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Established products and brands typically provide the majority of firms' earnings. If carefully managed, these products also are a significant source of growth and future earnings. This course focuses on the role of a Product/Brand Manager in profitably managing a firm's existing offering. Students identify areas for growth (or decline) within a firm's mature product lines, devise ideas to capitalize on growth potential or address decline, develop and assess concrete marketing initiatives, and determine the financial impact of alternative plans. The course uses a combination of case analysis, lecture/discussion and guest speakers, allowing students to develop their repertoire of quantitative and qualitative marketing decision skills.

This course views the supply chain (including the distribution channels) as a multi-organization business system that enables customers at all points in the system to acquire the benefits/value they want in the way they want to acquire them. It is a collaborative human network creating customer and shareholder value throughout the system. Strategic and tactical management topics include specifying customer desired value, assessing network members' (suppliers, producers, distributors, and customers) abilities to create it, and consequently allocating decisions, tasks, and rewards to members. Emphasis is on structure, communication, motivation, and control/discipline to encourage effective implementation throughout the supply chain system. Offered as MKMR 307 and MKMR 407 and OPMT 407.

The focus of this course is on the effective management of a firm's downstream processes in the supply chain that deliver goods and services to customers. Concepts, methods, and strategies are presented that can lower supply chain costs while maintaining or improving customer service. In addition, ideas for using the supply chain for competitive advantage leading to revenue enhancement are discussed. Adding value for customers is the objective. Key topics include transportation planning, inventory management, network design, and customer service goal setting. Offered as MKMR 475 and OPMT 475.

The focus of this course is on the effective management of a firm's upstream supply chain processes that provide it with the services and physical goods needed for product and service creation and distribution. The primary objectives of the course are: 1) to understand the complexity of inter-firm and intra-firm coordination in implementing cutting-edge supply chain programs such as vendor managed inventories, third-party logistics, mass-customization, quick response, and strategic alliances; 2) to develop the ability to design efficient supply systems and formulate integrated supply strategies so that all components are synchronized to fit a firm's competitive environment, market needs, and overall corporate strategies; and 3) to impart analytical skills necessary to develop effective solutions for a variety supply management problems. Offered as MKMR 476 and OPMT 476.

Enterprise resource planning is the dominant system by which companies translate the needs from their customers into the detailed plans that the company must perform to meet the customer needs, and the resulting support the company will need from its suppliers. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques for performing all the functions involved in this process provide the focus for this course. The quantitative analysis will be supported by microcomputer software available in the Weatherhead computer lab.