210705 Strategic and Sustainable Sourcing

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2023 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Business
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

In various organisations there is a divide between procurement and supply chain operations which reduces vital efficiencies. The design of an integrated and a sustainable supply chain supports productivity improvement and delivers cost savings. The use of sustainable techniques and resources is fundamental to sourcing and procurement cost efficiency. This subject focuses on managing the procurement and sourcing of goods and services in both private and public sectors from strategic, ethical and sustainable perspectives. The concepts and strategies taught in the subject enable students to implement strategic and sustainable procurement practices and policies to gain competitive advantages.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1.	Assess the strategic and sustainable sourcing functions in organisations, including within Indigenous contexts
2.	Evaluate the impact of a broad range of influences on procurement functions in both local and global contexts, that promote adoption of ethical, professional and responsible approaches
3.	Critically analyse, apply and reflect on innovative models and effective techniques applicable to strategic, ethical and sustainable sourcing management
4.	Design efficient and effective systems to solve complex strategic and sustainable sourcing problems in different domains, inclusive of Indigenous domains

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the following program learning objectives:

Evaluate and apply principles of ethics, sustainability, and knowledge relevant to Indigenous contexts to guide supply chain managers in making informed decisions to engage with Indigenous businesses and build resilient supply chains for sustainable and inclusive growth (3.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

An effective, efficient and resilient supply chain needs good suppliers, but the actual processes that go into sourcing goods and services are as complex as they are important. In making decisions about sourcing for organisations, learners need to balance cost and environmental, societal, economic and ethical concerns to create sustainable enterprises and outcomes. This subject provides you with the knowledge to assess a variety of sourcing strategies, practices and processes across the public and private sectors, and it will equip the learner with market analysis tools as it relates to managing supply and demand.

This subject teaches learners strategic and sustainable sourcing strategies to identify and respond to issues learners will likely encounter in the workplace and across their supply chains. Building skills in critical analysis and decision-making will allow learners to use a series of case studies to link and apply the theoretical underpinnings of strategic and sustainable sourcing to practical experiences, thus equipping learners with the capability to conduct strategic sourcing planning and management, and also to drive innovation and achieve sustainable, successful business outcomes.

This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:

Social responsibility and cultural awareness
Professional and technical competence

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is delivered online using a range of resources, self-directed study and live interactive sessions with the academic. Learners engage in the essential content through a variety of formats online and learner-led dialogue through online discussions and posts, and interactions via Canvas.The teaching and learning strategies have been designed to enable learners to make progress in their achievement and maximise their accomplishment of the learning outcomes. Various teaching and learning strategies adopted are as follows:

Learners will be expected to read all the assigned readings and media articles, research and identify innovative models and effective techniques applicable to strategic, ethical and sustainable sourcing management that result in enhanced performance management.
By conducting self-paced study, learners contribute to the discussions on the influence of strategic and sustainable sourcing strategies on firm performance. This will enhance learners’ ability to progress successfully throughout the subject and complete all assessment items effectively.
The online sessions will provide opportunities for group activities and discussion, self-assessment, peer review and formative feedback from the subject facilitator. Online collaborative sessions with the facilitator will be conducted at a set time.
Formative and summative feedback will be provided to all learners and will take several forms, including quizzes during the independent learning activities and online collaborative sessions to support and enhance learner performance outcomes via assessments.

Content (topics)

Fundamentals and objectives of strategic and sustainable sourcing
Private and public sector strategic sourcing concepts, strategies, practices and policies to gain competitive advantage.
Key sourcing strategies include in-house sourcing, outsourcing, supplier relationship management, total cost of ownership, and strategic negotiations
Sourcing applications: international and global sourcing, efficient consumer response, corporate social responsibility, including sourcing with/for Indigenous businesses.
Sustainable sourcing includes social responsibility, determination of supply footprint for social sourcing, supplier evaluation for social and environmental sustainability and governance of social and environmental sourcing, sustainable sourcing with Indigenous businesses.
Performance measurement for strategic and sustainable sourcing

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Discussion board entries (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2
Weight:	30%
Length:	150 words max
Criteria:	Credibility of content with evidence and impact Quality of analysis for short answer discussion briefs to online posts

Assessment task 2: Real-life case study analysis and reflection (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3
Weight:	40%
Length:	1000 words max
Criteria:	Development of a supply footprint for social procurement, conducting supplier evaluation for social and environmental sustainability, and identifying governance arrangements Identification of innovative models and effective techniques applicable to strategic, ethical and sustainable sourcing Conduct a performance measurement analysis for strategic, ethical and sustainable sourcing in either a public or private case scenario Coherent communication and clarity of the discussion

Assessment task 3: Solving a sourcing and procurement problem (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 2, 3 and 4 This addresses program learning objectives(s): 3.1
Weight:	30%
Length:	1000 words max
Criteria:	Depth of analysis of sustainable sourcing strategies, including Indigenous business strategies Appropriateness of evidence and justification for strategies including implications Coherent communication and clarity of the discussion

Minimum requirements

Learners must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

There is no prescribed textbook required.

References

Resources from various sources will be used throughout the course.