BSc (HONS) LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT MODULE SYNOPSIS CRITICAL ENQUIRY SKILLS
This module aims to equip students with appropriate knowledge and skills to enable them to engage critically with their Level 3 studies, and the Independent Research Project in particular. Students will have been introduced to the nature of academic research and writing through the precursor modules at Levels 1 and 2. This module builds on existing student understanding of enquiry methods and academic writing in order to enhance competency in argumentation and capability in research design. Students are introduced to core skills of literature review: critical thinking, organisation, reflection and evaluation. Literature reviews serve a variety of purposes but are often the starting point in the arguments of discovery and advocacy associated with enquiry and investigation. The RAE (2008) definition of research can be used as a starting point : ‘Research is to be understood as original investigation undertaken in order to gain knowledge and understanding’. The ‘Student As Producer’ definition (User Guide, 2010-2011, 6) directs that progressively ‘What matters is that in certain research-engaged teaching and learning situations is less the originality of the research outcome than the manner in which it is acquired’. In the context of WBDL it is important to recognise the value of multi-modal ‘texts’ and settings, both as integral to the research environment and sources of valid information. Moreover, students will build a critical understanding of different research designs in order to evaluate existing knowledge as well as inform their own investigations. Enquiry is presented as a ‘messy’ rather than prescriptive process involving a series of choices and dilemmas, including those associated with ethics
and responsible management. Whilst students are introduced to the range of research designs, the module places particular emphasis on those relevant to work based research enquiry: case study, mixed method, action research and systematic review. Progressively, in line with ‘Student As Producer’ principles and practices of discovery, evaluation and uncertainty, the new student will gain a legitimate contribution to the research process in Higher Education, and an authentic experience. The assessment comprises a portfolio of work which may include: a short written evaluation of relevant published academic research; annotated bibliographic work; problem identification tasks and outline research designs; resolution of ethical dilemmas. The portfolio will be the equivalent of 3000 words (+/10%).
INTEGRATING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
This module is designed to develop and assess the students’ ability to reflect critically on leadership and management professional practice and experiences. The expectation is that academic theory and literature will be critically reviewed and applied to the professional experience and organisational context to allow for personal development planning. Reflection as a technique for aiding and reinforcing learning is a powerful tool in professional development and a wide range of other learning situations and environments. Reflective practice is essentially about learning and developing through examining own perceptions of what happened and considering how the event may be perceived by others. At an organisational level, critical reflection is the basis for maintaining the appropriate alignment of an
organisation with its environment and as such, forms the basis for strategic planning and organisational change. It can, if used correctly, act as a catalyst for continual development in the essential management disciplines of: people, resource, performance, conflict, and change, in a rapidly changing leadership and managerial environment. There are many different approaches to reflection. This module will utilise the format of a structured Reflective Learning Log as a useful tool for reflective practice. A Reflective Learning Log is more than a simple diary of events: it is intended to chart progress, thinking and development, and knowledge construction. The thought and discipline associated with the writing and production of the Reflective Learning Log, supports the overall aim of learning through reflection This module requires a written report of 6000 words (+/- 10%) comprising 4000 words in the main body of the report and a 2000 word Reflective Learning Log in the report appendices. The achievement and assessment of all the module learning outcomes will be through the submission of the one report. The Reflective Learning Log offers the opportunity for critical reflection of the student’s leadership and management professional practice and provide opportunity for development of a professional development plan. The main body of the report will be based on management themes arising from the 2000 word Reflective Learning Log. The submission should demonstrate the student’s ability to understand, analyse and apply academic theory and thinking to a practical leadership and managerial environment, evidenced by appropriate academic rigour.
STRATEGIC SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT The study of the supply chain and of the requirement for successful managers to have a conceptual understanding of the issues that they will need to consider when designing, planning or operating a supply chain, is now an acknowledged requirement for all logistics and business professionals. There is agreement amongst the academic community that Supply Chain Management (SCM) is that activity associated with the management of all member organisations of the chain, the relationships between them and the flow of material, information and resources amongst them. In essence the purpose of SCM is value creation, through increased efficiency against the pressure to satisfy customer demand. Hence, the aim of this module is to enable the student to critically examine the supply chain and to understand the key role that the Supply Chain Manger has to play within successful organisations. The importance of an end-to-end perspective will be
emphasised as the student is called upon to consider the topic from both the upstream and downstream end of the supply chain. Within this context, students will also evaluate some of the key issues that shape the development and selection of appropriate supply chain strategy in light of the growing requirement to achieve competitive advantage and overall value within the global market place. The assignment for this module consists of a single component: The assignment for this module consists of a 3,000 word (+/- 10%) report to the Manager of a Logistics/SCM within the student’s organisation. They will select an appropriate SC problem within their organisation which is affecting.
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT
The dissertation is the capstone project of the programme. It provides the student the opportunity to apply, integrate, and deepen the knowledge, insights, and skills that have learned throughout the programme of study. The student will have the opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to work independently on a major project, the nature of should be negotiated with their Programme Leader and Dissertation Coordinator. However, the focus of this project should be a real-world issue or a research topic, executed in a manner consistent with the core philosophy and values of Lincoln International Business School (LIBS). Moreover, the student will work under supervision of an academic tutor to research, develop and present their study for assessment following an agreed format. Whilst it is envisaged that most students will complete a workbased research project, in keeping with the ethos of a LIBS programme, this module seeks to enable and facilitate innovation and creativity. Therefore, the format of the final assessment can be negotiated with the supervisor, Dissertation Coordinator and Programme Leader. A Learning Plan will be agreed between students and tutors, which will ensure mutuality of intent, process, practice and format of assessment. The module will be assessed by: The initial project plan and proposal (coursework) will be the equivalent of 1000 words (10%) and will form the basis of an agreed Learning Plan. The project submission will be equivalent 10,000 words (90%). Within the final submission there will be a reflective piece of 1000 words that addresses the CMI questions relating to learning gained from studies.
ELECTIVES MANAGING OPERATIONS
When any group of people come together for a common purpose, they create a ‘purposeful organisation’. Managing any ‘purposeful organisation’ involves ‘management of the operations’ - even though it might not be called that. The reason any organisation comes together is to produce some ‘desired output(s)’. The first job for a manager in an operations is to understand what those ‘desired outputs’ are. Once this is understood the organisation can focus on the product or service. This will lead to the design and planning of the ‘inputs’ that are required to deliver it and the way the organisation converts ‘inputs’ into ‘desired outputs’. The task of the ‘operations manager’, regardless of his or her formal title, is to manage the operating system in the ‘optimum’ way to deliver the ‘desired outputs’. The ideas underpinning ‘management of the operation’ developed in manufacturing but now apply equally in the ‘service’ environment and to logistics. Few ‘desired outputs’ are purely a ‘product’ or a ‘service’ and each ‘transformation process’ will differ in key ways that affect how to manage them. This module prepares students to work at the operational level within the logistics sector and enables students to apply attributes, tools and techniques of operational management whilst working within the business strategy. The use of the transformation process is explored to identify the links between the resources, the organisational process and the customer. This gives the learner an insight into operational stakeholder and customer management techniques. The module arms students with the skills they will need to manage the daily operations of the organisation while complying with the strategic goals and customer satisfaction. In this assignment the student is to identify an organisation and examine and evaluate its operational processes with a view to making an improvement recommendation. The assignment will consist of two elements Element 1 Briefing Paper (1000 words) The briefing paper will be produced before the verbal report. This should be a concise summary of the key points identified within the evaluation and identification of an improvement. Element 2 Electronic Verbal Report (15 mins and 5 mins questions) The verbal report should present the briefing paper in detail and evaluate the dynamics of operations management within the organisation and the linkages across the tools and techniques of operations management with a view to highlighting the evaluations and recommendation.
MANAGING PROJECTS
Within the context of modern business changing rapidly, tools and techniques are developing, being implemented and changing. Change has to be project-managed when the emphasis in business is on flexible, rapid response to customer demands. Managers require a technical competence with a project-based management style that cuts across traditional functional roles throughout the project lifecycle. Business Project Management is considered an important management philosophy for the way in which organisations manage changing business environments. All projects have to be managed to a successful conclusion, which relies on complex and important decisions being made through phases of planning, monitoring and controlling. The module focuses on themes of planning, organisational, procedural, systematic and financial management so as to create a project management structure to achieve competing objectives in a modern business context. Students have the opportunity to gain a solid foundation in the theory and best practice of project management and develop the practical skills of how to plan, implement and control projects. The module provides students with an understanding of the system perspective on management and a practically-oriented introduction to the nature, purpose and standards of project management and its key functional objectives (scope, time, cost, quality, risk and flexibility). The role and qualities of the project manager and the composition of the team are also evaluated. The material and approach in the module aims to incorporate current and emerging world-wide best practices from Professional bodies, the PMI Body of Knowledge, APM Body of Knowledge and PRINCE2, thus providing a common ground and concentrating on the underlying principles, rather than specifics of any given framework. The assessment for this module consists of a 3,000 word (+/- 10%) report to a Senior Project Manager within the student’s organisation. The student will select an appropriate problem within the organisation which is affecting performance objectives. Through the application of appropriate project management and risk management methodologies, procedures and techniques, together with associated critical analysis, the report will develop and justify possible solutions. The report will recommend ways in which the performance objectives could be achieved to cope with future requirements and challenges.
MANAGING TRANSPORT LOGISTICS
The supply chain involves the flow of materials from one element of the supply chain to the next. This is between and across logistics functions and operational process. The flow of goods often involves the movement of both finished and work in progress goods. The physical movement of these goods involves transportation. As supply chains become more complex and geographically dispersed the need for transport grows. Included in this demand is the need to have transport which can support the strategic position adopted by the organisation. In this situation transport has become a strategic asset. Transport operations then need to be aligned to cost and service requirements outlined in strategic objectives. This has paced a focus on the management of individual modes of transport as well as the combining of modes in multimodal operations. Increasingly transport also has to balance the needs of the organisation with that of compliance and legislation. Transport in this view is organised to meet external objectives from international, national and local organisations. This is driving the nature of transport operations and its operation. Transport then can be seen as both a business necessity which needs to be managed to meet internal and external objectives. This module arms student with the skills they need to manage a transport logistics operation. Assessment: Task 1 (1000 words) Students are to produce a concept map which will show the dynamics which link the design, planning, monitoring and costing of an identified transport operation. Task 2 (2000 words) Students are to produce a critical review of the operations associated with a chosen transport mode.
MANAGING THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN
This module addresses the theory and practices of supply chain management within the context of the food supply system. The aim of the module is to impart to students knowledge and understanding of the topic of food supply chain management which can be applied to the work place, to provide the student with the credibility to advise subordinates and higher management with regard to effectiveness, efficiency and profitability of their employers’ businesses. Supply Chain Management is often defined as being a network of functions and distribution options. This is made more complex when the product is perishable and needs to be provided whilst adhering to strict regulations and legal stipulations.
The Food sector is regarded to be a very complex network, which can be influenced by industrial, technological, economic, social and political factors that shape the availability of food. In economic terms food supply processes are often regarded as ‘value Chain Systems’, within which the raw material is transformed for final consumption as it moves through the chain and increases in value. To ensure the integrity of the food supply process and the relationship with the ‘value chain’; managers should be mindful of the relationship and influence that technology, food regulations (Safely and Quality), innovation, sustainability challenges, and food security will place on the thinking and operational practices for managers. Assessment: The student will produce a written report related to the selected workplace issue for their Head of Logistics/SCM which will be contextualised within the subject area (3000 words).
MANAGING DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS
This module builds on the Strategy Supply Chain module to focus on the operational functions which empower and enable the adopted strategic position. A key desire with logistics and across the supply chain is the physical delivery of goods to the customer and eventually to the consumer and beyond into the recycling or return logistics operation. This module explores this physical distribution function and the flows and channels which support the movement of goods. The module links several logistics operations to explore how the goods are managed through the supply chain. The module start by exploring the nature of demand and the driving factors for the initiation of the movement of goods. Having establish a need to move goods the module examines transport modes and their selection. The module then focuses on the handling of goods within strategic locations. The work will review the operations within a warehouse and the imperative to maintain inventory. The models will then challenge this view by exploring efficient consumer response leading to the adoption of distribution centres. The aspiration for zero stock will be examined through concepts such as lean inventory management and cross deck operations. A final element to the module will explore technology and the changes this has enabled within the distribution channels. Concepts such as replacing inventory with information will enable the work to review the nature of technology and the impact it will and has on the physical distribution of goods.
An overreaching theme throughout the work will be the need to align the operation and distribution channel with the strategic objectives of the position which might be captured in the supply chain strategy adopted. In this assignment the student is to identify an organisation and examine and evaluate its operational processes with a view to making an improvement recommendation. The assignment will consist of two elements Element 1 Briefing Paper (1000 words) The briefing paper will be produced before the verbal report. This should be a concise summary of the key points identified within the evaluation and identification of an improvement. Element 2 Electronic Verbal Report (15 mins and 5 mins questions) The verbal report should present the briefing paper in detail and evaluate the dynamics of operations management within the organisation and the linkages across the tools and techniques of operations management with a view to highlighting the evaluations and recommendations.
MANAGING HUMANITARIAN LOGISTICS
Natural disasters (such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes, and famine) and man-made disasters (such as wars, conflicts, and refugee crises) have increasingly impacted communities and nations around the world in recent decades, and forecasts suggest that the trend will continue. Forecasts estimate that over the next 50 years, natural and man-made disasters will increase by five times in number and severity. The purpose of this module is to arm students with the skills they will need to manage the supply chain and the associated logistics functions within a natural or manmade disaster. It is estimated that 80% of aid budgets are spent on logistics functions. In an era when more disasters are expected and there is a continued challenge faced in terms of funding it is important to manage humanitarian logistics operations. Such management will need to develop the strategies of agility and flexibility while being efficient and effective. It is these challenges that the module explores with a view to arming students with the skills to take up positions within humanitarian supply chains.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION For more information or to apply, contact: askwbdl@lincoln.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)1522 835514
Assessment : The student will select an appropriate humanitarian logistics case study. The case study will be examined in detail leading to a report which explores the implications of humanitarian logistics on the disaster. The report will justify the conclusions drawn based on academic and practitioner viewpoints (3000 words).