Course syllabus

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Course-PM

TEK620 Management of physical distribution lp3 VT20 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Technology Management and Economics

 

Contact details

Course purpose

The aim of the course is to provide knowledge about the different parts of the physical distribution chain and the flow of goods from the shipping of finished products, transported via a number of nodes and actors, to the final customers/consumers. The course will provide an understanding of the relationships between cost, service and revenues, as well as environmental impact of distribution systems and how these are influenced by physical structures, actors and price mechanisms. The physical distribution is viewed from the perspective of an individual company, a shipper or a logistics service provider.

Schedule

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Course literature

Textbook

Lumsden, K.: The Economy of transport systems, is available in Canvas, there is also an earlier Swedish version available at libraries, (Transportekonomi, 1995, Studentlitteratur).

Articles

Kohn, Christofer, Huge-Brodin, Maria, (2008), Centralised distribution systems and the environment: how increased transport work can decrease the environmental impact of logistics, International Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications, Vol 11, Issue 3, pp 229-245.

Abrahamsson, Mats, Wandel, Sten, 1998, A model of tiering in third-party logistics with a service parts distribution case study, Transport Logistics, Vol 1, No. 3, pp 181-194, 1998.

Santén, Vendela, 2016, Towards environmentally sustainable freight transport – Shippers´logistics actions to improve load factor performance, Chalmers, PhD Thesis, ch 5.2-5.3

Andersson, Dan and Norrman, Andreas, 2002, Procurement of logistics services—a minute’s work or a multi-year project? European Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 3-14.

Rogerson, Sara, 2016, Environmental concerns when purchasing freight transport, Chalmers, PhD Thesis, ch 5.1

Storøy, Jostein., Thakur, Maitri, and Olsen, Petter. 2012, “The TraceFood Framework – Principles and guidelines for implementing traceability in food value chains”, Journal of Food Engineering , Vol. 115 , pp. 41-48

Stefansson, Gunnar and Lumsden, Kenth, 2009, “Performance issues of Smart Transportation Management”, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 58, 1.

Why Goods Movements Matters – Strategies for Moving Goods in Metropolitan Areas (2016), Regional Plan Association and The Volvo Research and Educational Foundation, VREF (available at http://www.vref.se/download/18.1ffaa2af156b50867485a21/1471930162785/Why-Goods-Movement-Matters-ENG+-+June+2016.pdf)

 

Course design

The course is built up around lectures, seminars and a case. Theory is mixed with examples of practical applications in the industry.

Literature seminars

Three literature seminars are part of the course and it is mandatory to attend these. Each seminar will be based on assigned readings and specific questions, which will be provided in Canvas. In order to be allowed to attend the seminars, you are required to individually answer questions for each seminar and hand in these before the seminar. Failure in answering seminar questions in advance will prohibit participation in the seminar. If your answers are not adequate for obtaining the points for the assignment you will be given the opportunity to update your answers after the seminar.

The case

The case is to be solved by groups of students, who are supposed to play the role of members of a consultant team. This team is working for a logistics manager at a company, which needs an analysis of its distribution system. Each team of consultants will have meetings with the CEO of the case company. The CEO will give you information based on his knowledge of the company. He will focus on getting a useful result from you, as representative of the company, and you will not get any specific directions from him regarding how you should carry out your work. Instead you will get support from a supervisor, at supervision meetings during the course.

The final report presentation of the case will be held March 13th and your report should be submitted no later than 12.00 March 11th. The power point presentation you are going to use for your presentation should be uploaded no later than 17.00 March 12th.

 

Further instructions will be provided in Canvas. At the same place you will also find an initial information package, which includes a background of the case, shipment data, and an internal report on a new distribution set up. Forthcoming news about the case will be provided continuously.

In Canvas you will find all course material and information you need (e.g. powerpoints from lectures, exercises, reading material, the case description). Here you should also upload different assignments (literature seminars, case) and book meetings and register for attending seminars.

 

 

Changes made since the last occasion

 

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

  • Analyze and explain how physical distribution systems are managed.
  • Define and analyze resource utilization from a financial as well as environmental perspective while considering contextual influences.
  • Explain the general requirements and cost structures of different distribution systems.
  • Analyse and review economic models used in distribution.
  • Explain the relationships between cost and price for logistics and transport services in physical distribution, including defining fixed and marginal costs as well as environmental effects.
  • Use tools for quantitative analysis of distribution system data.

Study plan

 

Examination form

The examination consists of the following elements: written exam, seminar hand-ins, mandatory attendance at three seminars, and one case assignment. All of the individual parts of the examination must reach the minimum level for passing the course (for the written exam this is 40% of the maximum points). In total these parts give 100 points and the course is graded as follows:

  • Failed < 40%
  • 3 ≥ 40 %
  • 4 ≥ 60 %
  • 5 ≥ 80 %

The points for each part in the course are as follows:

  • written exam: 0-63 points
  • case assignment (including presentation and opposition): 0-25 points
  • seminar I: 4 points
  • seminar II: 4 points
  • seminar III: 4 points

Dates for the written examination:

2020-03-18, afternoon; 2020-06-09, morning

 

Course summary:

Date Details Due