ISYE 6340 Global Supply Chain Seminar, Spring 2026
Description
The Global Supply Chain Seminar is a core component of Georgia Tech’s MS in Supply Chain Engineering degree program. The course includes site visits where we travel as a group to see first-hand the operations of supply chain facilities of many types. The course also includes presentations on modern supply chain topics by guest speakers, both on-campus and via virtual seminars. Students are immersed in the supply chain domain to observe supply chain practice first-hand.
Readings
- Amazon vs. Walmart
- Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy, Pietra Rivoli, Wiley Publishers, 2nd edition (2014). Paperback, 368 pages. Begin reading immediately.
Class discussion
The GSC Seminar is designed to encourage discussion and questions so that students can form opinions and critique the state-of-practice in the supply chain domain. Students in the course will be graded in part on participation. Please be prepared to contribute to class discussions; for virtual seminars, it is best if you turn your video on so please dress appropriately for guest lectures.
Site visits
It is very important that you arrive on time for all events, but especially for site visits. The bus will depart ruthlessly on schedule. The loading location will be on Ferst Drive across from the ISyE Main Building, just south of the GT Campus Recreation Center:
You may not travel separately to the site unless you have made prior arrangements with the instructors.
All of the sites we will visit are workplaces and appropriate dress is business casual. Furthermore, many of these are industrial sites and safety is a concern. Do not wear sandals or open-toed shoes, shoes with heels more than one inch high, or hoodies. Do not wear dangling clothing, such as scarves, or dangling jewelry. If you have long hair, put it up above your shoulders. Students not meeting the dress requirements will not be allowed to join the tour.
Bring a photo ID, a notepad, pen, and camera (but take no pictures until we have asked permission). Leave backpacks, purses, coats, etc. on the bus.
Calendar
Sites or visitors may reschedule on short notice so check this schedule frequently, and especially the morning before a site visit. Additional calendar dates will be released as the schedule becomes more firm. Green rows will indicate days when we meet either in the classroom for a lecture, guest speaker, or for an interactive discussion. Blue rows will be for facility tours, and meeting times will be specified. Yellow rows will be either asynchronous sessions or webinars that can be viewed remotely. Red rows will be days with no scheduled activities.
| Date | Mode | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12 | Lecture | MS SCE Spring 2026 Orientation | An orientation for the Spring 2026 MS SCE program will be presented, including discussion about 2026 Capstone Projects. |
| Jan 14 | Lecture, 2:15 pm | Introduction | Introduction to course. Student introductions. Slides available on course Canvas. |
| Jan 14 | Extra Event | SCL Supply Chain Day | Students should attend Supply Chain Day until 2:00 pm. Class will begin at 2:15 pm. |
| Jan 19 | No class | Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday | We will not hold class today. For those who may not know, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta in the Auburn Avenue area just east of downtown and he did much of his important work based here. The US maintains a National Historic Park in the area, and it is worth a visit before you leave Atlanta. |
| Jan 21 | Lecture | Supply chain fundamentals | Supply chain fundamentals. Slides available on course Canvas. |
| Feb 2 | Facility Tour: Americold | Brick-and-mortar retail | We will visit a cold-storage distribution facility operated by Americold for palletized freight. Americold serves both food producers and retailers, with this automated facility focused on producers. |
| Feb 11 | Facility Tour: Carter's | Omni-channel retail | We will tour an omni-channel distribution facility operated by Carter's, a clothing retailer. The facility serves retail locations and e-commerce direct fulfillment. |
| Feb 26 | Distinguished Leadership Lecture | Supply chain software | Eddie Capel will deliver the ISyE Distinguished Leadership Lecture for 2026 on this special Thursday session. Eddie is the former president and CEO of the supply chain software firm Manhattan Associates which he led for over a decade. |
| Apr 15 | Trade Show Tour: MODEX 2026 | Logistics technology | MODEX 2026 is coming to Atlanta! Every two years, this trade show brings together an exhibition of modern supply chain and logistics technology. We will participate in a guided tour of the show floor. |