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2026/2027  DIP-DSCHO1008U  The Digital Supply Chain

English Title
The Digital Supply Chain

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Graduate Diploma
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Summer
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Max. participants 70
Study board
Study Board for Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (part 2)
Programme Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
Course coordinator
  • Günter Prockl - Department of Digitalisation (DIGI)
Study administration for HD SCM: HDSCM@cbs.dk
Main academic disciplines
  • Information technology
  • Supply chain management and logistics
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 15-04-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
Classic supply chain models have been around for decades, and IT systems have always been a factor and key enabler in their continued evolution. The course's major intention is to equip students with a sound understanding of the involvement of digital technologies within the field of supply chain management and logistics services and the application of related skills and instruments for their evaluation. The course will provide knowledge about:
- Processes involved in planning, developing, and realizing new business models in supply chain and logistics.
- The disruptive impact of new IT technologies related to the digital transformation of supply chains.
- IT applications for logistics services within a global supply chain.

The goals of this course in relation to what the students will achieve on completion are that:
  • Students can analyze supply chains from an IT perspective;
  • Students will be able to observe the digital evolution of supply chains;
  • Students can distinguish the roles of different actors within the related service ecosystems.
  • Students will be able to observe and compare the traditional business models with the new ones from a supply chain and logistics perspective.
  • The students acquire necessary skills for the ability to assess and criticize key practices of how IT and new business models can support a sustainable supply chain and logistics processes.
  • The students acquire necessary skills for the ability to manage Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) based development of supply chains.
Examination
The Digital Supply Chain:
Exam ECTS 5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer and Spring, For information relating to the exam please go to: https://eksamen.cbs.dk/ (Digital Exam)

Hand-in the written home assignment: TBA
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
For Information relating to the exam please go to: https://eksamen.cbs.dk/(Digital Exa)
Retake exam date:
Hand in the written home assignment: TBA

- If an individual student fails the exam, he/she will receive feedback from the supervisor before submitting a revised exam paper for the re-exam.
Description of the exam procedure

Students will be presenting a maximum of 10-page individual written assignment. The topic of this assignment will be the assessment of a potential business model or a more specific business case related to an innovative digital application in supply chain and logistics. Students will decide on a hypothetical or a real case analyzing the effects and implications on supply chain and logistics. Students are expected to apply instruments learned in the course to show the impact of these new IT and business models on the supply chain.
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The course consists of 24 lessons in total (5 ECTS) Lectures (internal/external), classroom dialogue, case studies, group work, and presentations. The course may use external lecturers and field experts in order to make the teaching activities as exciting and eventful as possible. Information technology will be used to substantiate the teaching activities, and an international perspective is added.
 

The course starts with a generel introduction into the context of digital supply chains and related instruments for digital technology assessments, 

The succeeding lessons are then divided into two main parts. In the first section, students will be presented a specific technology that is potentially changing the supply chain and logistics processes.
 

In the second section, students will discuss the potential of the technology and learn to work with appropriate instruments and models to assess the impact of the technologies on supply chains. 

 

Lessons will also be supported by cases and corporate presentations to show actual implementations of the technologies presented throughout the course.

 
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
  • Teacher’s own research
  • Models
Research-like activities
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The teaching format is a combination of on-campus and online.
All teaching will be recorded.

The students are expected to be prepared in advance to each class session by reading the course materials which may include online materials, videos, and business cases.
Feedback during the teaching period
Office hours for feedback
Hands-on-excercises with direct feedback in class
Blended learning elements providing feedback
Lesson dedicated to feedback
Student workload
Teaching 24 hours
Preparation of lectures, readings, synopsis and exam 114 hours
Further Information

The course consists of a total of 24 lessons (5 ECTS).

For more infomation relating to the course, please go to: canvas.cbs.dk 

Materials will be avaiable closer to course start.

Teaching:
The schedule follows the 2026 pattern; 2027 schedule to be confirmed later this year:

Online: Tuesday in week 10 (17.10-1945)

Online: Wednesday in weeks 9,11,12, 13, 15 (17.10-19.45)

On-campus: Saturday in week 13 (09.50 -16.05)

 

Contact
Course Coordinator: Günter Prockl - Department of Digitalization


Teacher: Günter Prockl gp.digi@cbs.dk

Programme Administrator; Pernille Nielsen pen.om@cbs.dk
 
Expected literature

Arunachalam, D.; Kumar, N.; Kawalek, J.: Understanding big data analytics capabilities in supply chain management: Unravelling the issues, challenges and implications for practice, in: Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 114(2018), p. 416-436. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1016/​j.tre.2017.04.001

Hannah, D.; Eisenhardt, K.: How firms navigate cooperation and competition in nascent ecosystems, in: Strategic Management Journal. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2750

Hartley, J., Sawaya, W.: Tortoise, not the hare: Digital transformation of supply chain business processes, in: Business Horizons, 62(2019), 707-715. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1016/​j.bushor.2019.07.006

Ittmann, Hans W.. The impact of big data and business analytics on supply chain management. Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management, may 2015. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.4102/​jtscm.v9i1.165.

Jonsson, Patrik; Kjellsdotter, Linea; Rudberg, Martin: Applying advanced planning systems for supply chain planning: three case studies, in: International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 37(2007)10, 816-834.

Jensen, T.; Prockl, G. (2021), Governing for transparency - The case of TradeLens - How and why new digital blockchain technology will impact business in the container shipping industry, 29th Conference of the International Association of Maritime Economists, Rotterdam 2021.

Johnson, Mark; Christiansen, Clayton; Kagermann, Henning: Reinventing your Business Model. Harvard Business Review, 86(2008)12, pp. 50-59.

Osterwalder, Alexander; Pigneur, Yves; Tucci, Christopher: Clarifying Business Models: Origins, Present, and Future of the Concept, in: Communications of AIS, Volume 15 2005, 1-25.

Oehlschlaeger, D. et al. (2024), Acceptance of digital twins of customer demands for supply chain optimisation: an analysis of three hierarchical digital twin levels, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 124, No. 3, 1050-1075.DOI 10.1108/​IMDS-07-2023-0467. http:/​/​doi.org/​10.1108/​IMDS-07-2023-0467

Papert, M.; Pflaum, A: Development of an Ecosystem Model for the Realization of Internet of Things (IoT) Services in Supply Chain Management, in: Electronic Markets, 27(2017)2, 175-189. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1007/​s12525-017-0251-8

Porter, Michael; Heppelmann, J., How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition, Harvard Business Review, 92(2015)11, 64-88.

Prockl, G.; Pflaum, A.; Papert, M.: Exploiting Supply Chain Visibility - Propositions Regarding Value Creation, Delivery and Capturing, in: Proceedings of the 34st NOFOMA, annual conference, Rejkjavik, June 2022. Full Paper Id 101.

Prockl, G.; Roeck, D.; Jensen, T.; Mazumdara, S.; Mukkamala, R.: Beyond Task-technology Fit: Exploring Network Value of Blockchain Technology Based on Two Supply Chain Cases, in: Proceedings of the 55th HICSS Conference. Hawaii, 2022.

Prockl, G. et al. (2025), Supply Chain & Digital Twins - Mature Enough?, Proceedings of the 58th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences | 2025.

Sanders, Nada; Swink, Morgan: DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN TRANSFORMATION: VISUALIZING THE POSSIBILITIES, in: Supply Chain Management Review,  Jan2019, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p 30-41 http:/​/​esc-web.lib.cbs.dk/​login?url=https:/​/​search.ebscohost.com/​login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=134295272&login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site

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

Sternberg, H.; Denizel, DM.: Toward the Physical Internet—Logistics Service Modularity and Design Implications, Journal of Business Logistics. March 2021, Vol. 42 Issue 1, p144-166. 23p, https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1111/​jbl.12261

Van Alstyne, Marshall; Parker, Geoffrey: Digital Transformation Changes How Companies Create Value, in: Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, p1-7.

 
Last updated on 15-04-2026