Survey of graduate supply chain courses: content, coverage and gaps

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to provide the results of a survey of courses dedicated to the field of supply chain management in higher education. This research is unique because it represents the first large-scale study of graduate supply chain management courses taught at universities globally. Design/methodology/approachContent analysis was performed on each syllabus to identify the actual course content: requirements, pedagogy and content emphasis. This aggregated information was used to compare historical research findings in this area, with the current skills identified as important for career success. This data provides input for a gap analysis between offerings in higher education and those needs identified by practitioners. FindingsData gathering efforts yielded a sample of 112 graduate courses representing 61 schools across the world. The aggregate number of topics covered in graduate courses totaled 114. The primary evaluation techniques include exams, projects and homework. Details regarding content and assessment techniques are provided along with a gap analysis between the supply chain management course content and the needs identified by APICS Supply Chain Manager Competency Model (2014). Originality/valueThe goal is to use this data as a means of continuous improvement in the quality and value of the educational experience on a longitudinal basis. The findings are designed to foster information sharing and provide data for benchmarking efforts in the development of supply chain management courses and curricula in academia, as well as training, development and recruitment efforts by professionals in the field of supply chain management.

Logistics and Supply Chain Superpowers and Skills for Survival in the “New Normal” Globalized World

“…As Boyle (2021) has put it nicely “the 21st century should be about supply chains.” To feel the pulse of this generation, over the period of two years, we engaged with the students in our programs—both at Kuehne Logistics University (KLU) in Germany and at the University of Sydney Business School in Australia—to reveal what they think about the future of the industry that they have devoted their studies to. Building on Lutz, Birou, and Walden (2022), a key motivation for writing this article (via interviewing globally recognized academics and senior managers in their respective LSCM fields) was some of our students asking during our lectures whether we think that this industry has a future at all. Clearly, those students were concerned about the return on investment of their tuition fees and time investment in studying a LSCM degree.…”

Future-Proofing Supply Chain Education

“…Here are only a few examples. There is a fair amount of study of curriculum content (Birou, Lutz, and Walden 2021; Lutz, Birou, and Walden 2021), which is helpful to inform course content coverage decision‐making. And there is work that focuses more on teaching techniques such as collaborative learning (Zsidisin, Hartley, and Collins 2013), guest lectures (van Hoek, Godsell, and Harrison 2011), and industry projects (Bak and Boulocher‐Passet 2013; van Hoek and Lebigot 2023).…”

Educational innovation in supply chain management and logistics for active learning in Latin America

“…In the literature on educational innovation in SCM&L, several authors recognize the importance of creating suitable curricula, updating disciplinary content, and developing instrumental teaching materials (Johnson and Pike, 2009;Lutz, Birou and Walden, 2022). These efforts are traditionally oriented towards knowledge provision, focusing on answering the question of what to learn in the discipline.…”