Whitman School hosts first Supply Chain Executive Forum

Whitman School hosts first Supply Chain Executive ForumAugust 25, 2005Carol K. Masiclatclkim@syr.edu

The department of Supply Chain Management, in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, has announced plans for its first-ever Supply Chain Executive Forum, a 10-week course to take place Sept. 14-Nov. 16. Conducted on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Whitman school’s building, the sessions will address 20 industry-related topics, two each night, allowing participants to learn about the latest developments and cutting-edge applications being used in the field today.

Supply chain management is the handling and control of all materials, funds and related information in the logistics process from the acquisition of raw materials to the delivery of finished products to the end user. Because supply chain managers often hold the key to corporate profitability, economists and employers single out supply chain management for its strong growth potential. U.S. News & World Report has identified it as one of the 20 hottest job tracks of the new century.

Professors from the Whitman School will serve as instructors for the forum. Patrick Penfield, one of the instructors, encourages both executives and those with an interest in learning about supply chain to participate. “We have developed a very useful series of sessions on wide-reaching topics relevant to the field,” says Penfield. “The classes will benefit all that attend.”

Over the course of 10 weeks, the forum will cover following topics such as:Financial Metrics in the Supply Chain Process; World Class Distribution Practices; Strategic Outsourcing; Online Auctions; Six Sigma; Doing Business in China from a Supply Chain Perspective; Reverse Logistics; Lean Manufacturing and Squeezing Costs out of the Supply Chain.

The cost of attending the forum is $2,500, which includes dinner served at each session. Group discounts are available. Upon completion, each participant will receive a Syracuse University Executive Education Certificate (CEU credits awarded). The registration deadline is Sept. 9. For more information or to register, contact Penfield at 443-3428 or pcpenfie@syr.edu.

The Supply Chain Management program at SU is the oldest in the country. When SU founded the College of Business in 1919, it offered a specialization in traffic and transportation. The curriculum consisted of three courses: railroad transportation, water transportation and traffic management. Today, the Whitman School offers degree programs in supply chain management at undergraduate and graduate levels. These programs are interdisciplinary, involving faculty from the marketing department and the management information and decision sciences department. Topics covered include: demand management, inventory control, risk sharing, supply chain planning, buyer-seller alliances, information flows, transportation, production management, and business-to-business marketing in a global setting. Each program emphasizes information technology throughout the curriculum.