Concept

Crucial in the program is the Logistics Management Project (LMP), a real-life project in which groups of students come to understand, analyze, and solve a logistics problem. All important aspects of Logistics are covered, for example supply chain management, transportation, warehousing, distribution, procurement and enterprising courses like finance, operations, cost and performance management.

This is possible because all theoretical courses are ingrained in some form or other within the LMP. As such students have the opportunity to put their acquired knowledge immediately into practice, and are able to experience its usefulness.

In Module 1, the students are ‘informed’ about logistics and enterprising by means of case studies, company visits, and testimonies. Success stories as well as failures are discussed. Students become acquainted with different fields of Logistics along with real- life logistics management and its problems. Each of the latter leads to a Logistics Management Project (LMP). This offers an opportunity to gain more insights on the LMP and its projected requirements in the second semester.

Objectives

• to explore through the introduction of real-life logistics situations
• to learn about the pitfalls and problems that any manager may encounter

Module 2 and Module 3 are closely linked to each other. In the former, students deal with the theory. While in the first semester it is more general; is the theory becomes more specific in the second semester, directly supporting the Logistics Management Project (Module 4). In the first semester, students also play a supply chain management game, which gives them a quick feel of real-life logistics management.

Theory is supported by exercises and practical cases in Module 3. The exercises are of such a nature that they are directly applicable to the Logistics Management Project. For instance, in the course ‘Warehouse and Distribution Management’ students elaborate on many related aspects like criteria for warehouse location choice, size and building layout; design and operation of warehouse activities; strategies that can be applied for designing distribution networks; organization of international transport and distribution activities.

Objectives

• to learn how to use the methods and concepts to manage and optimize a logistics business (supply chain management, inventory and demand management, transport and logistics information management…)
• to gain insights in the principles of Logistics Management in general
• to learn other business aspects of Logistics Management (financial management, manufacturing and operations management, cost and performance management…)

Module 4 is the Logistics Management Project itself. A number of teams works on different real-life logistics-related problems. Students apply the methods and concepts acquired in Module 2 and Module 3. For instance, one team may work on designing a new warehouse; a second on a specific operational problem within the warehouse, while a third team may be working on a complete supply chain problem (with manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, retailer, and customer).

Objectives

The aim of this module is to learn to put into practice the methods, concepts, and techniques that students acquired during the courses. The following subjects are elaborated upon:

• supply chain management in the real world
• demand forecasting and making long-term plans for a company
• designing and planning a distribution network
• setting up a new distribution center for a company
• designing a storage method for a number of products in a warehouse
• locating, designing, and managing a warehouse or a distribution center
• making a make-or-buy decision of product(s) for a company
• making a cost-benefit analysis of outsourcing for a company
• understanding the key role of transportation in the logistics business
• understanding the economic and information aspects of transportation

Module 5 is a reflection on the previous modules. Students submit a report and a presentation of their Logistics Management Project (LMP) to fellow students and the professors. Apart from their own project, students get to know a range of other LMPs, their issues and solutions. This will allow them to make a profound analysis on other management aspects of logistics apart from their own. The module is also supported by an overall assessment with each team doing one of the following:

• writing a short summary on one of their colleague’s presentations
• writing a short description of how their approach would be, if their fellow students’ project was given to them
• writing a short comment on their fellow students’ project results
• …

Objectives
Each company has to make a report about the chosen strategy and the results accomplished. This report is presented and defended in public.