• analyse the elements of complex and dynamic supply chains,
• apply risk management approaches to global supply chains,
• integrate theoretical knowledge on risk management, supply chain management and resilience,
• apply integrated theoretical knowledge in a managerial context,
• evaluate supply chain risks related to social and environmental issues, and
• analyse business processes in supply chain risk management.

It has been argued that with the increasing level of volatility, “the days of static supply chain strategies are over” (Simchi-Levi & Fine, 2010) and that we need to manage “supply chains in the era of turbulence” (Christopher & Holweg, 2011). Indeed, the 2008 financial crisis, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, the 2013 Rana Plaza accident and the 2013 horsemeat scandal demonstrate that organizations are exposed to risks outside their own boundaries. Thus, traditional supply chain management needs to be expanded by integrating the notion of risk, and traditional risk management needs to be expanded by taking a supply chain view. This leads to supply chain risk management (SCRM), i.e., “the implementation of strategies to manage both everyday and exceptional risks along the supply chain based on continuous risk assessment with the objective of reducing vulnerability andensuring continuity” (Wieland & Wallenburg, 2012).

Building on knowledge from other courses on operations and supply chain management (namely “Operations & Logistics Management” and “Logistics Clusters”), this course covers the relevant processes of SCRM. It discusses phenomena related to supply chain risk from different theoretical perspectives. Based on interactive discussions and case studies, the participants will learn how to apply such knowledge in a managerial context.

Mandatory Literature

• Christopher, M., Holweg, M. 2011. “Supply Chain 2.0”: Managing Supply Chains in the Era of Turbulence. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 41 (1), 63–82.

• Davenport, T.H., Short, J.E. 1990. The New Industrial Engineering: Information Technology and Business Process Redesign. MIT Sloan Management Review, July 15, 1990.

• Fisher, M.L. 1997. What is the Right Supply Chain for your Product? Harvard Business Review, 75 (2), 105–116.

• Lee, H.L., Padmanabhan, V., Whang, S. 1997. Information Distortion in a Supply Chain: The Bullwhip Effect. Management Science, 43 (4), 546–558.

• Mentzer, J.T., DeWitt, W., Keebler, J.S., Min, S., Nix, N.W., Smith, C.D., Zacharia, Z.G., 2001. Defining Supply Chain Management. Journal of Business Logistics, 22 (2), 1–25.

• Montabon, F., Pagell, M. and Wu, Z. (2016), Making Sustainability Sustainable. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 52, 11-27.

Additional Literature

• Chopra, S. & Sodhi, M.S. (2014): Reducing the Risk of Supply Chain Disruptions. MIT Sloan Management Review, spring 2014.
• Lee, H.L., Padmanabhan, V. & Whang, S. (2004): Information Distortion in a Supply Chain: The Bullwhip Effect. Management Science, Vol. 50, No. 12, pp. 1875–1886.
• Simchi-Levi, D., Schmidt, W. & Wei, Y. (2014): From Superstorms to Factory Fires: Managing Unpredictable Supply-Chain Disruptions. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 92, No. 1/2, pp. 96–101.
• Wieland, A. & Wallenburg, C.M. (2012): Dealing with Supply Chain Risks: Linking Risk Management Practices and Strategies to Performance. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 887–905.
• Wieland, A. & Wallenburg, C.M. (2013): The Influence of Relational Competencies on Supply Chain Resilience: A Relational View. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 300–320.