Introduction to Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management (SCM) can be understood as coordinating and integrating various functions and processes within an organization in order to eliminate waste and redundancy. It also refers to the optimal utilization of the available resources by selecting the best vendor for each of these functions, thus reducing overhead and allowing people to concentrate on operating the business systems successfully. Broadly, this concept is becoming more important due to the shift in the global commerce landscape. As a result, supply chain management has also been re-termed as logistics, operations, and procurement. Increased access to global communications and investment has meant that supply chain management is also becoming an important and increasingly specialized field.
Prior experience or training in supply chain management is essential for supply chain managers who work in important operational areas such as procurement, master planning, or distribution. SCM managers are in a demanding position where pay packages are high and job placement is expected to grow gradually over time. Ideally, studying supply chain management online would set you up well for some of New York City’s best opportunities. It is important to understand that basic knowledge of supply chain is essential for almost any business employee, and that facilities and assistance would value supply chain management as part of their educational experience. Look for those schools or colleges with the most rounded supply chain curriculum to get started.
Definition and Importance
Supply chain management (SCM) encompasses all the related strategies and responsibilities to streamline, integrate, and optimize all the activities of sourcing, procurement, production, materials management, and logistics needed to get the right inputs and deliver the finished products to the right place, at the right time, in the correct quantity, and with standardized quality. SCM refers to the management of the total flow of value addition from the suppliers of the raw materials to the delivery of the final product to the end consumers.
It involves coordination, sharing of information, and constant interaction among all the parts that are essential to fulfill customers’ requests in an efficient way. It also involves coordination among the manufacturers, suppliers, transporters, warehouse managers, retailers, wholesalers, and customers. The phrase “supply chain management” was first coined in the mid-1980s, but it has become a popularly used term since the early 2000s, especially when companies around the world began to adopt the concept and implement it in their operations.
Companies are beginning to realize that a cohesive supply chain, along with technology and mechanisms, must be supported in marketing their finished products. An efficient supply chain helps a company define its unique selling proposition or competitive advantage. Nowadays, customers are more demanding, and their expectations are ever-rising. Efficient supply chain management affects the services in any organization.
As a result, customers purchase where they feel that they will receive more value-added opportunities along with customer satisfaction. Firms also need to have the ability to modify inputs and processes in order to satisfy these ever-changing market conditions. This is why firms have been increasingly adopting green technology. A responsive and efficient supply chain can lead to competitive advantages and have a positive impact on overall performance. Many firms in the manufacturing and service sectors have successfully implemented this concept. In the retail sector and service industries, this concept is reflected in high-performing sales.
For example, a corporation has realized the benefits of controlling the entire supply chain, from raw material production to service delivery and consumption to the customer. Integrating the whole supply chain reduces operational and labor costs and therefore represents a competitive advantage in the industry. This is why business students and professionals need to understand the basics and importance of supply chain management.
Overview of CUNY Schools
The City University of New York (CUNY) system is well-reputed for supplying consulting agencies and corporations with capable and educated entry-level managers for fields like supply chain management. CUNY students are afforded a wide range of opportunities when it comes to selecting career paths and curriculums, which provides career development support and flexibility.
CUNY’s ten senior colleges, six community colleges, and a program in law combined provide more than 1,750 programs and degrees that don’t box you into any one career field. Each CUNY school has a unique campus vibe and personality from one another, and students can cater their educational vision to match their personal brand by enrolling in one of a number of programs available. By enrolling in a global expansion course, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in exciting cities across the world as international transfer students.
Over the school year, more than 274,000 students from all across the globe attended a CUNY institution. Every year hundreds of thousands of enrollees choose CUNY colleges due to their radical accessibility, affordability, and community engagement. What captures enrollees’ attention, however, is the consistently excellent quality of CUNY education: Baruch College was named the “Best Public College” for “Internships, Opportunities, and Career Readiness” in 2019 and has been recognized as such for the past three years in a row. The City University of New York (CUNY) is a staple of higher education institutions in New York City.
It has been providing high-quality public postsecondary education in one of the nation’s most interesting and dynamic cities for college students. CUNY offers programs of study in over 1,700 degree fields across 25 campuses throughout five boroughs of New York City. The “cloud” includes ten senior colleges, seven community colleges, a law school, seven CUNY Graduate Center schools, a Graduate School of Journalism Broadcast, and the William E. Macaulay Honors College.
Given the diversity that is representative of New York City, there is a wide variety of ethnicities and nationalities here every year. Local residents dominate enrollment at CUNY campuses, and the schools attract many commuters to their campuses. Characteristic features of CUNY as a whole system range from rigorous academics to a strong service and community orientation and affordable tuition rates. Numerous pathways to a degree and countless high-quality programs of study are available to academically qualified enrollees.
The recognition of CUNY institutions has increased substantially over the past few years. Last year, all CUNY institutions, namely Baruch, Hunter, and Queens Colleges, were ranked in the top 50 in the “regionally diverse” category, with approximately 70% of accepted students of color. CUNY students came from 208 different countries/territories, with 200 languages being spoken. With the lowest resident tuition rate of any four-year public institution in the country, CUNY is very affordable.
Research and graduate schools receive around $30 million every year in awards, grants, fellowships, scholarships, and teaching assistantships. The students at CUNY institutions vary significantly in size, with huge and modest classes. Full-time college students take over a dozen courses and are assumed to engage in extracurricular activities in addition to their schoolwork.
CUNY School of Professional Studies
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
The CUNY School of Professional Studies was founded in 2003 as a resource for New Yorkers who wanted the opportunity to complete a career-oriented degree program that would lead to greater national and international opportunities. We have grown steadily since that time and now offer new master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees every year and are the first 100 percent online CUNY-branded college.
Our mission is to serve as a pathway to economic advancement for New Yorkers and students from around the world. We believe that knowledge is best gained through practical experience, and we place great emphasis on our network of industry and academic partners to provide opportunities for our students to apply their knowledge in practical, real-life settings. The overarching goal of CUNY SPS is to offer high-quality programs to students of all ages and backgrounds, preparing them for the professional workforce and setting them apart from their peers.
CUNY SPS Programs in Supply Chain Management
CUNY School of Professional Studies offers several programs tailored specifically for supply chain professionals: a 12-credit Advanced Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management; a Bachelor of Science in Business degree in seven major areas, including Global Business and Operations Management, which includes a Career Concentration in Supply Chain Management; and a Master of Science in Business degree with a choice of specializations, including Management: Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
CUNY SPS students are working professionals based in New York City and beyond, and the entire curriculum is developed in consultation with industry professionals to ensure that you will receive the highest standards of education and credentials that will translate to a new or higher post in supply chain management. All CUNY SPS classes are 100% online, and CUNY SPS offers more flexibility to the students who build their schedules around their work and family obligations. CUNY SPS is a part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university and offers best-in-class resources to more than 4,000 students.
Programs and Specializations
In determining the best CUNY schools for supply chain management, this is the logical section to start from. In this section, you will find the best degrees to complete if you are interested in supply chain, why you should consider these programs, while also finding information about programs with concentrations or specializations in related fields.
Programs and Their Specializations
Although a few different academic pathways exist for students interested in supply chain management, explicitly, these are the degree programs. However, if you are not seeking a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you can opt for a professional certification program. The primary difference between a minor or concentration and a certification or specialization is that, although the latter two options are similar to the former in that they are meant to enhance and adapt your major area of study, they are open to recent graduates and seasoned veterans alike. You do not have to be enrolled in a specific academic program to register for or earn either.
Certified individuals should portray knowledge in technical areas like logistics and inventory management, as well as in strategic areas like cost and operational metrics. While the curriculum and skills emphasized may vary by institution, all four of these programs require a foundational knowledge of key concepts like logistics and procurement, contract management, distribution, operations management, and supply or vendor management. Housed in the school of business or engineering, the specific degrees to complete if you are interested in supply chain are a Bachelor of Business Administration in Operations Management, an MS in Supply Chain Management, or an MBA in Global Supply Chain.
Reasons to consider any of these options are that they are directly applicable to the workforce immediately and that each can be earned full-time or part-time. Each program also requires one or more internships for hands-on experience. Further, most of these programs work together with other relevant departments like finance, quality assurance, project or risk management, and other aspects of operations or systems engineering.
Bachelor’s Degree Programs
Baruch College, City College, and the New York City College of Technology currently offer a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Operations and Supply Chain Management. The degree programs’ overarching goal is to provide students with a structured educational experience that combines theoretical courses in Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Information Systems, and more with non-business electives, a cohesive set of business electives, and non-elective courses that develop business acumen and expand career options. The three institutions also share a focus on developing students’ emotional intelligence, management skills, and work experience through class projects, student clubs, case studies, and typically, a required internship.
After being required to take mostly core liberal arts and business courses in their first two years, students will take an operations and supply chain management core that includes coursework in logistics and transportation and supply chain management, as well as options to learn about quality control or data analysis and software applications. Electives include courses in business and foreign language, econometrics, multicultural business skills, elective courses in finance and/or marketing, and an in-depth examination of specific interest areas such as purchasing, demand management, and staffing.
Experiential learning is important and current students interested in internship positions are encouraged to apply. The ‘Success Story’ describes alumni who are advancing in their careers after graduating with degrees in Operations and Supply Chain Management. Under the ‘Support’ section, readers are encouraged to visit the Drop-in Career Center, located in 136 Warriner Hall, or to call to schedule an appointment with a career coach if they require further assistance.
In addition to their major or minor in Business Administration, students currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration may also have the opportunity to realize a more extensive menu of degree offerings based on their professional goals or interests. Graduates have access to a variety of career pathways and job title options in the supply chain, operations, and logistics service industries.
Faculty and Research
The faculty members at each of the programs use their extensive industry knowledge to provide students with a thorough and comprehensive education. Get to know some of them in the sections below. Each of the programs also spearheads research initiatives, completed by faculty, that offer insight into the latest technology, software, and processes in the supply chain industry. Faculty-led initiatives with practical applications are indicative of innovative coursework and, as a result, cutting-edge knowledge that candidates can take away from the programs. The research that faculty conduct supports practical coursework.
The results of the research often make their way into the classroom through lectures, case studies, project work, discussion topics, and research studies. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty on special initiatives or groups supporting ongoing research. These initiatives can often lead to internships or other meaningful experiences.
Faculty members often undertake research in entrepreneurial applications, improving technology to enhance efficiency and productivity in the supply chain, technology adoption, and small to mid-sized company supply chain efficiencies, and top-level supply chain strategies. Faculty also serve on industry advisory boards, enabling direct relationships with industry partners. These advisory boards focus on curriculum and research to ensure students are taught academic programs that reflect the greatest needs and skills that industry practitioners are looking for in new hires.
Prominent Faculty Members
These specialized areas of expertise are only part of the body of knowledge that many faculty members bring to the table. Several are leading the academic side of the industry through their published research, while others hold roles in elite professional organizations and engage actively with firms large and small. The faculty at Baruch, and CUNY in general, contribute to their fields in many ways—research, authorship of books, consulting, and other opportunities. Most have doctoral degrees in fields like Management and Operations Research.
Dr. Rogers is a respected authority on industrial supply chain and technology areas. He has personally published over 120 papers in supply chain areas including source chain operations management, logistics, negotiation and purchasing strategy, e-commerce, low-cost nation sourcing, stock theory, and reverse logistics. He has also co-authored three books and edited a resource in the logistics field.
His research focuses on electronic commerce matters, especially the influence of the web on logistics and procurement, including noteworthy topics like B2B trading exchanges, reverse auctions, e-ordering, the influence of the internet on catalog procurement, and e-marketplace impact on industry methods. His current analysis consists of modeling the utilization of e-catalogs and e-marketplaces to boost business-to-business procurement processes. His functional experience involves general and small business management. He has concluded consulting assignments for a number of institutions. He has lectured to professional organizations and practitioners in the areas of e-commerce. He has been invited to speak on topics such as e-procurement at major buying meetings.
Career Opportunities and Alumni Success
The SCMT curricula provide students with a solid understanding of business practices related to the movement of goods and services globally. Graduates are placed in career opportunities including international trade, logistics, operations, transportation, import and export, purchase management, procurement management, inventory management, warehousing, customer service, forecasting, carrier operations, traffic management, transshipment management, and order planning. Companies providing supply chain solutions are faced with a talent shortage at all levels within their organizations. A significant percentage of respondents believe that developing the next generation of supply chain leaders will be essential to long-term success.
Here at SCMT, our dedicated and passionate faculty and professional staff prepare students for a rapidly changing job market. We are the primary source of interns, co-op candidates, and full-time employees for companies. Annually, SCMT and Industry Partner Centers host a wide variety of informative workshops, career fairs, and networking events including Internship Preparation, Hiring Strategies, and Networking Basics. Our students may receive SCMT/IPC’s exclusive Weekly Email, which includes job postings sent directly to students by employers in a broad range of industries.
Companies providing funds for auxiliary programs and services help to support educational opportunities for students. In return, they enhance their ability to recruit some of the best and brightest each year by supporting the school’s mission of delivering hands-on, applied education programs. Those companies include, but are not limited to, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, LaGuardia Airport, New York Container Terminal, PRIMARY Logistics, and Ethan Allen Transportation.
Internship and Job Placement Rates
Some students hold internships in the field of supply chain risk prevention while they are still in school. Over 65 percent of our graduating seniors are employed in those firms with which the School of Business has worked to place them in internships. The School of Business has over one hundred employer partners who provide paid internships to our students in the supply chain fields.
The School of Business has a central Career Services with an extra boost when one is a School of Business student serving internships. Last year, 100% of School of Business BBA program graduates, including those with undergraduate degrees in international business, finance, information systems, and accounting, had employment within six months of graduation. Of those who graduated in January or May, 96% had employment in their chosen field. Job placement data for the MS programs in accounting, taxation, and data analytics are published on the graduate program pages of the School of Business.
The reputation of the student increases in the eyes of the employer with the internship on the student’s resume. Two School of Business students with internship experience in either IT, international business, or finance are included in the testimonials we collected. A graduate said, “I am thankful for the patience of the School of Business faculty and grateful for the excellent job readiness activities that will enable me to view many job opportunities.” The advisement help does not stop during the senior year. There is always dependent help from full-time faculty and collegiate case management or staff. In business, Career Services uses a job reporting system for grads who want to work in their field of study.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
As we reach the end of this guide, here are some of the core insights we reviewed regarding each CUNY school in the greater metropolitan area and their offerings for students to study supply chain management. A skilled workforce is essential in solving complex supply chain dilemmas and preventing disruptions. Students who wish to pursue careers in procurement, logistics, sourcing, forecasting, IT, operations, customer management, and planning can study areas tailored to their interests in the field.
There are numerous benefits to pursuing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or MBA in the field of supply chain management. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of where you can specialize in supply chain management if you study at a CUNY school in the NYC area.
CUNY schools offer students a quality education from respected faculty and professionals in the field of supply chain. Faculty and staff are open and committed long-term to ensure students are prepared for their careers. Because of the location of these schools, students receive plenty of hands-on experience managing significant supply chain events and coordinating activities with employers.
Current students and alumni of any of these programs are guaranteed to find community support. If you are thinking of studying supply chain in the NYC vicinity, the CUNY-related school offers many hands-on opportunities and a variety of programs to study. CUNY programs are excellent options for students who want to study a variety of specializations, meet other learners, and benefit from established connections. Companies hire many of the students directly out of the programs to work for them!
The job opportunities for supply chain management graduates are extensive, and you have a lot of exciting options. The people featured in this guide have undertaken internships at various organizations. Based on our conversations with current students and alumni of each CUNY program, everyone we spoke with had the option to live off their internship or job straight off the bat when they graduated.
The average starting salary for graduates of the above leadership programs is $72,000 for business undergraduates, while the average starting salary for students in them is $76,000. I hope this guide offers you a good overview of the increasing ways to study supply chain in the NYC vicinity, the chances offered to those who attend these programs, and the school community available to you.
