new competencies and
innovations in logistics
Guide on Innovation
The Master "complete logistics applied to the company" (MLI)
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The Master "complete logistics applied to the company" (MLI) |
Spain |
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After careful observation of the recruited logistics managers in the Community of Valencia, the ADL (Asociacion para el Desarollo de la Logistica) developed a reflection of new and better modules (module III with subjects as directive abilities of a logistician, Human Resources and professional ethics, and in module IV with the subject "eco-logistics") adapted to the real tasks and activities of the logistics managers. Based on a job definition analysis, the confusion between technical competences and analysis/control/management competences brought them to the creation and development of a specific Master in 1992. Moreover, the methodology used is very adapted to that specific public that only consists of salaried employees from companies in the Community of Valencia. Four methodologies are mixed: exposure methods, participative methods, active methods and outdoor training. The vocational Master "complete logistics applied to the company" is only accessible to engineers, managers and people with a Bachelor's degree from companies that are members of the association ADL. |
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Background
Firstly, the environment and the notions of ecology, waste destruction, and the future of the earth become more and more important for countries and companies. Companies are growing, new processes are emerging and changing companies' lives. Companies' strategies, nowadays, are more oriented on ecology and the earth's future issues. It is one element that could improve their image, customer satisfaction...
Secondly, as the ADL explained, for a time, companies engaged engineers as logistics directors or for other positions with responsibilities. They wanted engineers because of their university career or because of the technical competences usually understood in the title "engineer". But, in reality, these engineers did not have the necessary knowledge of designing and implementing supply chain management and moreover they were not trained in communicating or motivating others on these matters. They were not confronted during their studies with notions such as leadership, communication, training and development. ADL's proposals have the objective to complete and compensate these needs by creating a specific Master.
Description
The target group of the Master are only employees who have less than three years of university studies and without logistics knowledge in particular. Trainees enter a Master supported by a number of companies in the Community of Valencia and at the same time they work on the job for ADL during the entire duration of the Master with the very important possibility to remain working for the company. Companies pay for the Master in exchange for these employees to continue working for the company (to work in practice in their company) and conduct the final project of the Master in their company. And the employees know the new job they will get after the Master.
New or key competencies
The general objective of the Master is to supply the trainees with knowledge, abilities and competences necessary to efficiently describe, implement and manage the supply chain: from the suppliers to the customers of the organisation.
- The specific objectives are the following:
- To propose the management tools to trainees which enable them to optimise processes and decision making linked to complete logistics.
- To prepare professionals to be able to solve logistics problems of the company: including the complete management of its production processes, supplying, warehousing, maintenance, distribution and transport at national and international levels in order to obtain customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- To develop logistics management abilities that enable availability of goods and services to the customers: place, desired conditions and form at the lowest cost.
- This is the list of matters and modules of that Master.
| Module I | Logistics direction | Functionality and organisation |
| Importance of Logistics in the company management | ||
| Description and structure in the company organisation chart | ||
| Integrated logistics application: advantages and drawbacks | ||
| Concept of valour chain and its logistics application | ||
| Logistics planning | Data analysis: statistical methods | |
| Planning process of a company | ||
| Predicted methods of the demand | ||
| Data analysis: statistical methods | ||
| Use of SW of predictions in the analysis of data | ||
| Plans and budgets | ||
| Session of competences' development | Outdoor training | |
| English for logistics | ||
| Module II | Work tools | Analysis of methods and times |
| Introduction to linear planning | ||
| Mixed and whole linear planning | ||
| Analysis of waiting lines | ||
| Costs knowledge and control | ||
| Analytic accountability | ||
| Costs based on the activity (costs ABC) | ||
| Quantitative means of help for decision making | ||
| Logistics simulation | ||
| Purchasing management | Supply chain principles | |
| Purchasing remarks for the company | ||
| Reasons for subcontracting | ||
| Purchasing processes. Sectoral processes | ||
| Outsourcing management | ||
| Research and selection of suppliers | ||
| Suppliers evaluation: AHP in the decision process | ||
| Quality in the suppliers: following | ||
| Receipt checking | ||
| Stocks and warehouses management | Multiplaces management | |
| Stock control | ||
| Loading unity | ||
| Techniques of handling and warehousing | ||
| Handling costs | ||
| Automatic warehouses | ||
| Order preparation | ||
| Picking worker to the goods | ||
| Produced picking to the worker | ||
| Place and description of platforms | ||
| Codification systems and gathering of information | ||
| Inventory's policies | ||
| Module III | Directive abilities of a logistician | Motivation and leadership |
| Communication | ||
| Management of work teams | ||
| Negotiation. Decision making | ||
| Quality and service | ||
| Human Resources and professional ethics | Personal selection | |
| Training and development | ||
| Remuneration policies | ||
| Logistics safety | ||
| Module IV | Physical distribution | Transport |
| Subcontracting and tariff systems | ||
| Intermodal transport | ||
| Route planning | ||
| Logistics operators | ||
| Direct incoming, cross docking and warehousing | ||
| Management of cycles and places | ||
| International trade | ||
| Networks of external trade | ||
| INCOTERMS | ||
| International goods transport | ||
| Trade logistics | Distribution channels | |
| Efficient answer to the customer (ECR) | ||
| Logistics of the sales point | ||
| Merchandising | ||
| DPP and Spaceman | ||
| Informatics applications | ||
| Industrial logistics | New goods management | |
| Production planning | ||
| Needs calculation | ||
| Variability analysis of processes | ||
| Planning and launching of production orders | ||
| Integrated systems of management | ||
| Management of goods families | ||
| Eco-logistics | Goods life cycle | |
| Reversed logistics | ||
| Packaging | ||
| Module V | Supply chain management | Supply chain management |
| Information valour | ||
| Development of functional strategies | ||
| Company tendencies | ||
| e-logistics | The electronic trade | |
| The market places | ||
| B2B-B2C | ||
| E-fulfilment | ||
| Logistics of the last thousand | ||
| Total theory hours (presentations, visits, conferences, seminaries.): 533 hours Practices and company project: 920 hours Total of the hours: 1,453 hours |
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Implementation problems and solutions
The Master contents are adapted to the close evolution of markets, of logistics and to the companies' exigencies from the Community of Valencia.
Results
From 1992 to 2003, 59 people took that Master. That Master has been taught for more than ten years and the number of companies that send their employees has not stopped increasing. The companies' trust shows their satisfaction with the Master.
Elements of good practice and transferability
The first element of good practice is the fact that the trainee knows before the end of the training the new job he will get. It is a rewarding element because the trainee is chosen by his company and that element encourages him to follow the training with attention.
The second element is the methodology based on four means:
Expositive methods with the help of audiovisual means: video, TV, overhead projector for slides. The projection facilitates the understanding of the studied contents of every didactical unit. At the same time, the video projection is followed by a debate in which the participation of the trainee is assessed.
Participative methods based on group techniques, with the objective that the trainees assimilate, think and can make significant conclusions on the subjects that are discussed.
Active methods based on simulation exercises where the trainees are shown different sheets of paper representing situations extracted from real life; practical cases and information elaboration.
Outdoor training that consists of activities made in order to develop leadership competences, teamwork and interpersonal communication: visits to companies, trade fairs and expositions.