Procurement & Logistics Management Course

Lesson 1 • Organisational Structures for Procurement

Examines centralised, decentralised, and hybrid procurement models. Students evaluate trade-offs to recommend structures suited to different organisational contexts.

Lesson 2 • Performance Metrics and KPIs

Introduces quantitative measures used to evaluate procurement and logistics effectiveness. Provides a baseline for performance tracking applied in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Logistics Fundamentals and Functions

Introduces logistics as the physical flow of goods from origin to destination. Connects logistics activities to procurement decisions made upstream.

Lesson 4 • The Supply Chain as a System

Frames procurement and logistics within the broader supply chain ecosystem. Students map end-to-end flows and identify interdependencies between functions.

Lesson 1 • Supplier Qualification and Prequalification

Establishes criteria and processes for determining supplier eligibility before formal evaluation. Reduces risk by filtering out unqualified vendors early in the sourcing cycle.

Lesson 2 • Request for Information, Proposal, and Quotation

Guides students through designing and issuing competitive sourcing documents. Each document type serves a distinct purpose in gathering supplier information and pricing.

Lesson 3 • Supplier Evaluation and Selection

Applies weighted scoring models to compare supplier proposals objectively. Students build a scorecard and justify a final supplier recommendation.

Lesson 4 • Market Analysis and Supplier Research

Covers methods for assessing supply market conditions before engaging suppliers. Students apply Porter's Five Forces and supply market analysis to a chosen category.

Lesson 1 • Key Contract Terms and Clauses

Identifies critical clauses that protect organisational interests and allocate risk. Students annotate a sample contract to flag high-risk provisions.

Lesson 2 • Contract Close-Out and Lessons Learned

Defines the steps to formally close a contract and capture institutional knowledge. Proper close-out prevents residual liabilities and feeds future sourcing improvements.

Lesson 3 • Contract Administration and Compliance

Covers monitoring obligations, tracking milestones, and enforcing contract terms post-award. Connects contract administration to supplier performance management introduced later.

Lesson 4 • Negotiation Strategy and Tactics

Builds a principled negotiation framework grounded in interests rather than positions. Students practise BATNA analysis and concession planning in role-play scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Supplier Development and Collaboration

Covers joint improvement initiatives, capacity building, and innovation sharing with key suppliers. Collaborative relationships generate value beyond price reduction.

Lesson 2 • Supplier Risk Monitoring and Resilience

Establishes ongoing monitoring of financial, operational, and geopolitical supplier risks. Proactive risk monitoring prevents supply disruptions before they escalate.

Lesson 3 • Supplier Performance Scorecards

Designs balanced scorecards that measure quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness. Regular scorecard reviews create accountability and drive continuous improvement.

Lesson 4 • Corrective Action and Improvement Plans

Provides a structured process for addressing supplier performance failures with root-cause analysis. Students draft a corrective action request and monitor resolution milestones.

Lesson 1 • Demand Forecasting Methods

Covers qualitative and quantitative forecasting techniques suited to different data environments. Accurate forecasts reduce both stockouts and excess inventory.

Lesson 2 • Economic Order Quantity and Lot Sizing

Applies EOQ and its variants to minimise total inventory costs. Students compare EOQ, periodic review, and min-max systems for different item profiles.

Lesson 3 • Reorder Point and Safety Stock Calculation

Teaches statistical methods for setting reorder triggers and buffer stock levels. Students calculate safety stock using service-level targets and lead-time variability data.

Lesson 4 • Inventory Visibility and Control Systems

Examines technology and process controls that maintain accurate inventory records. Accurate records are the foundation for reliable demand planning and procurement triggers.

Lesson 1 • Routing, Load Planning, and Optimisation

Covers techniques for consolidating shipments and optimising delivery routes. Efficient routing reduces cost per unit shipped and lowers carbon emissions.

Lesson 2 • Freight Pricing and Rate Structures

Decodes carrier pricing models including weight breaks, fuel surcharges, and accessorial fees. Students analyse a freight invoice to identify cost reduction opportunities.

Lesson 3 • Transportation Modes and Trade-offs

Compares road, rail, air, ocean, and intermodal transport on cost, speed, and reliability dimensions. Mode selection directly affects total landed cost and delivery performance.

Lesson 4 • International Freight and Trade Compliance

Introduces Incoterms, customs documentation, and import-export compliance requirements. Students assign correct Incoterms to a case study shipment and identify required documents.

Lesson 1 • Receiving, Putaway, and Storage Processes

Details the steps for accepting, verifying, and storing inbound goods accurately. Errors at receiving propagate through inventory records and order fulfilment downstream.

Lesson 2 • Order Picking and Packing Methods

Compares discrete, batch, zone, and wave picking strategies by volume and accuracy. Students select and justify a picking method for a given order profile.

Lesson 3 • Shipping and Outbound Logistics

Covers the steps from order completion to carrier handoff, including documentation and labelling. Outbound accuracy directly determines customer satisfaction and return rates.

Lesson 4 • Warehouse Performance Measurement

Defines KPIs for warehouse productivity, accuracy, and cost per unit handled. Students build a warehouse dashboard using provided operational data.

Lesson 1 • Supply Chain Risk Identification

Catalogues demand, supply, operational, and external risk categories using structured identification tools. Comprehensive risk identification is the prerequisite for all subsequent mitigation work.

Lesson 2 • Mitigation Strategies and Contingency Planning

Matches risk mitigation tactics—avoidance, transfer, reduction, acceptance—to prioritised risks. Students develop contingency playbooks for top-tier supply chain disruptions.

Lesson 3 • Supply Chain Disruption Response

Provides a structured response framework for activating contingency plans during active disruptions. Speed and coordination of response determine recovery time and financial impact.

Lesson 4 • Building Long-Term Supply Chain Resilience

Integrates network design, diversification, and digital visibility into a resilience strategy. Students build a resilience maturity assessment and prioritise improvement initiatives.