Autonomous robots are expected to see strong growth over the next five years, particularly within supply chain operations that include lower-value, potentially dangerous or high-risk tasks.

This module provides participants with a working knowledge of methods for design and analysis of robotics and intelligent systems in supply chain. Participants will gain an understanding of how the ability to leverage AI and robotics automation in supply chains will become a major source of competitive advantage.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a revolutionary technology for every major industry, including retail, transportation, finance, healthcare, and accounting.IoT shows its full potential in processes like supply chain. Management, forecasting, and oversight applications help fleet managers improve the operational efficiency of distribution and add transparency to decision-making.

Transforming the supply chain requires identifying and implementing the right supply chain strategy. It is crucial to have the end game and business case well-defined and to follow an excellent change management process.

Besides the need to adapt, supply chains also have the opportunity to reach the next horizon of operational effectiveness, leveraging emerging digital supply chain business models, to transform the company into a digital supply chain. This module focuses on the opportunities created by digitalisation, new consumer segments and integrated technologies and explores how to get more value from your supply chain and improve profits.

Strategic sourcing is an approach to supply chain management that formalises the way information is gathered and used so that an organisation can leverage its consolidated purchasing power to find the best values. It serves as a roadmap to procure the goods and services the organisation knows it needs ahead of time, allowing procurement professionals time to find the best price, instead of waiting until there is an immediate need.

Purchasing professionals are now expected to be agile, more informed and able to develop proactive supply management strategies that are aligned with organisation’s competitive objectives. The shift from transactional, operational purchasing to strategic procurement is inevitable. This certificate programme seeks to develop in participants a comprehensive set of skills required of a world-class purchasing professional to implement the most up-to-date procurement strategies and policies.

In this module, participants will be provided with a basic understanding and tools to evaluate large amounts of data. They will learn how to use the data to identify new opportunities and create an effective plan based on the insights it provides. Companies will also be able to use the analytical data to understand the many changes and challenges that occur within their own business and the market in which they operate.

From understanding the dynamics of negotiation to applying different tactics to delivering an AWESOME negotiation, the key to successful negotiation is that the more prepared you are, the more confident and effective you’ll be. This module provides participants with the practical approach, tools, knowledge and confidence they need to direct negotiations to their advantage. Participants will be introduced to a logical, step-by-step process that will ensure they have the best plan in place to achieve the desired objective with their negotiation.

There may be situations requiring complex solutions with a combination of goods, works, or services, where value for money may not be achieved by using “lowest evaluated bid” as the contract award criterion; rather, striking a balance between cost and quality may be necessary to meet intended development targets. This module teaches participants the logical systematic evaluation procedure that should be followed in order to determine accurately the lowest evaluated substantially responsive bid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the bidding document organisation requirements.

From establishing the need to buy to translating a particular need into detailed requirements, the thinking process is key. With the perfect marriage of design thinking with specification writing, efficiency and effectiveness could be enhanced for maximum benefit for your organisation. In this module, participants will explore the use of design thinking in a specification writing context. They will learn from the many cases shared how to achieve precision and clarity in communicating the needs of procurement.