MO9521 - Transport and Inventory Management

Your module will be delivered using a combination of lecture, seminar, open learning (e-portal based) material, case studies, and directed and independent learning. Throughout, the emphasis will be on high levels of your participation, both individually and within small groups or teams.

An interactive approach to lecture sessions will draw upon your directed learning undertaken and your experiences. You can therefore expect the reflective-practitioner approach to learning to be embedded in all workshop/seminar sessions. These activities will facilitate the application of theory to ‘real-life’ situations, also enabling you to critically analyse and make appropriate recommendations for the organisation/individual.

Your module’s Teaching and Learning Plan outlines the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed learning and independent learning. Your tutor-directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the discussion board on the e-learning platform. Your independent learning will centre upon the identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the subject. Your independent learning activities might include extended reading, reflection, research etc.

As an intermediate module, the content will broaden your knowledge about contemporary transport issues and relate this to concepts of competitive advantage through efficient inventory management. It will use case study information and where appropriate, research outputs from applied research journals and trade magazines.

Ongoing support will be provided to you through the lectures and seminars to build up your skills and expertise in the module. You will have two hours of weekly lectures and one hour of weekly seminar.

Your module study is further supported by an e-learning portal (blackboard) which acts as a central directory for the teaching and learning materials, such as the Teaching and Learning Plan, lecture slides, seminar exercises, case studies, assessment briefs, alongside other relevant internet resources and multimedia support information. In addition, this module is research-led and the module content is developed based on various core text books and journal articles. Hence, a wide-ranging electronic reading list that comprises of various core text books and journal articles will be made available to provide you with guidance on the module reading materials. The list will also help you to prioritise those materials, and divide them into topics by core reading and further reading.

To assess your acquisition of the knowledge and the skills introduced during the module, you are encouraged to participate in serval inter-related group practical and analytical exercises and presentations (formative assessment) during your small-group seminars throughout your teaching semester. Tutor’s support and feedback will be given to your group exercises and presentations. You are expected to act on the feedback for the subsequent individual 2500 words written assignment (summative assessment) which consists of 2 related tasks at the end of the semester.

Technology Enabled Learning is utilised in this module and includes use of an electronic reading list on the reading materials.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Understand and demonstrate the contemporary knowledge of the transport and inventory management issues in supply chain operations (MLO1)
2. Understand and demonstrate the design of flexibility into the complex transportation network and the use of technology to improve transportation performance. (MLO2)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Evidence skills in identifying the goal of transportation strategy and making transportation decisions. (MLO3)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

The module has serval inter-related formative assessment (group practical analytical exercises and presentations) during the small-group seminars throughout the teaching semester. Tutor’s support and feedback will be given to the groups in the seminars. The relevant materials will be stored in the e-learning portal and distributed through the teaching semester.

The module has a single individual summative assessment (100% written assignment) of 2500 words set around the learning outcomes of the module. The mark and written feedback will be given based on the predeveloped marking criteria. The summative assessment brief and the marking criteria will be available on the e-learning portal and distributed from the beginning of the semester.

This summative assessment will address MLO1, MLO2 and MLO3.

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The module provides an introduction to and understanding of the physical movements of goods through supply chains via different transportation and storage networks. The module also focuses on transport as a service to the public, both domestically and internationally, examining the allied industries it supports and looks at complexity issues surrounding multi-modes of transport for both inland and overseas transport and how this integrates with storage and inventory needs.

You will be introduced real business distribution problems across both inland and overseas operations and the challenges and future opportunities of logistics providers/ freight operators in terms of inventory capacity, sequencing, storage and delivery. You will achieve a rounded appreciation of transport and inventory management throughout supply chains through a variety of lecture, workshop, seminar, and case study. Assessment will be a written assignment. You are required to produce an individual detailed report.