Cranfield’s Supply Chain Management Programme is a transformative and rewarding learning experience, designed to inspire supply chain professionals from all sectors to innovate their operations and business practices.

We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution in the field of supply chain management. As we witness the innovative use of technology disrupting the traditional approach to supply chain strategy, it is imperative that industry professionals understand and leverage the new opportunities this can bring and the impact that supply chain management can have on business performance.

Supply Chain 4.0 is upon us, and businesses are seeking to leverage the possibilities of emerging technology breakthroughs. Robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, drones, people-less warehouses, 3D printing, and autonomous vehicles all have the potential to improve supply chain models and drive future business performance to greater levels.

These technologies are bringing some of the fundamentals of supply chain management into sharp focus. We are seeing supply chains transformed from a working capital cost efficiency centre into a genuine revenue making asset. Omni-channel technologies allow customers to buy in a number of ways and create an age of highly responsive customer value delivery.


Programme benefits

  1. World-renowned Cranfield Centre for Logistics & Supply Chain Management faculty members,
  2. Expert guest speakers from industry,
  3. Endorsed by The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport and awarded 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD),
  4. Explore the latest thinking in supply chain management, strategy, planning, and execution from a variety of sectors,
  5. Experience diverse ideas and issues from other participants from different industries and nationalities,
  6. Learn and understand all elements of supply chain management, how to apply the vision within your own organisation and how to develop and implement new strategies,
  7. Take time out of the business to create action plans for leveraging supply chains to enhance competitive advantage.

Programme information - Face-to-face

  • Dates
    • 18 - 22 Mar 2024
    • 16 - 20 Sep 2024
  • Duration5 days, residential
  • LocationCranfield campus
  • Cost£6,250 + VAT Concessions available


What you will learn

You will explore the very latest knowledge, tools, methods, strategies, and solutions to manage your supply chain in the Industry 4.0 digital era. By understanding and applying the latest thinking you will successfully leverage new technologies and manage the challenges thrusted upon the Supply Chain executive of the ever-changing supply chain landscape.

Taking advantage of Cranfield’s proud research-led heritage, the Supply Chain Management Programme offers a unique experience. You will learn from our renowned faculty, industry experts, and published academics at the forefront of thought leadership in the field of logistics. The programme has been running for over 20 years and is the only course of its type in Europe.

You will gain:

  • Understanding of ‘Industry 4.0 - The Digital Era’ and how to integrate transformative technology into your supply chain operations,
  • Awareness of how technology such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, robotics, and 3D printing are reshaping your supply chain,
  • Insight into global megatrends and their impact on supply chains,
  • Understanding of Supply Chain 4.0 opportunities and implications within an increasingly connected society,
  • Knowledge of how to map the supply chain, applying our time-based strategy approach to add value to your organisation,
  • Tools to optimise agile supply chain methods and increase resilience,
  • Smarter supply chain capabilities to compete in an evolving market,
  • Ability to improve customer satisfaction and maximise profit potential with inventory management, demand planning, and customer profitability analysis,
  • Strategic approaches to sustainable supply chain management.

Your organisation will gain:

  • Improved supply chain performance to deliver value to your business,
  • Better understanding of the elements vital for effective supply chain management,
  • Immediate business impact through the creation of an action plan that leverages your supply chain for competitive advantage,
  • Supply chain efficiency leading to improved financial performance,
  • The capability to deliver an innovative supply chain culture,
  • Improved ability to articulate the business vision to your external supply chain partners.

Core content

The programme will guide you through the key elements of supply chain leadership including planning, sourcing, making, delivering, and solving challenges that occur across supply chains.

Delivered by an award-winning faculty that produce internationally recognised research, the programme offers a comprehensive examination of modern supply chain structures, practices, and technology. You will take part in supply chain simulations that give you the opportunity to practice and rehearse your responses and make decisions based on knowledge gained from the programme.

By gaining a holistic view of your supply chain you will be able to strategically analyse your supply chain with greater confidence.

You will be able to better deal with its complexities, such as working simultaneously with both your customer and supplier to increase efficiency and performance. You will be able to connect with our faculty and peer network to support supply chain improvement projects for your own business. There are also other opportunities for you and your organisation to work with Cranfield in the future.

Programme details

In short, you gain a holistic view of your supply chain. You will be able to strategically analyse your supply chain with greater confidence and ability to better deal with its complexities such as working simultaneously with both your customer and supplier to increase efficiency and performance.

Furthermore, you'll be able to use our faculty and peer network to support a supply chain improvement project for your own business, directly benefiting from the cost savings that you yield.

As the number one business school for Supply Chain Management outside the USA for influence and innovation according to Gartner/SCM World 2016, at Cranfield we are confident that there is no other institution in the UK & Europe that knows more and does more to help boost the effectiveness of supply chains in the digital era.

The Supply Chain Management Programme will help you to:

  • Drive growth,
  • Increase business value,
  • Manage risk,
  • Boost collaboration across your supply chain,
  • Guide sustainability goals,
  • Address demand uncertainty,
  • Promote customer centricity.

Programme structure

Day one

  • Creating smarter supply chain capabilities to compete,
  • Optimising responsiveness and resilience through supply chain agility,
  • The importance of innovation through a collaborative supply chain,
  • How to overcome the challenges of supply chain implementation in practice.

Day two

  • Improving customer satisfaction and maximising profit: Matching supply and demand,
  • Strategic approaches to sustainable supply chain management,
  • Outsourcing your logistics within the supply chain management framework: Using third- and fourth-party service providers for improved operational efficiency,
  • Future supply chain challenges and issues.

Day three

  • Supply chain network design,
  • Performance measurement systems to boost the effectiveness of your supply chain,
  • Mapping the supply chain: Applying a time based strategy approach to add value to your organisation,
  • The importance of strategic procurement and current challenges.

Day four

  • The power and importance of customer profitability analysis,
  • Warehousing for the 21st century,
  • Global supply chain management simulation: Effectively building profitable networks,
  • Networking Dinner in the evening.

Day five

  • Supply chains and ‘Industry 4.0’,
  • Global sourcing and supply chain management simulation de-brief,
  • Personalised company mini project: Solving a key supply chain problem with support from world-leading faculty and industry peers.

Who should attend

  • Middle management with direct supply chain responsibility
  • Executives managing supply chain integration
  • Supply chain professionals seeking to update their industry expertise.

Accreditation

The Supply Chain Management Programme from Cranfield University School of Management has been endorsed by The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport and has been awarded 30 hours' Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Accreds

Programme Directors

Professor Emel Aktas
Professor Emel Aktas is a Professor of Supply Chain Analytics at Cranfield University Centre for Logistics, Procurement, and Supply Chain Management. She conducts applied research supporting strategic and operational supply chain decisions using predictive and prescriptive analytics. Her work on improving decision-making in the transport, retail, and manufacturing sectors appeared in academic and practitioner journals.

Dr Abhijeet Ghadge
Dr Abhi Ghadge is an Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at Cranfield School of Management. Previously, Dr Ghadge worked as Assistant Professor and Programme Director of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. He has over 16 years of industrial, academic and consulting experience working with a wide range of UK, European and Asian organisations.

Key contributors

Sean Culey
Professor Alan Waller OBE
Professor Aris Matopoulos

Concessions

20% discount (tuition fee only) for Cranfield School of Management Alumni who have attended one of our eligible leadership programmes.

Accommodation and Location



How to apply

Next steps

Our team of executive development experts will be happy to talk to you about your development needs, please email us or call +44 (0)1234 754500.

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This course is provided by Cranfield Management Development Ltd a wholly owned subsidiary of Cranfield University