The course will introduce the participants to the field of supply chain design, which can be considered as resting on three pillars: human-centeredness, systems thinking and design thinking. These three premises will be integrated in a supply chain design framework, which will be applied to the design of health supply systems. The major learning point will be that supply chains themselves are part of a larger eco-system, of which the goal is realized through well-designed supply chains.

This will boil down into three sessions:

1. Supply chain design as a concept

A framework for supply chain design is developed along five steps, including (1) stakeholder analysis and system definition; (2) key performance indicators; (3) modeling and scenario generation; (4) scenario ranking and (5) implementation. We will introduce the systems view and pay attention to sustainability and the last mile, illustrated by health supply chain design examples.   

1. Supply chain design basics

Kicking-off at the supply chain objectives, the basic dimensions of supply chains are unraveled through flow theory principles. We connect lead-time, inventories and throughput as key performance measures with the constituting building blocks of resources, flows and time. The latter give rise to three fundamental buffers, namely safety stock, safety capacity and safety time. The performance metrics, the fundamental buffers and the supply chain characteristics are connected through supply chain models. 

1. Supply chain design flow theory

Based on the analysis of lead time as a performance metric, we develop the basic laws from flow theory applied to supply chain design and supply chain management. We focus on three key determinants: utilization, stochasticity and variability.

12/06/2023 09-13.00 in person
13/06/2023 09-13.00 in person
14/06/2023 09-13.00 in person

Full presence is expected on the above mentioned dates.

• Research report written by groups of 3. Each group of students should submit a paper (about 25 pages including references) providing a detailed report within 4 weeks after the seminar on an application of aspects learned in the sessions onto a chosen supply chain design setting. This setting should defined and agreed within one week after the seminar.

SCM Grading Scale

• Excellent (1): 90% - 100%
• Good (2): 80% - <90%
• Satisfactory (3): 70% - <80%
• Sufficient (4): 60% - <70%
• Fail (5): <60%

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 Specific reading

Respective background readings for each session:

1. Supply chain design as a concept

• C. Decouttere, N. Vandaele, S. Lemmens and M. Bernuzzi, ‘The Vaccine Supply Chain Multathlon: the Reconciliation of Technology, Economy and Access to Medicines’, Advances in Humanitarian Operations, C. Zobel, N. Altay and M. Haselkorn, Springer (ISBN 978-3-319-24418-1), 205-227, 2016.
• Lemmens S., Decouttere C., Vandaele N. and Bernuzzi M., ‘Integrated supply chain network design models for vaccines: a literature review’, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 2016, Vol. 109, 366-384.
• N. Vandaele and Decouttere C., ‘Sustainable R&D Portfolio Management’, Decision Support Systems, 2012, 54(4), 1521-1532

1. Supply chain design basics

• Van Nieuwenhuyse I., De Boeck L., Lambrecht M. and Vandaele N., ‘Advanced resource planning as a decision support module for ERP’, Computers in Industry, 2011, 62, 1-8. 

1. Supply chain design flow theory (reference books)

• Factory Physics, Hopp & Spearman, 2000, isbn 0-256-24795-1, Mc Graw Hill.
• Quick Response Manufacturing, Suri, 1999, Productivity Press.