Strategy and Sustainability: Supply Chain Q&A

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[Dr Kamalavelu] - So our supply chain program, the first thing is that it's been accredited by the professional body, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. So this is an accredited master's program, where in addition to the UCLan logo in your certificates, you have the CILT logo as well. And the modules are very unique and very niche modules in our program.

We have the international business and finance module, which really talks about the globalization. It talks about the international trade. It talks about the modern slavery. And then we have our sustainability module, where Dionisia teaches to all the students that where we focus about the circular economy, we think about the role of sustainability in supply chain, then it is a strategic supply chain module, where we think about what is supply chain at the local end and what is supply chain at the global end.

We look from the micro enterprises, to the SMEs, and to the micro enterprises. And finally, we have our people management in supply chains, where we talk about the leadership, the role of women, the role of men leaders in supply chain, the gender diversity. And finally, the students have a research project, where they can choose a small research issue in any of the modules that they have learned about or they can even apply from their industrial background to it and research about the issue connecting all the four areas that is all the four modules they have learned in the program.

So definitely, the MSc-SCM in UCLan is quite niche, and the job opportunities, we actually equip you to apply to the job, not only that is MSc-SCM focused but also from the financial end, from the people management and that is HRM, and then we look at the sustainability and the core supply chain end as well. So definitely, our program is quite unique.

[Dionishia Tzavara:] - For me, sustainable supply chain management is concerned with two things. And the first thing relates to integrating environmentally and socially responsible practices into supply chain management. And this involves things like use of materials and material sourcing. It involves packaging, optimizing transportation and inventory, minimizing the environmental impact of supply chains, maximizing the recirculation of materials, and minimizing waste, and so on.

But there's also another thing, which relates to the volatility of supply chains to natural and environmental disasters and other crises. So for example, things like earthquakes or extreme weather or political unrest, cyber attacks, all these things can interrupt the smooth operation of supply chains. So the second aspect of sustainability has to do with mitigating these risks and being able to operate efficient, uninterrupted supply chains.

[Dr Kamalavelu Velayutham] - Technology is always a blessing in disguise. So definitely, technology is ruling over supply chains at one end. But at the other end, people are like, should we run behind technology in supply chains? Just the individualistic nature reveals out when we think about technology and supply chains, definitely the giants of technology here. For example, IoT, AI, and blockchain. The company Coke, a very simple example, because today's theme of this MSc supply chain management is sustainability.

So I would like to share a very small example connecting back to all Dionisia's points on global globalization, your sustainability, the three pillars.

So technology. Let's take, for example, blockchain. The company Coke, it uses blockchain to record the work of all the local residents collecting the reused materials in Africa.

So blockchain. Even in developing economies, now, technology is invading those developing economies, and supply chain is becoming more, and more, and more widespread now.

So another example could be like IoT. The grocery supply chain is completely taken over by IoT now. And definitely, artificial intelligence. We use artificial intelligence on mainly on procurement, manufacturing, and product development in supply chains.

So why do we need AI? So can human brains, can they predict the problems? Or can they alert the logistics division, saying that something is around the corner, something is risky? No.

So sometimes, it is about--it is about thinking about a balance on digitalization and the human or the people management in supply chains.

So that is a reason, coming back to my original point, in this module, of course, in the strategic supply chain and digitalization, we talk about the giants of technology here, that is IoT, AI, and blockchain. However, on the counterpart, we also look at the other side of the coin, thinking about the people management and supply chains. When technology is just ruling over the supply chain, what is happening to the people? And what about the job opportunities there?

So we take various dimensions here in our course. So we not only look at technology, but also we look at the connecting factors around it. So definitely, the question coming to whether it is sustainable, or efficient, or it depends on the nature of the business, really.

So definitely, it is not like AI, your blockchain, and IoT. It is not like only to global supply chains. Even the local supply chains, they can use AI, they can use blockchain, and they can have IoT. But what extent are they using? Do they really need it? That is a question actually we provoke the students to think about and be very much aware of what is going around them to before thinking how sustainable and efficient it is, we look at different examples. And then the final judgment is your judgment. That is what we expect the students to be in our course. [MUSIC PLAYING] PLAYING]