Avila University offers entry into one of the most high-demand, lucrative and fascinating fields today: supply chain management. The online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Supply Chain Management program prepares students for essential roles overseeing the production flow of goods or services from start to finish with a thorough understanding of how business functions today and will meet the future.
The curriculum blends a traditional business education with specialized courses so students develop a holistic understanding of how businesses work and how the supply chain integrates with other functions. In addition to focusing on topics in supply chain total quality management, procurement, operations management and project management, courses cover general business knowledge such as marketing, finance and operating a business in an increasingly digital world.
Ultimately, students graduate ready to help deliver on every global sales organization’s primary goal of implementing quality and efficiency across the supply chain.
What Is the Supply Chain?
Supply chain is an umbrella term describing the end-to-end connections between the production, shipment and distribution of products across the nation and around the world. It involves all business disciplines, including finance, operations, sales, manufacturing, distribution, supplier management and technology/IT.
The supply chain includes five core functions:
- Plan/strategy
- Source of materials or services
- Manufacturing
- Delivery and logistics
- Returns system
Through the supply chain network, businesses can achieve large-scale growth through the advantages of selling in multiple markets. In addition, the efficiencies of a well-managed supply chain enable companies to minimize costs and delivery time to retailers and end users while maximizing profits.
So, what is the business importance of the supply chain today? Companies with extended global supply chains have between 80% and 90% of their costs involved in their supply chains. However, according to FinancesOnline, “only 22% of companies have a proactive supply chain network,” so the industry needs an infusion of trained talent.
What Do Supply Chain Managers Do?
Supply chain management (SCM) refers to the oversight and coordination of the entire upstream and downstream flows of business activity related to the supply chain, focusing on people, processes and systems. As a result, managers maximize efficiency and minimize the costs of an organization’s supply chain. In addition, with expertise in network structure, standards and technologies, they can collaborate with managers in other departments to execute the development and implementation of operational processes throughout the different facilities and fleets involved in the supply chain.
Some of the responsibilities supply chain managers take on include identifying supply chain bottlenecks and problems, continually optimizing pricing per market and improving the allocation of resources to the various entities involved in the process. The program prepares graduates to contribute by becoming collaborative, connected, cognitively enabled and cyber-aware.
Managerial roles upon graduation may include logistics manager, supply chain analyst, operations manager, purchasing manager and quality control manager, some of which deal with one particular function, while others are cross-functional. Many positions require a wide range of aptitudes and training in mathematics, logic, communication, organization and leadership, while others use a more concentrated set of skills.
What Is the Salary and Employment Outlook?
The global supply chain is becoming increasingly complex, as are the individual supply chains of hiring organizations selling products. Opportunities are nearly boundless for graduates of a supply chain program.
Salary.com reports that the median salary for supply chain managers in the United States as of December 2023 is $124,049. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 18% job growth between 2022 and 2032 and reports a median annual salary of $77,520 for logisticians. Median salaries for management analysts rise to $95,290 (with 10% projected growth) and earnings for industrial production managers rise to $107,560 (with 2% projected growth).
If you are interested in a field with excellent career prospects that will challenge your mind and provide a wide range of exciting opportunities, the supply chain concentration may be ideal for your ambitions.
Learn more about Avila University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Supply Chain Management program.
