Supply Chain management Master Class Series at CEU Business School

By providing top quality undergraduate and graduate education to students from across the globe, the school advances business and society through thought-provoking lectures, workshops and practical applications in action learning programs. Besides offering bachelor and master degrees in the field of business, the school offers a variety of executive education programs for all professional areas of business life such as HR, lobby and supply chain management.

Tom McDaniel, one of the well-known professors of the CEU Business School says that supply chain management should help managers find value in the form of cash from higher sales and lower costs and better products and services. This value usually lies there, but managers must be alert to find it.

How CEU Business School's Supply Chain Management program, differentiate itself from competitor's similar education?

T MD: As the Chinese say - Tell me, I will forget. Show me, I may remember. Involve me, I will understand. The class uses simulation to make it live and relies on instructors and participants experience and real company examples and cases to make it interactive.

What are the exact topics, which each stand-alone course offers?

TMD: We already had the Business Performance Management (BPM) or in other words Leveraging Organizational Processes module in May, which is designed to help companies improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency and effectiveness are defined as "improving the organizations revenue growth and/or profitability by enhancing core capabilities which deliver more for less to customers". This is achieved by systematically identifying, analyzing and implementing opportunities to improve business performance. The methodologies that will be delivered are based on Continuous Improvement, Total Quality Management and Six Sigma techniques which are widely recognized as best practices in many industries. Business Performance Management will be the first course offered in the series.

The other important stand-alone course will be on 18-20 September. It is called Lean Thinking (LT) for the Office or Shop Floor Environment. The objective of this module is to enable participants to understand specific customer driven processes that improve the organization's cost, quality, speed & flexibility. The module is designed to transfer the principles and techniques of the lean production methodology so that participants can apply them in their own organizations. The training will build on top of some basic elements of Total Quality Management, emphasizing the key elements of a pull-based system which uses specific techniques for developing the "demand driven" supply chain.

A key element of delivery will be a proprietary management simulation - the "Stickle Brick" game. The simulation is a role-play depicting various business scenarios, which aim to provide a "live" experience for participants (about 60% of the course). This is supplemented by cases studies, discussions, lectures on key topics, and various other media including exercises, and short films (about 40% of the course).

Last, but not least we need to mention the Managing the extended Supply Chain (SCM) module in November, which aims at delivering an overview of Supply Chain Management principles, tools and techniques for the purpose of helping companies' reduce supply chain related costs and improve customer service. The course will take a holistic view while simultaneously looking at methods, tools and techniques. The training will focus primarily on the interactions between suppliers and customers and how collaboration produces benefits for all partners in the chain. A variety of industry perspectives will be examined including Automotive, Consumer Business (retailers and producers), and the Fashion business.

A key element of delivery will be a proprietary management simulation - the "Beer Game". The simulation is a role-play depicting various business scenarios, which aim to provide a "live" experience for participants (about 60% of the course). This is supplemented by cases studies, discussions, lectures on key topics, and various other media including exercises and short films (about 40% of the course).

How do you see the balance between the incredibly rapid technical revolution, the growing unemployment and the business effectiveness? Is there a way to be productive, effective, yet human?

TMD: Business requires money just like people require food - but most of us don't live to eat - we eat to live (and certainly enjoy it!) the money side of business is like the food - it is needed and without it business would die. But almost all management theorists and practitioners alike pretty much agree that the fundamental driver of good business is people and their passion for something - and that something usually related to satisfying your customer - through better products, service, value, whatever - but that is a very fundamental human element which is ultimately the bedrock of business, and more importantly successful business

Who is the "ideal" candidate for the supply chain management curse?

TMD: The Supply Chain management Master Class Series is designed for professionals on a fast track career path and who have responsibility for, or involved in, projects to design or improve the delivery of the company's core products and services - ultimately providing value for customers and shareholders.

The modules will focus on key themes including:

- Leveraging six sigma quality management principles to identify and eliminate waste across all areas of the organization
- Structuring organizations to achieve customer visibility through implementation of "demand driven" processes
- Using flexibility, technology and customer & supplier collaboration for better connections across extended supply chain networks

Where and how can one apply for the program?

TMD: Applying to the program is very easy. You simply have to go to




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