Fortunately, Spartans are hard at work to help make the process faster, better, cheaper, and greener—with MSU’s undergraduate and graduate programs in supply chain management top ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Known for their balanced and holistic approach, the programs in MSU’s Broad College of Business help students develop skill sets needed for integrated supply chain management.

“We realize that students need a deep understanding of each area, from purchasing to manufacturing to logistics, and we teach integrated thinking of how linking these things in an end-to-end supply chain is critical,” says David Frayer, director of executive development programs in the Broad Graduate School of Management.

Imagine the supply chain as an intricate behind-the-scenes web that brings together the materials to make and deliver each product or service we use. They begin as raw materials that are manufactured, sold, and shipped. It’s the process that makes the world go ’round, and if one piece isn’t working effectively, the whole chain breaks.

“The supply chain is important because it affects what we pay for products,” says David Closs, chairperson of the Department of Supply Chain Management in MSU’s Broad College of Business. “It can also reduce waste and congestion and increase the value of goods by getting the right stuff to the right place on time.”

With an ever-more-complex global supply chain, the world stands to benefit from Spartans who are learning not only how to manage a supply chain but how to optimize, customize, and sustain it.

The earth-to-earth approach of MSU’s supply chain management programs takes into account the importance of recycling and minimizing the amount of materials that end up in landfills. In addition, reducing the number of steps it takes to manufacture and deliver products and services in the right amount at the right time provides a competitive advantage and allows companies to invest savings in innovation, which benefits the economy and all of us.

Supply chain students could save nonprofits nearly half a million dollars

In 2010, Tobias Schoenherr, assistant professor of supply chain management, began providing his students with opportunities to work as volunteer business consultants for nonprofit organizations.

The undergraduates in SCM 371 needed real-world experience. And the nonprofits were struggling to balance running day-to-day operations with streamlining their supply chains.

Two years and two classes later, Schoenherr’s idea is a resounding success. His students have identified a total of about half a million dollars in potential yearly savings for several Michigan-based nonprofit groups, including Peckham Inc. and Hope Network.

“I had high hopes with the projects, but I really didn’t expect these tremendous savings,” says Schoenherr. “It illustrates the future potential that projects like this can have on the community.”