Course-PM

TEK416 TEK416 Purchasing and supply management lp1 HT25 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Technology Management and Economics

Course outline[1] for

TEK 416 Purchasing & Supply Management  – Fall 2025

 

In program: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT, MSC PROGR, Year 1

7,5 Credits

Teaching language: English

Examiner:  Árni Halldórsson arni.halldorsson@chalmers.se

 

Course secretary: Carolin Behrens  carolin.behrens@chalmers.se

 

Lecturers: Professor Árni Halldórsson, Professor Frida Lind, Dr. Daniella Troje, PhD student Carolin Behrens, Guest lecturers from industry, e.g., Volo AB and EFFSO.

 

Background and aim

An increasing portion of the total spending of manufacturing- and service-based organizations reside outside of their boundaries, and hence their direct control. Their cost efficiency, ability to innovate, and value propositions to customers depend upon the way purchasing processes are organized, and on relationships with suppliers. As consequence, a key foundation of success is the way an organization manages its relationship with external suppliers of goods and services. In addition to economic reasoning and organization come three emerging issues: risk, environmental impact, and social responsibility of the individual company as well as its wider supply network.

 

The aim of this course is to provide students with an appreciation and understanding of key principles and theories of purchasing and supply management, and the role of this in the organization. This takes place in a wider context of global complex supply networks. Our vision is that the principles of purchasing, and supply management may help organizations in addressing societal challenges and contribute to their industrial leadership.

 

Learning objectives

Knowledge, understanding and subject specific skills

Having successfully completed this course, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to:

 

1. Understand established principles, theories and practices of purchasing and supply management, critically evaluate these, and link to various aspects of performance (financial measures as well societal (e.g., ethical and environmental) aspects)
2. Understand the role of purchasing and supply management in the organization, and also relative to other supply chain management processes.
3. Understand and explain purchasing management processes, supply strategies and supplier relationships in various contexts.
4. Analyze and critical assess robustness of supply strategies.
5. Relate supply strategy to externalities such as scarcity of natural resources, climate change, ethical and environmental issues and costs

 

Transferable skills

Through the teaching and learning activities, students are furthermore expected to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to persuade, convince and argue effectively
2. Manage time and tasks effectively in the context of individual study and group work activities and take responsibility for carrying out agreed tasks

3. Prepare and make effective business presentations, individually and in teams
4. Communicate in writing or orally (ideas, knowledge, arguments or proposals) with brevity and clarity
5. Demonstrate motivation and initiative through establishing familiarity with the business community, in particular the types of industries, managers and decisions that relate to purchasing and supply management.

 

Reading

Core textbook in purchasing and supply management complemented by journal articles available through on-line databases at Chalmers’ library. This core textbook, all articles referred to as ‘Reading’ above and lecture slides are subject to examination in the course. ‘Suggested further reading’ is not part of the examination.

 

Core textbook: Van Weele, Arjan and Rozemeijer, Frank (2022): Procurement and Supply Chain Management (PSCM), eight edition.

ISBN to e-bok: 9781473779136

Link to webshop: https://www.chalmersstore.se/e-bocker/e-bok-procurement-and-supply-chain-management-2.html

Articles: The complete list will be announced and will be accessible through the Chalmers library

 

Course structure:

The course will be organized around four main themes, each covering a number of topics relevant and central to PSM. Each theme will include a combination of different teaching elements such as lectures, seminars, guest lecturers from the industry, and case exercises. Active student participation is expected during the various teaching and learning activities. One aspect of preparing for this is by reading the course material referred to in the syllabus.

• Processes and performance
  • Purchasing performance: lecture
  • Purchasing process and organization: lecture + Seminar
• Sourcing strategies
  • Supply risk and resilience: lecture
  • Category management: lecture + Guest lecture
  • Sourcing services: lecture
• Supplier base management
  • Supplier evaluation and development: lecture + Exercise
  • Supply market analysis: lecture + Seminar
  • Supplier relationship management: lecture + literature reading
• Game changers
  • Social Sustainability: lecture
  • Innovation and digitalization/AI: lecture
  • Public procurement: lecture 

 

[1] The syllabus might be subject to minor amendments, if that will be the case it will be announced on the course website.

 

Teaching and learning activities

The course will be delivered as a series of presentations and discussion sessions of theoretical concepts, their managerial implications for managers and relationships with other areas of supply chain management. Students are expected to read material and make themselves familiar with key concepts prior to the particular lecture and prepare for discussions of theoretical concepts and their applicability in a particular situation.

 

Examination and assessment

• Written work (group, individual) and presentations:
  • Seminar 1: Group work, hand-in, max 5 points
  • Seminar 2: Group work, hand-in, max 5 points
  • Seminar 3: Group work, hand-in, max 16 points
  • Individual learning log: hand-in at the end of the course, max 4 points
• Written, closed-book exam: max 70 points of total course mark. The written exam must be passed to pass the course overall.

 

Grading: Not Passed, 3 (equal or more than 40%), 4 (equal or more than 60%), 5 (equal or more than 80%). Course examinations in total corresponds to 100 points.

  

Each compulsory course elements must be passed and attended to pass the course overall. In case illness prevents participation in compulsory parts of the course, please contact the examiner or course administrator by e-mail. Absence from mandatory course work that is not due to illness will require complementary tasks to be completed, however, these will only be marked at the level of passed/failed. For students to be eligible to take part in the final examination, all compulsory elements (except the learning log submission, deadline after the exam) in the course must be passed.

 

This course adapts the following definition of purchasing management:

“Purchasing management refers to all activities necessary to manage supplier relationships in such a way that their activities are aligned with the company‘s overall business strategies and interests. It is focused on structuring and continuously improving purchasing processes within the organization and between the organization and its suppliers.” (van Weele, 2010:11). The term supply management underlines the inter-organizational nature of these tasks as well as their potential strategic impact.