Introduction
The purpose of this course is to provide a fundamental understanding of supply chain management (SCM) and its subject fields. SCM is how to secure effective and efficient flows of goods from point of origin (raw materials) to point of consumption (end user). The course covers areas like sourcing, inventory, forecasting, transport, and warehousing. Students learn how to evaluate customer value and design delivery service and how to analyze and evaluate total supply chain cost and the importance of a chain perspective. Supply chains compete against supply chains, and the course focus at the necessity in taking a holistic and cross-functional perspective. SCM is continuously growing in importance, as international sourcing is resulting in supply chains extending over several continents. Shipping is therefore becoming a natural part of many a supply chain. Shipping in this perspective means that vessels are a part of the process of taking products from point of origin to point of consumption, and provides an inherent tension of exploiting capacities and providing timely supplies.