Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management is the integrated management of the flow of materials and products, services, and information from raw material suppliers, through operations, to the final customer, and back again. Through the use of Supply Chain Management, companies are able to increase profitability. This is a result of improvements in the areas of procurements, distribution, operations management, communication, and the capture and use of information. Increasingly, technology is used to create these improvements. Electronic commerce is one example of the use of technology in the supply chain management process. The demand for professionals in the area is rapidly growing as firms are realizing the improved efficiency and profitability resulting from Supply Chain Management.

What does a job in Supply Chain Management involve?

  • Provide an uninterrupted flow of materials, supplies, and services required to operate the organization.
  • Manage inventory levels and quality control.
  • Develop productive working relationships with external constituents (such as vendors and retailers) and internal departments (such as the Marketing, Accounting, Engineering and MIS departments).
  • Analyze and negotiate contracts with suppliers, manufacturers and/or distributors.
  • Develop solutions regarding capacity and production planning, resource allocation and facility locations.
  • Integrate technology into the supply chain to improve profitability, for example utilizing e-business.
  • Schedule the transportation and logistics of product/service to its final destination.

Careers for Supply Chain Management Majors
  • Consultant
  • Export/Import Trainee
  • Operations Analyst
  • Supply Chain Business Analyst
  • Transportation Research
  • Customer Service Manager
  • Inventory Control Manager
  • Purchasing Specialist
  • Transportation Carrier Manager
  • Materials Planner Manager
  • Procurement Manager
  • Supply Chain Coordinator
  • Warehouse Manager
  • Distribution Manager
  • Logistics Manager
  • Motor Carrier Operations Manager
  • Warehouse Operations Manager

Related Skills

  • Ability to adapt to change
  • Problem solving and analytical
  • Customer service
  • Understanding of business processes
  • Organizing ideas
  • Ability to work with and coordinate teams
  • Communication (listening & presentation)
  • Foreign language skills

Hiring Institutions

  • Communications
  • Education
  • Government
  • Manufacturing
  • Transportation
  • Automotive
  • Consulting
  • Financial Institutions
  • Military
  • Pharmaceutical
  • E-Commerce
  • Food DIstributors
  • Hospitality
  • Retail
  • High Tech Systems
  • Healthcare

Career Paths of Recent Graduates

Related Websites

Career Services, University of Oklahoma www.hiresooner.com
Price College of Business Division of Marketing and Supply Chain Management http://price.ou.edu/marketing
Council of Logistics Management http://www.clm1.org
National Association of Purchasing Management http://www.napm.org/
Education Society for Resources Management http://www.apics.org/BearingPoint/webcast_login.asp
Jobs in Logistics http://www.jobsinlogistics.com
Supply Chain Knowledge Base http://supplychain.ittoolbox.com/