Supply Chain Frontiers issue #44
Supply chain management education in Asia will reach a milestone this August when the Malaysia Institute for Supply Chain Innovation (MISI) inaugurates its first Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (MSCM) class. Currently accepting applications, the program is unequaled in that it combines a world-class curriculum with content and teaching methods geared to the region.
MISI, based in Shah Alam, Malaysia, became the fourth center in the Global SCALE (Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence) Network in March 2011. One of its core goals is to become a source of top talent for the Asian and international supply chain communities.
“The region’s rapid growth and a worldwide shortage of supply chain talent have created an urgent demand for top-tier supply chain schools in Asia. MISI represents a major step forward in meeting this demand,” says Dr. Mahender Singh, Rector, MISI.
The new academic program is exclusive to MISI. “MSCM mirrors the acclaimed master’s program at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, but is tailored to supply chain management in Asia,” explains MISI Associate Professor, Dr. Albert Tan.
Two key elements of the curriculum are its focus on the characteristics of Asian supply chains and a customized learning environment.
Local and Global SCM Mix
Supply chains in the region are distinctive in a number of ways. “Malaysia is a hub, and a lot of international companies have facilities for logistics services and manufacturing in the country,” says Dr. Javad Feizabadi, Assistant Professor, MISI.
On a regional level, countries such as China, India, and Singapore are major players in both intra-Asia and global trades. They host some of the world’s biggest ports and – certainly in the case of China and India – world-leading manufacturing operations.
Yet many markets are dominated not by multinationals, but by long-established small-to-midsize businesses. For example, “the mom and pop shops are actually able to sustain and respond back to the challenge posed by the big retail chains in Malaysia,” notes MISI Assistant Professor, Dr. Asad Ata.
The MSCM program covers supply chain practices that may not be deemed important in other parts of the world, but are a major feature of the commercial landscape in Asia.
Take, for example, the trade in halal products (for more on this see “Islam’s Logistics Challenges,” Frontiers, Winter 2011). Halal is a set of rules that describes what is permissible under Islamic law. “Accountability is crucially important in the end-to-end halal supply chain,” says Ata, with a particular emphasis on high visibility and precise product tracking.
The region’s rural supply chains pose other challenges. “In countries such as India and Vietnam, the last mile may be inaccessible by vehicle because goods must be delivered to rural communities,” points out Tan.
Supply chain perspectives from neighboring regions such as the Middle East are also taken into account in the program. “There are important aspects of supply chain management that are relevant to companies in the Middle East that sell products to China, India, and other countries in Asia, and to other world markets through intermediary Asian ports,” says Feizabadi.
Real-World Learning Environment
MISI’s new program teaches students about these regional nuances as well as western supply chain practices. In addition, special attention is paid to delivering knowledge in a way that is conducive to local cultures and social mores.
Students learn about challenges that are often overlooked by other programs, such as local regulatory and infrastructural issues. And through “action learning,” they visit facilities from top ports to small businesses to gain firsthand experience of how supply chains are designed and managed in the region.
“We are able to show the students how these supply chains function in the real world, something that schools in western countries cannot do,” says Ata.
Faculty members at MISI are developing case studies based on local and regional enterprises. Feizabadi is studying established case study formats with a view to adapting them to the needs of MISI’s learning programs. “We can use general templates for the content, while building customized cases for the Asian region,” he explains.
There will be opportunities for students to take classes in SCALE Network centers in Europe, North America, and Latin America. These exchanges will enable individuals to improve their understanding of other cultures and to work in international teams – increasingly important skills in today’s global business environment.
In the long term, innovative schools such as MISI will help to transform the supply chain discipline in Asia as the region’s economies continue to expand.
“In Asia, supply chain management generally is still very much in a silo,” says Tan. The profession is not usually cast in corporate leadership or strategic roles, particularly in small-to-midsize companies.
The inaugural class that is scheduled to begin in August 2012 is generating much interest from countries across Asia, and MISI aims to attract students from Africa and the Middle East as well. Generous financial support from the Malaysian government for scholarships makes the program even more attractive for prospective students.
“Our program teaches the concepts and skills that students need to excel as supply chain management professionals, and they gain this knowledge here, in Asia, where many of the changes that are reshaping global supply chains are taking place,” says Singh.
The final deadline for MSCM applications is April 15, 2012. For more information and to apply, go to the MISI website at: http://www.misi.edu.my. For more information on the institute, contact MISI rector, Dr. Mahender Singh.