Postgraduate Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management

The aim of this module is for the learner to develop a practical understanding of the role and goals of financial accounting, management accounting and financial management and be able to apply them to business situations. Within the delivery of the module, the lecturer will provide learners with the analytical tools necessary for determining the financial implications of business activities and decisions in an entrepreneurial context. Learners develop skills in the use of a variety of accounting techniques, with particular emphasis on the interpretation of, and use of accounting information for decision making within the organisational context.

This module introduces and develops the concepts, perspectives and tools associated with the discipline of strategy formulation and development. It provides conceptual understanding and places the concepts and tools within the complexities of undertaking business in different industrial and market contexts, countries and cultures. As well as providing the learner with a core body of knowledge of strategy, the module aims to go beyond the prescriptive “toolbox” approach to strategy making and develop and instil in the learner an appreciation of the complexities, subtleties and behavioural factors that fundamentally shape what businesses do and why. 

The module examines the role played by global leadership and management in organisations (commercial, public and voluntary) and organisational culture. There are contested and competing views (both in theory and in practice) about both management and leadership: about what they are; and about how leadership affects management.

This module is divided into two parts. Part 1 introduces the learners to quantitative analysis approaches in logistics and supply chain management. Learners will explore how to use spreadsheets to model various problems in supply chain and logistics management. Part 2 will see the learner investigate how the mainstream supply chain information systems work, how information technology can improve the efficiency of supply chain management, and what are the up-to-date information technology used in logistics and supply chain management to allow for greater visibility, better integration and ‘leaner’ supply chains in more sustainable systems of control and delivery. 

Managing effective and efficient Supply and Service Chains is a crucial element for gaining competitive advantage. This module gives students a comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge of service and supply chain management. It provides insight into the broad range of activities concerned with service management and how it integrates into supply chain management as the intersection between the actual sales and the customer point of view. The module presents models, concepts, and solution methods that are important for the design, control, operation and management of supply and service chains.  

Within this module, learners will develop an understanding of the nature, purpose and value of business and commercial research. The learner will be guided on how to conduct a critical literature review using best practice in developing a critical approach. Through the module, workshops will be provided covering the various primary data techniques. Learners develop knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods and understand how these can be usefully employed in carrying out a research dissertation. Learners can make a strong argument and defend their work in a professional manner. Learners are equipped with a well-developed research proposal which will direct their dissertation research.

The module develops learners’ understanding of the concept and initiatives of sustainability which includes corporate social responsibility. This will include the supply chain impact on communities and society, environmental aspects of procurement, ethical trading and working standards. The module looks at the alignment of sustainable goals within the supply chain which has local and global dimensions and developing the area for organisational commitment, procedures, systems and practices. 

The module develops learners’ strategic and critical thinking on how to develop plans to improve competitiveness by the application of systematic approaches to the management of both direct and indirect organisational responsibilities. The module will focus on different approaches and methodologies for strategic category management, demonstrating the role of procurement and supply chain management professionals in leading these approaches. 

The module develops learners’ strategic and critical thinking and practical understanding of how operational structures, demand management and inventory management contribute to broader organisational efficiency and competitiveness. It connects in with learning in other modules, specifically in supply chain management, sustainable procurement and category management. The module is designed to build the competencies needed to work in a professional environment, together with developing soft skills (namely teamwork, oral and written communication and IT skills). 

The module brings an international perspective that focuses on the interrelationships between logistics, production, distribution and consumption. Most companies operate in an increasingly integrated and complex supply chain, which has required a revolution in how logistics operates at company level. Companies that trade, produce and/or sell all have an increasing interdependency on international logistics. 

Study Mode: Full-Time

Dublin Main Campus

EUR €8,000.00

Study Mode: Part-Time

EUR €8,000.00