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With a master’s degree in Global Supply Chain Management in Germany at our Campus Cologne, you will steer your career path towards responsible specialist and management tasks in internationally active companies. The programme lasts 4 semesters, of which the fourth semester is reserved for the master’s thesis - within the scope of an internship at a company or a semester abroad. The language of instruction is English so that you are optimally equipped for projects on a global scale. The degree awarded is a Master of Science (M. Sc.).
With a mix of business administration content, supply chain and logistics topics, interdisciplinary approaches, electives, and a great deal of practical relevance through business projects and simulations, you will expand your qualification profile with strategic knowledge and a hands-on mentality. CBS places particular emphasis on soft skills, and these are especially important in Global Supply Chain Management, as you will work with all company divisions and many people from different cultures, regardless of whether you work in a company headquarters in Germany or take care of supply chains on-site worldwide.
Do you work full-time and would like to study part-time? As an alternative, we offer you a part-time master's degree in Logistics taught in German, which lasts 5 semesters.
After many - compared to today - cosy years in supply chain management, an extremely large number of difficult challenges are pelting down on SMEs and large corporations: legislators, as well as customers and internal company stakeholders, are demanding more sustainability, for example, as defined in the Supply Chain Act or in climate protection targets. Supply chains get into stressful situations due to local and global events, which lead to delivery bottlenecks even for suppliers' suppliers, putting orders worth millions at risk due to missing penny items. New trade barriers are erected while trade barriers are dismantled elsewhere. Some industries are completely reinventing themselves, which means that supplier networks have to be rethought from the beginning. New digitalisation opportunities require a lot of know-how and smart decisions to stay ahead of the competition. For these tasks, international companies need professionals who think big - maybe you? This Global Supply Chain Master`s focuses on just such high-level management tasks.
Some information about the study plan for the study programme Master's in Global Supply Chain Management:
Analysis of demand, supply, and market equilibrium
Theory of consumer choice
Theory of the firm, production and cost analysis
Market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, contestable markets
Game theory
Pricing strategies
Factor markets, labor economics
Economics of information
Industrial organization
Limitations of markets and interventions by the government
Econometric techniques related to these topics
Development of a research question
Primary vs. secondary data
Steps of research process
Research designs
Quantitative and qualitative data
Structured methods of data collection: questionnaire and structured interview
Un- and semi-structured methods: qualitative interview and focus group
Quantitative and qualitative content analysis
Ethical considerations of data collection
Sampling
Data analysis using statistical software programs (SPSS)
Univariate analysis, bivariate analysis (crosstab and correlation), multiple linear regression
Writing a research report – structural and other formal requirements
Strategy making process and strategic reasoning: cognitive process of strategy
creation through the prism of logic and intuition
Setting strategic purpose in the context of responsible stakeholder management
Advanced external environment analysis: markets, industries and competitive
landscapes in static and dynamic perspective in the domestic and international
context
Diagnosing and managing strategic capability through national borders over time
Cultural and institutional context of strategic management: concepts, frameworks
and analytical tools
Generic and interactive business strategies, inside-out and outside-in perspective on
achieving and sustaining competitive advantage internationally
Network-level strategies
Corporate development and configuration: strategic options and portfolio matrices
Strategy formation
Strategic change and corporate restructuring
Strategic renewal
Strategy evaluation and strategic controls: tools and methods
Organizing for success
Diagnosing the change context: diffusion and dynamics of innovation
Sources & types of innovation
Product/service, process & business model innovation
Individual and corporate creativity
Strategic innovation management & the innovation process incl. New Product Development (NPD)
Introduction to digitalization, digital age & digital divide
Digital drivers & disruptive forces
Technological drivers of digital transformation
Socio-technological change associated with the adoption of the mentioned drivers
Introduction to the digital organization & digital business models
Impact of digitalization on the value chain (Industry 4.0)
Digitalization-related innovation theories & technology management
Digitalization leadership & organisational transformation concepts
Change management & transformational leadership
Agility and VUCA world
SCRUM and Design Thinking
Classification in Supply Chain Management
Classification in Supply Chains or Networks
Opportunities and risks within supply chains or networks
Differentiated consideration of production and service networks
Basics of logistics outsourcing and contract logistics
Basics of outsourcing
Development of contract logistics, characteristics of contract logistics
Potentials of contract logistics
Phases of contract logistics relationships
Design and structure of supply chains and networks
Basics of global supply chains
Analysis of supply chain players
Human behavior in organizations and supply chains (asymmetric information, game theory)
Organizational Development
Purchasing
Differentiation between Purchasing, Procurement, Sourcing
Make or buy analysis, outsourcing
Sourcing strategies
Value-added partnerships
Supplier selection
supplier evaluation
Ordering procedures, quantitative methods of order optimization
Bullwhip effect
Procurement risks
Digitalization in procurement, blockchain
Trends, challenges and levers (trade offs)
Distribution
Classification, demarcation
warehouse structures
Transport concepts, last mile
Quantitative transport optimization, route planning models
Transport modes, innovations (cityloop, platooning)
Sustainability through innovative concepts and alternative transport modes and drives
Digitalization in distribution
Trends, challenges and trade offs in distribution
Strategic, tactical and operational management tasks in a global environment
Differentiation between operations, finance and marketing
Intralogistics goals and key figures
Site planning, layout planning
Basics of warehouse logistics, warehouse design, warehouse management strategies
Storage, conveying (innovations and trends)
Material flow analyses, process thinking
Picking methods, identification systems
Quantitative methods of inventory management and planning, lot size optimization
Packaging systems, closed loop aspects, sustainability
Digitalization, digital twin, trends and innovations
Lean management, Kanban, use of JIT/JIS
Levers of push and pull principles
Principles and support systems of production planning and control
Circular economy, disposal processes
Value recovery stages, redistribution logistics, reprocessing logistics, reuse logistics
Social competence: Communication, motivation, groups and team structures, leadership, conflict management
Methodological competence: Structural aspects, time management, cost management, human resource management, creativity and problem solving
Organisational competence: Quality management, documentation, risk management, project start and closure
The “Scholarly Writing and Analysis” course is offered for German native speakers. German as a foreign language is offered as an obligatory course for Non-native German speakers.
Cornerstones of sustainable management
CSR as management approach
Practical approaches of organizational effectiveness
Tools for CSR implementation
CSR and financial performance
Life cycle assessment
Historical developments around the world
Directors and board structures in different parts of the world
Family business governance
Role of institutional investors
Corporate governance in mergers and acquisitions
Socially responsible investments
Corporate governance in different regions
Value maximization and corporate objectives, shareholder value and stakeholder value approach
Financial measurement of corporate strategies and competitive advantage: the principles
Shortcomings of traditional profitability ratios for a value-based management
Economic Value Added, Cash Value Added
Identifying the drivers of value creation and investment decision-making
Management compensation and incentives for value creation
Defining the state of a sustainable supply chain based on actual trends
Discussion of various theoretical concepts (e.g. Stakeholder Theory, Slack Resource Theory) and their implications for sustainable supply chain management
Defining a “New Normal” of how to do business (e.g. circular economy, regenerative business models, carbon literacy training)
Sustainable Marketing (definition, Green Marketing Strategy Mix, Green Washing and Sustainable Consumer Buying Behaviour)
Sustainable Procurement (definition, Sustainable Procurement Process Model with a focus on sustainable supplier relationship management; new trends like circular procurement)
Sustainable Logistics
Sustainable Design
Carbon Emission / Human Rights in global supply chains
Analyzing different templates to generate business- and financial plans available in library or via download in the internet
Discussion and creation of specific balance sheet ratios important for business plans and business models
Use of specific tools and numbers to analyze, investigate or monitor business models and running business, tools and numbers are e.g. Indicator Systems, Scorecards, ROE, Leverage Effects
Simulate best-, worst and real-case-scenario for productivities belonging to business plans
Conceptual foundations of Supply Chain Management 4.0 (concept of the supply and value chain, Industry 4.0,)
Digital technologies in the value chain (e.g., cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, etc.).
Expressions of supply chain 4.0 (e.g., smart products, smart services, smart factories, etc.)
Digital business models (e.g., electronic value creation, digital economy platforms, success factors, real-world examples)
Cyber risks (e.g. conceptual and legal basics, cybercrime, cyber security, risk management)
Practical examples from industry, trade, transport, recycling
Digital transformation of the supply chain (e.g. opportunities and challenges, methods, practical examples)
Future of work in the supply chain 4.0 (e.g. design approaches for work systems, automation, human-machine interaction, education and training)
Leadership in the digital supply chain (e.g. agile leadership, digital leadership)
A business elective is a business or management-related elective course.By choosing Business Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge.
By choosing Interdisciplinary Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge. An interdisciplinary elective is an elective from another discipline than your own specialization.
Basics of event management
Objective of the event and different types of events
The event as a marketing and communication tool
Planning and preparation
Event execution
Tasks and role of the event manager
Choosing the right venue
Personnel selection
Business network design and strategies
Global cooperation: a panacea for supply chain deficiencies
Informal and formal networks - performance and challenges
Global business network – enhancing cooperation between organizations and companies
Business development in the Internet of Things
Network imbalances and sustainability
Sustainable business network
Collaborating in Supply Chains
Information asymmetry and Bullwhip effect
Customer integration & e-commerce
Supplier integration (VMI)
Contract logistics and Outsourcing
Performance Measurement in Supply Chains
IT support
Functional areas, business processes and management roles in companies
Interrelationships between functional areas
Planning and control processes in supply chains
Decision-making processes in supply chains
Business risks and interactions in supply chains
Evaluation and adjustment of management decisions
OR problems along the SC, e.g. quantity, delivery or queuing problems, route planning, layout and location decisions
Methods and models that can represent SCM problems, e.g., branch-and-bound algorithm, ADD algorithm, Steiner-Weber model, newsboy model
Linear and non-linear optimization models, e.g. Simplex as a linear model or Andler as a non-linear model
Software systems to support optimal planning and simulation, e.g. Arena, Mathlab, Excel, Excel plugins (Solver, LogHub.. )
Forecasting and prognosis methods, e.g. with exponential smoothing, regression techniques
Special simulation models, e.g. Monte-Carlo simulation
Basics of computer programming, e.g. with VBA for Excel
Design and development of an excel sheet to simulate business numbers of a given business case or business model
Development of a small digital twin for a logistic process with Excel
Application of software products (e.g. Excel plugins or others) for strategic-, tactical- and operative planning, e.g. for: site- or layout-planning, procurement- or production-planning, resource- planning, scheduling or tour-planning
Monte-Carlo-Simulation with Excel
Simulation game on supply chain management (to deepen the understanding of planning and control processes, decision-making processes, entrepreneurial risks, interactions in supply chains, evaluation and adjustment of management decisions)n
Discovering and evaluating entrepreneurial opportunities
Developing business ideas from opportunities (e.g. based on using Design Thinking, Personas and User Stories).
Feasibility analysis of business ideas
Transferring the idea into a Business Model
Business Model and its building blocks (value proposition, customers segments, channels, customer relationships, revenue model, key partners, key activities, key resources, cost structure)
Business Plan: Introduction, Sample Case and General Outline
Developing the details of the business plan
Finding sources of financing: Business angels; Private equity; Start up financing; Venture capital investors
Preparing a pitch deck for successfully presenting the new venture business plan
Focused review of the curriculum content
Pre-assessment quiz/ content area assessment as benchmark for students’ status quo
Guide and Strategic Plan to Case Study Analysis
Writing a proper Case Study Analysis report
Developing proper answers to Case questions, applying the relevant theoretical knowledge and frameworks
In-depth Case Study Analysis with focus all subject areas of the curriculum
In-depth Case Study Analysis with special focus on Strategic Management
Students will be placed in management teams
Each management team will run their own company
Various companies will compete in an industry
Each company's management will be responsible for all of the decisions made, or not made, which will impact the company's performance
Various rounds of decision-making
Presentation, assignments and reports of group
During the Master Thesis Tutorial you will learn the fundamentals for your Master thesis: Defining the topic as well as structuring the thesis and you will learn the theoretical knowledge for scientific working.
A business elective is a business or management-related elective course.By choosing Business Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge.
By choosing Interdisciplinary Electives in the second and third semester you can personalize your degree course and extend your management knowledge. An interdisciplinary elective is an elective from another discipline than your own specialization.
Consulting Industry/Professional Services as an example for an industry where ACs are key: Sector Overview incl. Company Profiles with focus on different specializations: HR, Strategy, Marketing, Finance etc.
Job application and interview training
Case study training, e-Case study training
Framework for processing case studies
Brain Teaser Training
Case Simulation (Individual and Group Cases)
Psychological tests
In-Tray and Group exercise training
During your 4th semester you are working on your Master thesis. You have 19 weeks to complete your thesis and the subject is freely selectable. A supervisor from CBS will support you and you can write the thesis in collaboration with a company as well. Or you can write your thesis in connection with a stay abroad.
An internship (10 ECTS) in Germany or abroad is integral part of your degree. Our Career Service is happy to support you in finding the perfect company.
After the Global Supply Chain Master's degree, numerous career options are open to you. You can work for an industrial or trading company and design and optimise global SCM or logistics processes or lead teams. Such positions are sometimes called "junior supply chain manager", as in some companies direct entry positions are called "junior" even after the master’s degree, although the tasks are very demanding.
On the other hand, there is the world of logistics companies, who are also constantly looking for highly qualified graduates. The third big job opportunity is a career start as a consultant: large management consultancies and specialised boutique consultancies also offer exciting opportunities. The advantage is that as a consultant you can get to know many companies and industries. Some companies also offer graduate or trainee programmes as an alternative to direct entry. Our Career Office will support you in your search for vacancies, and CBS also cooperates with many partner companies that are specifically looking for CBS graduates. If you would like to work abroad, you should not only fall back on the well-known online job portals but inform yourself directly on the websites of your target companies. The variety of job titles is immense, as every company has different global structures and challenges.
When looking for a job in the field of SCM, you compete with people with degrees in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Business Informatics and even Mechanical Engineering. This shows above all that it is really difficult for companies to find experts at master’s level with a clear SCM focus - which this degree programme provides.
(Junior) Supply Chain Manager (4.0)
European / International / Global Supply Chain Manager
Group Supply Chain Manager
Global Logistics Manager
Supply Chain Engineer
Specialist Supply Chain / Logistics
SCM Consultant
Inhouse Consulting Project Manager Supply Chain Management / Procurement
Supply Operations Developer
Logistics Planner
Graduate / Trainee Programme SCM / Logistics
Operations Manager / Project Manager Operations
Positions in Purchasing
Salary prospects at the beginning are roughly in the range of 50,000 to 100,000 euros gross per year, depending on the industry, the task, and your professional experience between your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Entry-level positions are in the lower third of the salary range; salaries increase with a few years of management experience.
Global Supply Chain Management and Global Logistics require personalities who think in big contexts: here you always have to deal with supply chains and logistics where national borders are crossed. These borders separate economic areas with their own rules, corporate cultures, and national cultures. In addition, transport routes are more sensitive to disruptions: A port strike here, a customs change there, a storm there, and the supply chain comes to a standstill. This makes planning, controlling, and optimising measures very complex. So global supply chain managers have to be able to make good decisions in an environment with a lot of variables, balancing cost, and performance. So, a high level of financial knowledge is required, but also creativity to think through scenarios and to be able to anticipate the impacts of actions. A big part of the job is communication with flair, as there are an immense number of stakeholders involved in global supply chains.
You can study this full-time master’s programme in Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management at CBS in Cologne, the largest CBS campus. Cologne is an excellent place to study, as many internationally active companies operate in the Rhineland from Bonn to Düsseldorf, at all levels of the supply chain, from logistics companies to hidden champions in medium-sized businesses to global corporations.
An MSc Master in Global Supply Chain Management introduces students to all aspects of transporting goods and products within a business. As you grow from regional supply chain management into global roles, the focus shifts to the challenges: How do you plan global supply chains in such a way that the failure of suppliers, supply countries, or transport routes become bearable without jeopardising profits? How do you adjust the supply chain - or the entire company - when there are major changes on the demand side? How do you adapt to factors such as global and regional politics when taxes, tariffs, subsidies, liberalisation, or legislative changes affect the work of suppliers and the supply chain? In global supply chain management, the number of influencing factors is immense, and each can have a strong impact. When the worst comes to the worst, quick and good decisions are needed and even better are early detection systems based on KPIs, including contingency plans - and the gathering of knowledge along the entire supply chain, for which excellent communication skills are essential. Communication techniques, as part of the soft skills courses, are therefore part of the study programme.
SCM always includes logistics. An M.Sc. Master in Global Logistics is about planning, controlling, and optimising international logistics chains. These logistics chains are complex networks with interdependencies in which warehousing plays a central role in addition to transport routes. Central topics are the establishment or restructuring of logistics networks, the digitalisation of processes, the selection of third-party logistics service providers, or the optimisation of warehousing strategies in order to make supply chains more robust and to improve the service for internal and external customers - while keeping costs low.
One example is the logistics of a pharmaceutical company that assembles and delivers customer orders at warehousing locations around the world, but needs a sufficient stock of goods for this, which is kept at an ideal level by means of forecasts and well-functioning transport routes. Another example is the logistics department of an automobile manufacturer, where even the intralogistics of components from its own plants scattered around the world have an international character, or a logistics company where an international distribution centre is to be managed - embedded in a worldwide network of logistics hubs.
The master`s programme in Global Supply Chain Management combines content from the master's programme Business Administration and special supply chain content that builds on each other over the duration of the programme.
In the first semester, you start with general business topics such as "Business Economics," "Strategic Analysis and Management," and "Innovation Management and Digital Transformation. You will also deepen your knowledge of research methods. The subject block "Supply Chain Design" is subject-specific and deals with the strategic planning of supply chains and the operational development of global supplier networks.
The second semester expands your horizons in the areas of CSR and corporate governance, which are also becoming increasingly important for supply chains. On the subject level, you will deal with "Quantitative Business Development", which also includes the seminar "Logistic Lab", which is either a business game or a real research project at a partner company. For even more practical relevance, you will also work on a large business project.
In the second and third semesters, you have the opportunity to set individual focal points - by taking elective subjects from business studies and with an interdisciplinary character. You choose these subjects towards the end of the first semester.
In the third semester, you deal with case studies and play through a business simulation game with your fellow students. In the supply chain topics, you dedicate yourself to the complex issues of "Supply Chain Collaboration", i.e., cooperative, vertical, or horizontal management approaches, and "Supply Chain Optimisation", which deals with the overall picture in operations and digitalisation in SCM 4.0. A special highlight is the "Venture Lab" seminar: Here you work in a team to develop a business plan, either speculatively for an SCM start-up - perhaps one that you want to start after graduation - or an intrapreneur project or a feasibility study for a corporate partner. Together with the Master`s Thesis Tutorial, this is ideal preparation for the fourth semester, in which you write your master's thesis either embedded in a company internship or in a semester at a CBS partner university abroad.
When it comes to the important soft skills courses, the CBS team has, for example, selected the modules "International Project Management", communication skills, and an assessment centre bootcamp for this degree programme.
To take up this master’s programme, you should have a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, General Management, or International Business. The special feature of this Supply Chain Master´s: 180 ECTS are sufficient as a starting requirement. If you have not yet completed your bachelor’s degree, we will of course be happy to accept your application so that you can continue your studies seamlessly after your bachelor’s degree.
Ideally, your first degree was taught in English and had a logistics or SCM focus. Both increase the likelihood of a very good study success, but a generalist degree is also helpful, as all subject areas were at least touched upon there and this degree is about the big picture. A good command of English is a must in any case, so that you can easily follow lectures, seminars, and soft skills courses. Of course, the exams are in English, just as your master’s thesis must be in English.
If you come from a different field of study, for example, engineering, we check your previous knowledge individually: we can often credit part of the study achievements, and to fill gaps in business knowledge we offer various pre-master's programmes, like the digital summer crash course in the semester break to 2 semesters of pre-study. Contact our student advisory team for more information.
This full-time master’s programme provides 120 ECTS and is classically designed for 4 semesters. The fourth semester has a dual function: You write your master’s thesis as a priority. Since this degree programme has a high practical relevance and is internationally oriented, we encourage you to write your master’s thesis a) at a company, ideally at a branch abroad, or b) if the focus is more on theory, to work on the thesis during a semester abroad at one of our partner universities.
"Especially the soft skill courses have been of great help for my performance in job interviews. Through my work in the Finance and Business Club I have built up a broad network and acquired project management skills that have enabled me to score points with companies."
"The practical learning in small groups prepared me optimally for today's project and team work. The CBS provided me with the decisive soft skills and current knowledge from the world of business."
"The Management Studies programme prepares you thoroughly for the tasks of a consultant. In particular, the development of presentation techniques as well as analytical thinking is of enormous importance in the everyday life of a consultant."
"The focus on internationality and practical skills have had a very positive influence on my development at Google. Especially the structured and very versatile project work, which is often found at a private school, was extremely helpful."
"My studies at CBS prepared me for a career in today's dynamic, global work environment. As one's origin and physical location become less and less decisive, it has become increasingly important to have a multinational network and adapt quickly to various cultures and environments."
"Many professors shared their professional business experience with us in class and were able to illustrate dry theory with practical examples. I also enjoyed the international atmosphere on campus."
"The strongly practice-oriented studies and the international orientation of the CBS, as well as the lectures held in English, were an absolutely necessary basis for starting a career with a renowned, international company."
You would like to inform yourself about our Bachelor and Master programs at home in peace? Request your information material now without obligation and free of charge, and we will be happy to send you our study information material by e-mail.
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Study advisory: Campus Mainz
Got any questions? We are happy to help!
Phone: | 0800 931 8099 |
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E-Mail: | study@cbs.de |
Study advisory
Got any questions? We are happy to help!
Phone: | 0800 931 8099 |
---|---|
WhatsApp: | Reach us on WhatsApp |
E-Mail: | study@cbs.de |