ASCM Foundations of Supply Chain Management Series

Foundations of Inventory Management (PIM)

Inventory, if managed strategically, can be used to establish and maintain a company’s competitive advantage. Whether you are a materials manager, buyer/purchaser or inventory planner — or simply need to understand inventory — this course introduces the fundamental concepts.

Learn to explain how inventory objectives must be balanced with the needs of marketing, sales and finance. Discover the key decisions made by effective inventory managers. Gain knowledge of how inventory accuracy is maintained and apply that knowledge to make an impact.

Foundations of Distribution & Logistics (PDL)

Distribution and logistics professionals must solve thorny problems involving time, place, delivery and levels of service in order for organizations to compete successfully. This course introduces the fundamental concepts required to create an optimal distribution and logistics strategy.

Learn why distribution channels are so important. Be able to describe different channel design models. Explain tradeoffs between different channel network designs, including customer response time, product variety, product availability and delivery time. Explore inventory management and its function in distribution and logistics.

Foundations of Operations Planning (POP)

Operations planning is the ability to take a company’s strategy and break it down into manageable action items. This course introduces the essential concepts and tools required to plan to your company’s strategy.

Learn how to create a business strategy. Work with a business planning model to develop a mission and vision. Explore the universal principles of forecast management. Define and understand demand management. Dive into the details of sales and operations planning.

Foundations of Manufacturing Management

Modern manufacturing techniques have permeated the industry. Competitive manufacturing managers must be familiar with these practices, tools and procedures. This course introduces the fundamental concepts required to align manufacturing with business needs.

Explore how manufacturing strategy informs manufacturing process choices. Describe the necessary elements for an effective product-structure-management process. Discover how manufacturing professionals determine needs using material requirements planning (MRP).

Foundations of Managing Operations

Strategic supply chain managers understand the importance of mastering organizational process management and control. This course introduces the fundamental concepts and decision-making tools required for managing operations.

Learn to describe how the management of processes and operations is affected by product volume, service requirements, variety, demand variation and visibility. Discover the principles of effective product and service design. Gain knowledge of valuable project management models that you can apply to projects and daily operations.

Introduction to Supply Chain Principles