ØAL113 Purchasing and Supply Management

Contents and structure

Purchasing and supply management is one of the advanced subjects within the logistics study/exploration in logistics for the 3rd year students at HVL, campus Bergen, their bachelor's degree in economic-administrative subjects. For other students, the course can also be taken as an elective. The purpose of the course is to provide the students with knowledge of key issues, topics and techniques within purchasing and supply management.

The course will contribute to

• overview of framework conditions, challenges and measures within procurement work.
• insight into the role of procurement as a strategically important function in the business and the supply chain.
• practical knowledge and skills within purchasing processes (preparation, implementation and follow-up).

Learning Outcome

After completing and passing this course, the students will have acquired:

Knowledge of

• procurement processes and the individual process steps
• organization and streamlining of the purchasing function
• supply and procurement strategies for different purchase categories
• relevant laws, regulations and guidelines, including related to public procurement, ethical purchasing behavior and more.

Skills to be able to

• plan and carry out procurement processes of different nature
• prepare customized supply and supplier strategies

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

At least 100 credits from the first 2 years of the Bachelor's program in economics and administration or the admission requirements for one-year further education in logistics.

Teaching methods

Classroom teaching combined with group work and guest lectures. The students write a group-based term paper where a challenge within purchasing/supply management in a self-selected company is discussed in the light of theoretical knowledge in the field. Feedback along the way is given in the form of a structured plan for the presentation/opposition of the semester assignments for fellow students as well as feedback from the course supervisor. Based on the feedback, an improved, final version is delivered.

Compulsory learning activities

None

Assessment

Partial exam with two parts:

1) Written school exam, 4 hours (60% of final grade). The exam can be held on a digital exam system.

2) Semester thesis (40% of final grade).

Grade scale A-F, where F corresponds to fail.

Both parts must be passed to get a grade in the course.

Examination support material

For written school exams: None

More about examination support material