he master’s in supply chain program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) asked a global footwear company to provide a challenge for students to address. The company responded, asking if the students could help modify the design of its shoe boxes so they were sustainable, resealable, and sturdy enough to travel from the factory to either retail stores or homes, on their own. To come up with an answer, the students had to consider the weight and size of the boxes, manufacturing operations, the supply chain, and costs, among other factors. “It was a fascinating exercise, dealing with the simplicity of a shoe box,” says Len Morrison, manager, professional development for the program. Yet when scaled across millions of shoes of different sizes, as well as complex supply chains, the challenges become formidable. As the business world evolves, so do the skills companies seek in supply chain program graduates. Today’s supply chain leaders need to understand technology, analytics, operations, and strategy, as well as how these “dance” together, says Maria Jesus Saenz, Ph.D., executive director, MIT SCM Master Programs and MIT Digital Supply Chain Transformation Lab. The fundamentals of supply chain management—ensuring products are available where and when they’re needed and in the right quantities—haven’t changed. But advances in technology, and particularly analytics, are shifting how supply chain organizations achieve these objectives, says Prakash Mirchandani, professor and director, Center for Supply Chain Management at the University of Pittsburgh. That’s impacting supply chain curriculum.
February 2022 • Inbound Logistics 47
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