Capita selecta – Sustainable Operations Management fall 2023

In this course important principles, models, and techniques for the planning, analysis, and design of environmentally and socially responsible supply chains will be discussed. This course focuses on the challenges and opportunities of including sustainability considerations in quantitative operations management approaches. While business has one true bottom line –profitability- we will study how this can be achieved in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. In particular, we will focus on sustainable production and distribution of goods and services.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be familiar with analyzing and incorporating sustainability aspect in supply chain decision making processes, together with cost and service aspects.

The course includes an introduction to the main research areas within the field of sustainable operations management (e.g. green logistics, closed-loop supply chains), as well as an introduction to the main methodologies used to quantify sustainable performance (e.g. life cycle assessment, carbon footprinting). The course also includes a discussion of recent sustainability developments that have an impact on operations management (e.g. environmental regulations, corporate social responsibility, circular economy).

In the final part of the course, selected recent research examples will be presented and discussed, focusing on future research challenges and opportunities in the area of sustainable operations management.