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2021/2022  KAN-CCMVV4055U  Fulfilment Challenges for Global Online Marketplaces - Putting Supply Chains into Motion

English Title
Fulfilment Challenges for Global Online Marketplaces - Putting Supply Chains into Motion

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Günter Prockl - Department of Digitalisation
Main academic disciplines
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Supply chain management and logistics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 09-03-2021

Relevant links

Learning objectives
The objectives in relation to what students achieve on completion are that students:
  • understand key challenges of fulfillment operations in global online supply chains
  • know key elements of fulfillment models of key players in the global online business
  • understand structures, key functions and processes in global and local modes of distribution
  • can analyze roles of key players within such service supply chains and can identify limitations and key business challenges
  • can compose and compare generic fulfillment models for online market places
  • apply concepts and theories to answer specific questions about potentials of innovative fulfillment concepts applied
Examination
Fulfilment Challenges for Global Online Marketplaces - Putting Supply Chains into Motion:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 15 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
* if the student fails the ordinary exam the course coordinator chooses whether the student will have to hand in a revised product for the re- take or a new project.
Description of the exam procedure

For the examination a graded individual written assignment is proposed. Students investigate a case of an (existing or hypothetic start-up) online market place and analyse the key elements of the respective fulfilment model.

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The physical fulfillment is next to branding and assortment or the technical realization of platforms and web presence another crucial element of online market places and related service propositions. However, these specific challenges of online fulfillment and supply chain operations for online marketplaces are frequently underestimated and have already caused numerous, sometimes spectacular, failures in the short history of ecommerce.

Embedded within the broader context of supply chain management and logistics services, the course tries to narrow in particular this gap. The course focuses on specific challenges regarding physical fulfillment and deals with relevant structures, functions and processes as well as strategies and business models of central actors in the relevant fulfillment systems.

The course is based on a combination of theoretical approaches with industry facts to illustrate developments and key management challenges in a more applied context and will be structured into three major blocks.

The first block deals with operational challenges of global fulfilment in a more comprehensive view of the global supply chain. This contains also theoretical frames and pointed references to relevant “legal frames” of operations.

In a second block building blocks of fulfilment models for market places are presented (“big picture”) and detailed into relevant functional aspects of global fulfilment. Next to inventory and warehouse management this refers in particular to actors, networks and processes regarding global modes of logistics services, such as maritime and air freight but also to more local modes and the last mile delivery. In this context some innovative technologies such as (drones, UAV) may be part of the analysis.

In the final third block the view returns to more comprehensive supply chain management and refers to specific fulfillment challenges in specific environments such as e.g. City logistics or a rural supply chain.

Description of the teaching methods
Teaching is based on lectures and in class discussions that deliver basic knowledge on problems and context of fulfillment operations for global market places and related supply chain management. Lectures and discussions are supported with cases and real life examples for better illustration of the problem settings. Guest lecturers may be involved for better illustrating the problem detail and the specific context of real life environments. Additionally in class assignments are applied for deepening students understanding of fundamental approaches and the development of thoughts and arguments in a comprehensive way.
Feedback during the teaching period
Throughout the course and as part of the hands-on workshops and case studies within class. Students are also asked to investigate a business model for further hands on investigation in their exam paper. The selected topic will be presented either in class or individually to the course instructor during the office hours. Students may then receive individual or in-class feedback on their selected problem and how it potentially links to the approach, instruments and other contents as discussed in the course lectures. For individual feedback timeslots are set in the office hours. The slots are distributed by the teacher and it is optional for the students to use the offer.
Student workload
Lectures and hands-on sessions 33 hours
Preparation of lectures (incl. reading) 66 hours
Exam preparation and exam 107 hours
Expected literature

Tentative List of Literature:

 

John Manners-Bell: Global Logistics Strategies - Delivering the Goods, Kogan 2014.

 

Baker, Peter  (2007), An exploratory framework of the role of inventory and warehousing in international supply chains, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 18, No. 1, 64-80.

Clausen, U. et al.  (2016), Hands-on testing of last mile concepts, Transportation Research Procedia, Vol. 14, 1533-1542.

Dablanc, Laetitia  (2007), Goods transport in large European cities: Difficult to organize, difficult to modernize, Transportation Research Part A, Vol. 41, 180-285.

Gadhia, H.; Kotzab, H.; Prockl, G. (2011), Levels of internationalization in the container shipping industry: an assessment of the port networks of the large container shipping companies, Journal of Transport Geography, Vol. 19 , 1431-1442.

Ghezzi, A. et al.  (2012), Shaping the E-Commerce Logistics Strategy: a Decision Framework, International Journal of Engineering Business Management, Vol. 4, 1-13.

Morganti, E. et al.  (2014), Final deliveries for online shopping: The deployment of pickup point networks in urban and suburban areas, Research in Transportation Business & Management, Vol. 11, 23-31.

Park, N. et al.  (2015), Korean Air Cargo: Strategic Challenges in an Evolving Environment, Asian Case Research Journal, Vol. 19, No. 1, 127-154.

Prockl, Günter  (2015), Missing Boxes in Central Europe, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, https:/​/​www.thecasecentre.org/​main/​products/​view?id=128999.

Prockl, Günter et al.  (2012), 3PL factories or lernstatts? Value-creation models for 3PL service providers, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 42, No. 6, 544-561.

Prockl, Günter et al. (2020), Rural supply chain management: A multidimensional framework for future research in Europe, in: International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2020.

Quak, H. J.;  de Koster, Rene  (2009), Delivering Goods in Urban Areas: How to Deal with Urban Policy Restrictions and the Environment, Transportation Science, Vol. 43, No. 2, 211-227.

Schramm, H.; Prockl, G.; Kolar, P.  (2017), About Claims and Realities of Digitization in Current Maritime Transportation Chains, IAME 2017 CONFERENCE | KYOTO, JAPAN; Paper ID 228; June 27-30, Kyoto, Japan.

Sparkman, David  (2017), Logistics in the Time of E-Commerce: Warehouse operators and parcel delivery companies are the big winners in an Internet-driven economy., Material Handling & Logistics, Vol. 72, No. 6, 14-18.

Xing, Y. et al.  (2011), The interface between retailers and logistics service providers in the online market, European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 46, No. 3, 334-357.

Yu, Y. et al.  (2017), E-Commerce logistics in supply chain management - Implementations and future perspective in furniture industry, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 117, No. 10, 2263-2286.

Last updated on 09-03-2021