to give you the opportunity to deepen your conceptual understanding and practical skills regarding strategic sourcing, using a mix of state-of-the-art theory and practical examples. Specifically, we will focus on the strategic and tactical aspects of purchasing and supply.   

Business Networks and Inter-organisational Systems

Modern businesses often operate in flexible business networks to improve efficiency or to strengthen their strategic position by close and flexible cooperation with network partners. In this course, we offer state-of-the-art knowledge and insight on the capabilities networked businesses have to develop: becoming network ready, network partner selection, connecting with network partners, managing the network – in particular as network orchestrator – and network performance. 

Concepts of business networks are closely linked to information processing capacities and coordination capabilities of the network partners, where inter-organisational systems (IOS) play a key role. The concepts are illustrated and applied to supply chains in both production and service settings. This is offered to you through in-depth discussion of several case studies, in combination with guest speakers and lectures on the theoretical background. Furthermore, you will apply your experience with business network concepts firsthand by participating in the Business Networking Game. 

The main objective of this course is to be able to apply fundamental concepts of business networks and inter-organisational systems, in order to analyse current existing business networks, identify opportunities and formulate suggestions for improvement of these business networks in practice. 

Business Process Excellence

The importance of process management is increasing. This is because – apart from the fierce competition at the international level – developments in supply chain management urge companies to integrate their business processes with those of suppliers, customers and other stakeholders. 

This course aims to provide a sound basic knowledge of business process management and then explore the possibilities of approaches that lead to real achievements. Findings in academic literature are compared with experiences in business practice and vice versa. 

Ports in Global Networks

The seaport of Rotterdam is the main gateway to the European market, although it is much more than a node in which cargo is transferred between ship and shore. The quality and competitiveness of the port is determined by its position in networks, both at a local level, and at a global level. These networks are transport links with the other major ports in the world – Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, New York/New Jersey, and the major ports in Europe Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremen, Le Havre, and multimodal transport links with the main destinations in the European hinterland. In addition, the port is also a network of industrial activity, that facilitates a large number of supply chains with transport, storage, production and other activities. Finally, the port is embedded in a network of information exchange that enables safe and secure port operations, the efficient management of transportation in and around the port, and the smooth flow of goods through the port.

This course aims to provide a sound understanding of the role of the port in these various networks, and let students gain experience with the development of new and innovative solutions for current problems that exist in this complex context. The elective will provide the basic knowledge on the functioning of ports, the role of the various players in the port, the position of the port authority, and the business dynamics in ports, as well as the interaction of the port with the international flow of goods, and the facilitation of global supply chains. This part will consist of lectures and visits to port companies, as well as a study of the relevant academic literature. In addition, a research project will be carried out in teams. This project will change from year to year.

Closed Loop Supply Chains 

Traditionally, supply chains focus on managing products from the supplier to the end customer. Nowadays, an increasing flow of products is coming back as well. Distant sellers need to handle high volumes of returned products, often at no cost for the customer. A growing flow of end-of-use products creates opportunities for reuse and recycling (‘closing the loop’). The course is a mix of cutting-edge theory, business cases and best practices. 
Closed loop supply chain management has expanded worldwide in various industries, but important questions remain to be answered. 

During this course you will discuss items such as: 

• What are the economic, social and environmental merits of product reuse?
• What is the impact of legislation?
• What is the impact of ICT?
• How do you manage closed loop supply chains to integrate forward and reverse logistics?