Supply Chain Digitization — Course Overview & Introduction
Week 1 | Session 1: Course Overview & Introduction
About the Course
Section titled “About the Course”- Target Audience: Industry professionals, academicians, and students aspiring to work in SCM or logistics.
- Relevant Industries:
| Sector |
|---|
| FMCG |
| E-commerce |
| Automobile |
| Transportation & Logistics |
| Pharmaceuticals |
| Public Distribution |
| Consulting |
Why This Course? — The Context
Section titled “Why This Course? — The Context”Modern supply chains are increasingly digital, driven by three structural forces:
- Easy availability of operations and purchase data
- Digitalization of payments
- Rise of the platform economy (e-commerce, aggregators, etc.)
Greater data visibility streamlines operations — but supply chains simultaneously face growing complexity due to variabilities spanning industries, markets, and geographies. This course provides a structured understanding of digitization and analytics to manage that complexity.
Course Structure — 4 Modules at a Glance
Section titled “Course Structure — 4 Modules at a Glance”| Module | Weeks | Theme | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | Wk 1–3 | SCM Fundamentals | Wk 1: SC fundamentals + types of SC | Wk 2: SC segmentation (product, demand, customer, geography, channel) | Wk 3: SC design, operation strategy, supply portfolios |
| Module 2 | Wk 4–5 | Digital Business in SC | Wk 4: Platform economy + channel structures (centralised vs. decentralised) | Wk 5: Dual channels, brick & mortar, multi-channel, omni-channel |
| Module 3 | Wk 6–9 | SC Analytics | Wk 6: Data analytics — Big Data, descriptive/diagnostic/predictive/prescriptive | Wk 7: AI/ML for demand forecasting (Python hands-on) | Wk 8: Network optimisation — facility location, cost minimisation | Wk 9: Intelligent decision support tools (AI/ML case studies + Python) |
| Module 4 | Wk 10–12 | Digital Infrastructure | Wk 10: Product tracking & traceability systems | Wk 11: Information systems — ERP, WMS, TMS | Wk 12 (part 1): Digital Twins + Control Towers | Wk 12 (part 2): Industry 4.0, Blockchain, digital payments |
Module 1 — Introduction to SCM (Weeks 1–3)
Section titled “Module 1 — Introduction to SCM (Weeks 1–3)”Purpose: Build a common foundation for all participants regardless of professional or academic background, ensuring alignment on terminology, concepts, and frameworks used throughout the course.
Week 1 — Fundamentals of SCM
Section titled “Week 1 — Fundamentals of SCM”- What is SCM and why does it matter?
- Not all supply chains are the same — understanding how and why they differ
- Role of different SC drivers
- Strategies that drive supply chain design
Week 2 — Supply Chain Segmentation
Section titled “Week 2 — Supply Chain Segmentation”- Why segment? Different parts of a supply chain have different challenges — segmentation helps manage them effectively.
- Types of segmentation covered: Product | Demand | Customer | Geography | Channel-wise
- Additional segmentation approaches are also covered.
Week 3 — SC Design & Operation Strategy
Section titled “Week 3 — SC Design & Operation Strategy”- Supply chain design decisions and operation strategy frameworks
- Supply portfolios — types and how they inform procurement strategy
Module 2 — Digital Business in SC (Weeks 4–5)
Section titled “Module 2 — Digital Business in SC (Weeks 4–5)”Core Question: What is the role of digital business models in SCM?
Week 4 — Platform Economy + Channel Structures
Section titled “Week 4 — Platform Economy + Channel Structures”- Channel Structures: Centralised vs. Decentralised — a foundational concept that feeds directly into Week 5.
Week 5 — Advanced Channel Types
Section titled “Week 5 — Advanced Channel Types”- Dual channels | Brick & mortar channels | Multi-channel | Omni-channel
Module 3 — Analytics in SCM (Weeks 6–9)
Section titled “Module 3 — Analytics in SCM (Weeks 6–9)”Week 6 — Data Analytics Foundations
Section titled “Week 6 — Data Analytics Foundations”- Big Data: Characteristics from an SCM perspective
- 4 Types of Analytics:
- Descriptive — What happened?
- Diagnostic — Why did it happen?
- Predictive — What will happen?
- Prescriptive — What should we do about it?
Week 7 — AI/ML for Demand Forecasting
Section titled “Week 7 — AI/ML for Demand Forecasting”- Why AI/ML is needed over traditional forecasting methods
- Key AI/ML models used for demand forecasting in industry today
- Case studies from the SCM domain
- Hands-on: Python coding
Week 8 — SC Network Optimisation
Section titled “Week 8 — SC Network Optimisation”Decisions covered in this week include:
- Where to locate facilities — plants, warehouses, and distribution centres
- Which warehouse serves which plant; which DC serves which warehouse
- Product movement flows across the network
Goal: Minimise total network cost while improving service levels.
Week 9 — Intelligent Decision Support Tools
Section titled “Week 9 — Intelligent Decision Support Tools”- AI/ML-based tools for SCM decision-making
- Case studies demonstrating real-world applications
- Hands-on: Python coding
Module 4 — Digital Infrastructure in SC (Weeks 10–12)
Section titled “Module 4 — Digital Infrastructure in SC (Weeks 10–12)”Module 4 brings together all three prior modules and adds the infrastructure layer that enables digitization at scale.
Duration: 3 weeks | ~7.5 hours of lectures
Week 10 — Product Tracking & Traceability
Section titled “Week 10 — Product Tracking & Traceability”- Role of tracking and traceability systems in the modern supply chain
- Creates an audit trail of material, financial, and information flows within the SC
- Increasingly critical for compliance, quality control, and customer transparency
Week 11 — Information Systems in SC
Section titled “Week 11 — Information Systems in SC”Week 12 — Advanced Digital Infrastructure
Section titled “Week 12 — Advanced Digital Infrastructure”- Digital Twins — Virtual replica of the supply chain that enables simulation of scenarios, real-time monitoring, and control in a virtual environment.
- Control Towers — End-to-end SC visibility tool, critical when a supply chain spans multiple continents globally.
- Industry 4.0 + Blockchain — IoT advancements, financial transaction digitization, and seamless integration from end-customer to supplier.
- Digital Payments — How financial transactions have been integrated into supply chain processes.
Course Linkage — PM GatiShakti National Master Plan
Section titled “Course Linkage — PM GatiShakti National Master Plan”| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, Government of India |
| Aim | Facilitate development of multimodal logistics and connectivity infrastructure across economic zones in India |
| Scope | Integrates ~16 Ministries to break departmental silos |
| Focus Areas | Holistic infrastructure development | Multimodal connectivity | Last-mile connectivity in logistics & supply chain |
| Relevance to Course | SCM digitization is a key enabler for achieving the goals of PM GatiShakti — contributing to national infrastructure development and economic growth |
Overall Course Goal
Section titled “Overall Course Goal”This course integrates four pillars into a single roadmap for SCM digitization:
| Pillar | Module |
|---|---|
| SCM Fundamentals | Module 1 |
| Digital Business Models | Module 2 |
| Analytics | Module 3 |
| Digital Infrastructure | Module 4 |