This course focuses on managing material and information outside of the factory walls including aspects of product design collaboration, demand planning and forecasting, inventory deployment, distribution system design, channel management, and logistics. We explore order fulfillment strategies and the impact of the internet on distribution and back-end supply chain processes. We also examine strategies for enterprise and extraprise integration. Stumbling blocks for supply chain integration such as high transaction costs between partners, poor information availability, and the challenges of managing complex interfaces between functional organizations have been rapidly dissolving on the web. We study the impact of these changes on traditional supply chains and on the creation of virtual chains.

Marketing in the Networked Economy
John Marshall, Adjunct Associate Professor of Business and Executive Fellow, Center for Digital Strategies

This course takes an analytical approach to the study of the marketing function in the context of the networked economy. Attention focuses on the challenges and opportunities that organizations face in applying traditional marketing skills in the electronic marketplace. Guest speakers and case studies will be used to illustrate the key issues in developing effective marketing strategies for e-commerce. The major objectives of this course are to provide students with (1) an understanding of the role of marketing in the context of the networked economy; (2) a sound conceptual and theoretical “tool kit” for analyzing marketing problems faced by organizations in the networked economy; and (3) a forum for presenting and defending their recommendations and for critically examining and discussing the recommendations of others.

Strategic Innovation Management
Alva Taylor, Associate Professor of Business Administration

This course provides a framework for managing innovations in businesses. The emphasis throughout is on the development and application of models and analytical tools that clarify the interactions between competition, new ideas, patterns of technological and market change, and the structure and development of internal capabilities. The course also examines the challenge to building and maintaining an innovative organization, and how individuals can successfully innovate in organizations. These tools can provide the framework for insightful planning when deciding how to structure your organization to innovate, how to manage groups that are innovating, which initiatives to invest in, how to structure your resources to gain competitive advantage over other industry participants, and how to use you capabilities to exploit innovative activities. The course should be of particular interest to those interested in managing a business where external or internal innovation is a necessity for competition, those interested in new business ventures, and consulting.