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2025/2026  BA-BINBO1329U  Supply Chain Risk Management

English Title
Supply Chain Risk Management

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Autumn, First Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Global Relations
Course coordinator
  • Liping Jiang - Department of Operations Management (OM)
Main academic disciplines
  • Supply chain management and logistics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 20-05-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
At the end of the course, the individual student is able to:
  • Identify and analyze the key the sources of complexity and vulnerability in global supply chains;
  • Apply risk identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring tools to global supply chain scenarios;
  • Integrate theoretical frameworks from supply chain management, risk management, and organizational resilience to analyze real-world cases;
  • Develop and justify risk-informed managerial decisions in complex supply chain contexts;
  • Evaluate supply chain risks related to social and environmental issues;
  • Analyze and improve business processes to enhance supply chain risk management.
Examination
Supply Chain Risk Management:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Written sit-in exam on CBS' computers
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 4 hours
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Autumn and Autumn
Aids Limited aids, see the list below:
The student is allowed to bring
  • Any calculator
  • Language dictionaries in paper format
The student will have access to
  • Advanced IT application package
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
The number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination may warrant that it most appropriately be held as an oral examination. The programme office will inform the students if the make-up examination/re-take examination instead is held as an oral examination including a second examiner or external examiner.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

It has been argued that in today’s world of increasing volatility, “the days of static supply chain strategies are over” (Simchi-Levi & Fine, 2010), and that we must learn to manage “supply chains in the era of turbulence” (Christopher & Holweg, 2011). Disruptive events such as the 2008 financial crisis, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the 2013 Rana Plaza accident, the horsemeat scandal, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia–Ukraine war, have made it clear that organizations are increasingly exposed to risks beyond their immediate control. The Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, highlighted the systemic fragility and ripple effects across global supply networks (Sheffi, 2021), while recent literature points to the growing importance of resilience and sustainability-driven risks in managing complex supply chains. These developments underscore that traditional supply chain management must evolve to incorporate risk considerations, just as traditional risk management must expand to embrace a supply chain-wide perspective. This convergence forms the basis of Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM), defined as “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 and ensuring continuity” (Wieland & Wallenburg, 2012; Wieland, 2021).

 

Building on knowledge from other courses on operations and supply chain management, this course covers:

 

  1. The processes and stages of SCRM – from risk identification to mitigation and monitoring.
  2. Types of supply chain risks and disruption, viewed through theoretical lenses.
  3. Quantitative and qualitative tools for risk assessment and decision-making under uncertainty.
  4. Emerging risk issues related to sustainability and resilience.

 

Through interactive lectures, group discussions, and case-based learning, students will acquire the ability to evaluate, design, and apply risk management strategies in complex, dynamic supply chain environments.
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Teacher’s own research
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
Description of the teaching methods
The lecturers will highlight important issues of SCRM in the classroom. The students will read and discuss relevant academic literature. Hereby, hands-on exercises, teaching videos, group discussions and case studies will improve the learning experience. Examples are given in the global supply chain context throughout.
Feedback during the teaching period
Students will receive feedback continuously through the course on their hands-on exercises, case discussions and group presentation. Teachers will also be available during office hours to give feedback or answer questions from students.
Student workload
lecture 42 hours
preparation 164 hours
exam 37 hours
Expected literature

The following is a tentative list of readings. The final reading list can be found in Canvas two weeks before the course starts.  

Mandatory Literature

  • Baz, J., and Ruel, S. 2021. Can Supply Chain Risk Management Practice Mitigate the Disrutpion Impacts on Supply Chains’ resilience and robustness? Evidence from an empirical survey in a Covid-19 outbreak era. International Journal of Production Economics, 233, pp. 107972.
  • Ivanov,D. and Dolgui, A. 2021. OR-methods for coping with the ripple effect in supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic: Managerial insights and research implications. International Journal of Production Economics, 232, pp.107921.
  • 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.
  • 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

  • Sheffi, Y., 2021. Enduring lessons from the COVID 19 pandemic. Supply Chain Management Review, pp.6-7.
  • 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.

 

 

 

 
Last updated on 20-05-2025