Applied Logistics and Supply Chain Management University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Overview

Topics include systems theory, value chain development, lean thinking, inventory and scheduling, decision trees, and the financial management of SCM operations. Students will explore supply chain environment dynamics, strategic alignment, and the integration of logistics within broader organisational goals.

Through practical applications, students will construct value chains, evaluate logistics assets, and apply lean tools to identify and reduce waste. Ideal for supply chain analysts, logistics coordinators, and operations managers, this course provides the tools to design efficient, cost-effective supply chains that support competitive business strategy.

Outcomes

By the end of the Applied Logistics and Supply Chain Management course at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, the student should be able to: 

• describe the importance of a supply chain environment to an organisation.
• explain the impact of supply chain environment events on the evolution of the supply chain. 
• construct a casual loop, using supply chain environment role players.
• evaluate whether an organisation has acquired the correct supply chain management and logistics assets to support strategic implementation. 
• develop a value chain for a selected organisation, showing current integration between the primary and secondary activities used to create value for the organisation. 
• demonstrate the appropriate use of relevant tools and techniques in logistics and supply chain management
• apply lean thinking principles, practices, tools, and techniques to the value chain in order to identify the seven wastes
• develop an optimised value chain, using a lean thinking gap and cost benefit analysis.
• apply management principles to a logistics and supply chain environment.
• apply financial management techniques to logistics and supply chain management.