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GMBA812 – Be Global

2019 – GMBA Term 3 Online

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Dr Mehrdokht Pournader
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
You may book a consultation with your unit convenor via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Teaching Assistant
Billy Bruce
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Program Director
Associate Professor Lan Snell
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
2
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to GMBA
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Businesses today, and their supply chains, are facing increasing levels of competition and uncertainty. To maintain competitiveness, firms need to ensure that supply chains meet customer demands on time and at expected quality levels, while minimising costs and maximising responsiveness. This involves important trade-off decisions between cost, quality and flexibility of supply chains. Likewise, overdependence on particular suppliers, cultural differences between the different countries across which global supply chains can stretch, as well as geopolitical risks associated with these countries, can also be of immediate strategic concern. This unit explores questions such as: how business strategy relates to global supply chain design and management; how strategic thinking shapes the key drivers of supply chain design decisions and the management of global supply chain networks; as well as examining the critical success factors and main pitfalls that a leader needs to be mindful of when they are relying on their global supply chains. The importance of sustainability in global supply chain management is also considered.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

General Assessment Information

Submission

All assignment tasks will be submitted electronically via your online unit on Coursera. For detailed information on each of the tasks, please refer your online unit: Course Info - Assessment Information.

Referencing

Preferred referencing style should use American Psychological Association (APA) 6th edition style. This means that when referring to an article or book etc, you indicate the author’s name followed by the year of publication (Jones, 1989). For multiple authors include all names (Jones, Smith, & Wilson, 1990). If you use a direct quote put the quoted words in “quotation marks” and include the page number with the reference (Jones, 1989, p. 76). A reference list should be presented in alphabetical order at the end of the paper. Note that APA style references are used for the reading list of articles at the end of this outline.

Further information on APA style is available at: http://libguides.mq.edu.au/content.php?pid=85232&sid=634282

Extensions 

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.

To apply for special consideration please send an email to globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Diagnostic Framework 40% No 11:59pm (AEST) 21 May 2019
Supply Chain Evaluation 60% No 11:59pm (AEST) 11 June 2019

Diagnostic Framework

Due: 11:59pm (AEST) 21 May 2019
Weighting: 40%

Task type: Individual

Format: Report - to be submitted via the assignment link in Week 3

Length: 750-1,000 words (excluding references)

For this assignment, you will take on the role of a supply chain consultant who has been engaged by a firm to review their supply chain, devise a strategy to address inefficiencies, and present your conclusions and recommendations in a report.

Please refer to the section Course Resources - Assessment Information in your online unit for detailed information on this assignment as well as the marking criteria.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm

Supply Chain Evaluation

Due: 11:59pm (AEST) 11 June 2019
Weighting: 60%

Task type: Group

Format: Written Report - to be submitted via the assignment link in Week 6.

Word length: 1200 words max (excluding references)

For this assignment, you need to prepare a supply chain evaluation in the form of a written report. As a group, select either a current employer’s supply chain (preferred) or a product or service supply chain with which you are familiar.  If your group has multiple options available to choose from, opt for the supply chain that you have the highest level of information on.

Please refer to the section Course Resources - Assessment Information in your online unit for detailed information on this assignment as well as the marking criteria.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

Delivery and Resources

Required text

There is no required textbook for this unit. Please refer to the weekly required readings in your online unit. All readings are available via the Macquarie University library and do not need to be purchased separately.

Delivery method

This unit will be delivered entirely online via the Coursera Learning Management System.

Access to a personal computer is required to access the resources and learning materials on Coursera.

Workload

This unit will involve approximately 75 hours of student workload:

  • 6 x 1 hour weekly Zoom meetings (see unit schedule)
  • Approximately 25 hours of online asynchronous learning activities delivered via videos, discussion prompts, quizzes and peer-reviews
  • Approximately 20 hours of class preparation
  • Approximately 24 hours to complete unit assessments (see assessment task information)

Unit Schedule

For this unit, Live Events (via the web conferencing software Zoom) will take place on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm to 7.30pm (AEST), starting from 7 May 2019 and finishing on the 11 June 2019. The links to the events are available via Live Events in the online unit. It is highly recommended to attend all live events. Recordings of the live events will be made available and can be accessed via Course Resources in the online unit. 

Students are expected to complete all asynchronous learning activities (videos, discussion prompts, quizzes and peer-reviews) for that week before the scheduled Live Event in order to successfully participate in the event.

 

Week  Module

Week 1

Webinar: Monday 6 May 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

 

Strategic supply chain management in global markets

Week 2

Webinar: Monday 13 May 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

 

Logistics drivers of global supply chains

Week 3

Webinar: Monday 20 May 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

A1 due: Tuesday 21 May 2019

 

Principles of global supply chain network design

Week 4

Webinar: Monday 27 May 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

 

Sourcing decisions in global markets

Week 5

Webinar: Monday 3 June 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

 

Risks and sustainability in global supply chains

Week 6

Webinar: Monday 10 June 2019, 7:30-8:30pm (AEST)

A2 due: Tuesday 11 June 2019

 

Supply chain diagnostic framework

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Content Disclaimer

These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

Assessment tasks

  • Diagnostic Framework
  • Supply Chain Evaluation

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

Assessment tasks

  • Diagnostic Framework
  • Supply Chain Evaluation

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

Assessment tasks

  • Diagnostic Framework
  • Supply Chain Evaluation

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate strategic thinking mastery on global supply chain management
  • Analyse the key drivers of global supply chain effectiveness
  • Create supply chain networks that are aligned with supply chain and business strategy of the firm
  • Apply established theories in identifying the critical success factors, pitfalls, and risks of global supply chain management
  • Evaluate the sustainability of global supply chain operations

Assessment task

  • Supply Chain Evaluation