Course Description

Welcome to "Supply Chain Systems Planning and Network Design," an innovative course offered by the prestigious MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL). This intermediate-level course is designed to equip you with the essential skills and knowledge needed to excel in the dynamic field of supply chain management.

In today's competitive business landscape, effective supply chain design is crucial for organizational success. This course delves deep into the strategic decisions that shape supply chain configurations, sourcing strategies, and customer service approaches. You'll explore how these choices impact customer satisfaction, operational costs, and environmental performance, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate balance required for long-term success.

What Students Will Learn

• Identify and address key challenges in contemporary supply chain management
• Understand the most common decisions and trade-offs in Supply Chain Systems Planning and Network Design
• Master a range of analytical tools and techniques for informed decision-making
• Translate real-life business problems into formal mathematical models
• Apply advanced Supply Chain Network Design models to case studies
• Interpret results and provide actionable recommendations
• Develop practical skills in Python programming for supply chain analysis
• Gain hands-on experience with interactive visualization tools from MIT CTL's CAVE Lab

Prerequisites

• Basic concepts of Supply Chain Management
• Intermediate-level understanding of business and logistics principles
• No prior knowledge of Python is required, as the course provides a comprehensive introduction

Course Coverage

• Introduction to Supply Chain Network Design and Python basics
• Network models, including transportation, transshipment, and facility location problems
• Multi-product considerations and generalized costs and capacities
• Revenue incorporation in supply chain design
• Inventory considerations and policies
• Multiple objective optimization in supply chain design
• Real-world applications and case studies
• Interactive visualization tools for practical learning

Target Audience

This course is ideal for:

• Supply chain professionals looking to enhance their strategic decision-making skills
• Business analysts seeking to specialize in supply chain optimization
• Managers involved in logistics and operations planning
• Students pursuing careers in supply chain management or operations research
• Entrepreneurs looking to optimize their business operations
• Anyone interested in learning how to leverage data and analytics for supply chain improvement

Real-World Applications

The skills acquired in this course have immediate real-world applications. Graduates will be able to:

• Design more efficient and cost-effective supply chain networks
• Optimize facility locations and transportation routes
• Balance competing objectives such as cost, service level, and environmental impact
• Make data-driven decisions for sourcing and distribution strategies
• Improve inventory management across complex supply chains
• Analyze and solve real-world supply chain challenges using Python
• Communicate complex supply chain concepts through data visualization
• Contribute to strategic planning and decision-making in their organizations

Syllabus

• Week 1: Introduction to Supply Chain Network Design and Basics of Python
• Week 2: Basics of Supply Chain Network Design
• Week 3: Generalized Supply Chain Network Design problem and incorporating revenue
• Week 4: Inventory considerations in Supply Chain Network Design
• Week 5: Multiple objectives in Supply Chain Network Design

Each week covers specific topics and builds upon the previous week's knowledge, culminating in a comprehensive understanding of supply chain systems planning and network design.