Logistics and Supply Chain Management (with optional Placement/Project year) MSc

A programme of individual study and research project in accordance with established research principles involving the completion of the following elements:

Management Research Project

To provide the opportunity to apply management knowledge, skills and research techniques developed during the programme to the identified area of management interest.

To develop students’ intellectual ability in terms of problem solving, critical analysis and conceptual thinking.

To provide students with the opportunity, and the enabling mechanisms to support their development towards independent learning.

The nature, extent and purposes of management research

Management research paradigms

Research strategies

Research designs, methods and approaches

Research quality standards: establishing validity, reliability and generalisability

Sampling and Research instrument design

Research ethics

Research Data Management: collection, organisation and analysis

Managing a dissertation research project

The aim of this module is to enable learners to:

Understand and critically evaluate the findings of management research

Design and implement a management research project using methodologies and methods appropriate to research questions and objectives

Analyse and report management research findings meeting academic and practitioner needs

This module explores the critical aspects of procurement risk and contract management within various organisational contexts, both national and international. It addresses the complexities and challenges that shape the procurement landscape across diverse sectors, including private, public, and third-sector organisations. Students will explore how procurement risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated, and how contracts are strategically managed to ensure organisational objectives are met.

The module provides a comprehensive understanding of the theories, tools, and techniques essential for effective procurement risk management and contract administration. It covers the strategic importance of procurement decisions and contract management in the contemporary business environment, emphasising their impact on overall supply chain performance, resilience and organisational effectiveness.

Indicative Content:

• Introduction to procurement risk management;
• Contract management principles and perspectives;
• The Contracting Cycle;
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies in procurement;
• Legal aspects of procurement and contracting;
• Negotiation tactics and supplier relationship management;
• Ethical considerations and sustainability risks in procurement;
• Sector case studies on procurement challenges and contract disputes;
• Security and cyber threats in procurement and contract management.

The purpose of this module is to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of procurement risk and contract management from a strategic and critical perspective. The aims are:

To provide a strategic insight into the management of procurement risks and the operations of contract management;

To introduce the main principles and practices of risk assessment and mitigation in procurement activities;

To identify and critically examine the legal, ethical, and sustainability considerations in procurement and contract management;

To reflect on contemporary topics of procurement risk and contract management including legal frameworks, negotiation tactics, supplier relationship management, and the use and threat of internet technologies in the management of procurement processes.

This module explores the essential aspects of logistics and transportation management within the supply chain. It provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the theories, tools, and techniques pertinent to this field. The course is designed to equip students with the knowledge to tackle practical challenges faced by logistics and transportation managers, as well as those working within supply chain teams.

The focus is on enhancing students’ awareness, competencies, and skills in the following areas:

• Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Understanding the role and importance of logistics in global supply networks.
• Globalisation and International Trade: Reviewing the trend towards globalisation and critical insights to this, plus an understanding of international trade theory and practice.
• Transportation Modes and Methods: Examining different modes of transportation and their strategic application in supply chain management.
• Warehouse Design and Management: Learning about the strategic placement and management of warehouses in the supply chain.
• Sustainable Logistics Practices: Exploring environmentally responsible practices within logistics and transportation.
• Global Distribution Networks: Managing and optimising global distribution channels.
• Technology in Logistics: Leveraging technology for effective logistics and transportation management, including data flows, digitisation and ‘Big Data’ analysis.
• Legal and Regulatory Frameworks: Understanding the impact of legal and regulatory considerations on logistics and transportation.
• Performance Measurement and Analytics: Utilising metrics and analytics to evaluate logistics and transportation performance.
• In addition to the topics listed, the module includes a review and reflection component, encouraging students to consider their personal development and the application of knowledge gained throughout the course.

The purpose of this module is to cultivate students’ understanding and insight into logistics and transportation management practices, emphasising strategic factors and analytical techniques.

Aims:

To introduce the principles and practices of logistics and transportation management. This includes an overview of supply chain logistics, transportation methods, and the strategic role they play in business success.

To identify and critically assess the operational, strategic, and human factors in logistics management. This involves examining the challenges of coordinating various elements of the supply chain, leadership in logistics, and fostering effective teamwork in a logistics context.

To explore and analyse contemporary issues in logistics and transportation management, including sustainability, globalisation, global distribution, and technological and digital advancements. This covers topics such as green logistics, managing international transportation networks, the impact of emerging technologies on logistics, and methodologies for optimising transportation systems.

This module introduces students to strategic issues in supply chain management for organisations operating nationally and internationally. The module considers the challenges which characterise and influence a range of sectors and examines strategic responses to these within private, public and not-for-profit industries.  The module explores how supply chains and wider supply networks are designed, managed and controlled and develops an understanding of the theory, tools and techniques of supply chain, procurement and wider operations management.  The module cover theoretical and strategic concerns on the development of supply management concepts: their origins, relationship and application for the effective design and management of supply networks.

The nature of supply management and supply chain issues have come to the fore in recent years and, rather than being seen as an 'operational' issue', are now considered of strategic and national importance.  So the subject area for this module is evolving and subject to adjustment to reflect contemporary practices.  However, there is a core of key concepts and contemporary topics which will be covered in this module.  The indicative content covered are:

• What is supply chain management
• International supply chain strategies
• The evolution of supply networks around the world
• Sustainable and ethical supply: the triple bottom line
• Lean, agile and resilient supply
• Quality and kaizen management
• Make-buy decisions, outsourcing and offshoring
• Buyer-supplier relations, power issues and negotiation
• Supplier selection and development

The purpose of this module is to develop participants' knowledge and awareness of supply chain management practices from a strategic and critical perspective.  The aims are:

1. To provide a strategic insight to the management and operations of supply chains and wider supply networks.
2. To introduce the main principles and practices of strategic procurement management.
3. To identify and critically examine the sustainability of supply networks, including an exploration of the inherent cultural, ethical and environmental issues.
4. To reflect on contemporary topics of strategic supply chain management including sustainability and the triple bottom line; supply chain risk and resilience; outsourcing, offshoring, nearshoring and reshoring;  supplier relationship management; power relations in supply networks; and best practices in procurement management.

This module explores the key features of effective project management from a strategic perspective and develops an understanding of the theory, tools and techniques of project management.  It enables students to grasp the practical issues when working as a project manager or as a member of a project team.  The module is suitable both for students new to the field of project management, but also provides for self-development of more experienced project managers by way of personal reflection.

The learning involves mini-lectures, interactive group exercises, written and video-based case study analyses, critical analysis of practices, and personal reflection via interaction in class with module tutors.  The emphasis is on increasing students' awareness, competencies and skills when initiating, planning, organising, controlling and evaluating projects.  The following list provides indicative topic content for the module:

• The project management profession
• Project organisation and leadership
• Project objectives, definition and design
• Milestone planning and critical path analysis
• Resources management and project control
• Partnering and contracting relationships
• Managing international and development projects
• Managing project risk
• Project management bodies of knowledge and methodologies
• Project evaluation and appraisal
  • plus Strategic project management module review and reflection 

The purpose of this module is to develop participants' knowledge and awareness of project management practices from a strategic and critical perspective.  The aims are:

1. To introduce the principles and practice of project management.
2. To identify and critically examine the cultural, leadership and teamwork issues when managing projects.
3. To explore and analyse contemporary topics of strategic project management including risk, partnerships and subcontracting, managing complex international projects, project technologies and methodologies.

This module provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to formulate and implement successful business and operations strategies. Students will learn about the process of developing and implementing a business strategy and how this translates into effective strategies for operations by creating, improving and maintaining value within contemporary organisations.  Furthermore it will cover methods for measuring and analysing business performance. Case study analysis will form a focus for this module.

Topics forming the content include:

• The Strategic Management Process;
• Industry Sector Analysis;
• Measuring and Evaluating Financial Performance;
• Stakeholder Analysis;
• Cultural Analysis;
• Operations Strategy;
• Business Intelligence;
• Innovation, Research and Development in Products and Processes;
• Designing and Redesigning Processes;
• Implementing Business and Operations Strategy.

The purpose of this module is to develop students' knowledge and awareness of business strategy and functional operations strategies from both practical and critical perspectives. The aims are:

1. To introduce the principles underpinning the development and implementation of business strategies in organisations;

2. To define and demonstrate the use of models and frameworks for business strategy development, analysis and implementation;

3. To link business strategy and analysis with the development of appropriate operations strategies to create, improve and sustain value and competitiveness;

4. To explore process and product design from both strategic and operational perspectives.