Tuesday, Thursdays 1:30-3pm in ISyE 304
Check the class calendar often as it may be revised on short notice.
Professor John Bartholdi, Room 202 (within the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute). Email: john DOT bartholdi AT gatech.edu
and possibly others. For each topic, we will invite a guest from industry to discuss it with us.
As a general rule, there will be lectures on Tuesdays by either me or a guest; and on Thursdays we will discuss the reading material and your projects. You are expected to come prepared on Thursdays talk and to bring the class up to date on what you are working on.
Reading and writing. Lots of reading and writing. We will discuss each book and explore ideas suggested by them. We will also engage in some group projects, such as documenting major shipping lanes in the world.
In addition, each class member will choose a supply chain of interest and, with approval of the instructor, trace and document it from sourcing of raw materials through manufacturing and distribution to the eventual consumer and on to any aftermarket. To build documentation, students will be expected to develop contacts by phone, email, or personal meetings and then interview them. This will require a lot of cheerful initiative.
The most suitable topics will be supply chains of multiple levels that touch different countries and cultures to deliver a product of personal interest to you or of general importance to all. I suggest you start with a specific item and place and trace it forward and back along its supply chain, just as in Travels of a T-Shirt....
You will see that progress reports are expected. I suggest you avoid writing multiple documents and, instead, concentrate on just one: your final report. It will grow and change over time.
It seems natural to me to organize your discussion along the flow of the supply chain; but there are important issues that will reoccur all along the chain. Here is a guide to help you organize your thoughts.
I may be willing to accept some other proposed topic. If you have another idea, talk to me about it.
I will help you find and connect to sources. This may include making international phone calls, purchasing research materials, etc. In addition, any class member may propose travel in support of their research. If you can make a persuasive case, I will fund it.
At the end of the class, each member will make a presentation on his or her chosen supply chain and submit a white paper together with a CD of supplementary material (photos, links to resource material, etc.). The paper will be of length 30 pages.
Grading will be based on your energy and ability to investigate, organize, and interpret complex issues in logistics and supply chain. I will look for energetic participation throughout the class, preparation for Thursday discussions, and a well written final report.