Why this programme?
It has never been a more exciting time to delve into the logistical challenges facing the international economy. Society is changing, and there's a trend of creating your own products and services. Innovations like 3D printing, solar panels, self-diagnosis devices and online shopping are leading to home manufacturing, power generation, reduced healthcare costs and shopping convenience. The middleman is vanishing from economic transactions, and even the physical store is becoming archaic as cities have trouble filling empty retail spaces because of online shopping. Concepts like the Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, Virtualisation, The Maker Movement and Peer-to-Peer economics have sent ripples through society, especially for those working in logistics and SCM, who will be essential in the coming years as product delivery and logistical processes become more competitive.
Supply Chain Management covers all aspects of maintaining a supply chain in the competitive global economy, from new product development to the management and planning of international supply chains to cooperation with suppliers and distributors. Moving products from development to distribution is a complex, international process, and it often means the difference between a company's success and failure. The Supply Chain Management programme devotes a great deal of time to value creation, not only with the optimisation of purchasing, logistics and marketing processes, but also when it comes to strategic cooperation with suppliers, distributors and customers. The end goal is to deliver on the promises made to consumers and to meet their demands.
The Supply Chain Management specialisation is taught in Maastricht amid the other specialisations of the International Business programme, so you will benefit from the interaction between the various business disciplines.
Student profile
Overseeing supply chains is all about changing focus: being able to zoom in to particular links on the chain while simultaneously overseeing the entire process. Supply chains are the means by which products and services are ultimately transported to customers. It entails purchasing, logistics, operations management and supply chain management. You should have good interpersonal and communication skills and be customer-oriented, able to talk with a wide range of people in various positions. Managing and improving supply chains requires the ability to look at problems analytically and creatively, so a flexible and open-minded attitude is essential.