Sustainable Supply Chain Management

44M0582

Master

English

5.0

only winter term

1 semester

The holistic assessment of value chains has become even more important for companies, organizations and society, not least due to the legal changes in accordance with the so-called "Supply Chain Act"*. 

Within this scope the students develop a set of instruments for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of sustainability in various value chains. In addition to the (already well-known) ecological indicators, the focus is on further indicators for the evaluation of the social dimension as well as the "true costs".

In addition, different instruments should be investigated with regard to their possible applications.
The module teaches a broad variety of methods. Furthermore, selected application methods should be practiced by the students themselves and analyzed in a differentiated manner.

*Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz vom 16. Juli 2021 (BGBl. I S. 2959)

• Stakeholder analysis for the evaluation and prioritization of the results
• Step-by-step familiarization with the various phases
• Presentation of the interim and final results, discussion of methodological and content-related work steps
• Comparison of different variants of methods

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Case analysis, written

In the course of the semester, a sustainability assessment (focus: social or economic dimension) will be prepared, which is then to be explained, analyzed and discussed within the framework of a case study incl. a short written elaboration. Ideally in cooperation with a practice partner.

Case Study, written: ca. 13-15 pages

Basic knowledge of social and economic sciences is recommended in this model and helpful for working through the case studies.

• Students know the methods and concepts of social and/or economical life cycle assessment for the analysis and evaluation of products and services.
• Students know the advantages and disadvantages of those assessment methods and can evaluate them.

• Students create extensive sensitivity analyses and scenarios based on their own case study in order to analyze and characterize the most important leverage effects.
• Students create a criteria catalog for the improvement of social / economical impact based on their own case study. 

• Students will work in multi-disciplinary teams and will collect (if possible) primary date for their case studies
• Within the case study problems addressed to the students by the practice will be evaluated (it is also possible that the students also conduct their own case studies)
• Therefore presentation and discussion techniques will be practiced

• Students will be able to identify and close their own knowledge gaps, critically reflect on their work results and approach.
• The students will be empowered to communicate the module contents in appropriate technical language (in technical english), to transfer the application of the taught methods to the selected case studies.
• Cooperative working will also be further practiced within the framework of the module.
• Students will be able to independently coordinate their work and time allocation within the framework of the case study and bring it to a successful conclusion on their own responsibility.
• Students present their results in a plenary session as part of peer feedback.
• Students will present their case study results and there sensitivity analysis and improvement within workshops with practice (ideally).

• Students are empowered to research and prepare scientific facts and integrate them into their own case study work.
• Through case study work, existing data sets can be verified and expanded or new data sets can be empirically collected.
• Further due to discussions with practice, the projects will interact with real modeling problems and further develop their case studies.

• Speck, Melanie

• Speck, Melanie