510198 - GLOBAL VALUE CHAIN (GVC) AND SUSTAINABILITY

courses

ID:

510198

Duration (hours):

44

CFU:

SSD:

ECONOMIA E GESTIONE DELLE IMPRESE

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (22/09/2025 - 19/12/2025)

Course Objectives

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: - To develop students’ understanding of the scope and function of operations management and the theory and practice of global supply chains. - To enhance students’ knowledge of the strategic role of digital technologies in optimising global supply chains and to examine how decision-makers respond to such transformations. - To equip students with the skills required to design and manage resilient global value chains. - To foster an understanding of the sustainability-related challenges in global operations and supply chain management, including the ability to identify and critically assess the trade-offs between economic, environmental, and social objectives. LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to explain how multinational corporations organise and manage their global activities, analyse the nature of global challenges and their managerial implications, including those related to sustainability, and identify appropriate global strategies for value creation in multinational contexts. Students will also be able to evaluate trade-offs between economic performance and sustainability goals in the design and management of global value chains.

Course Prerequisites

None

Teaching Methods

The course combines lectures with experiential learning methods, including group discussions, individual and group assignments, problem-solving exercises, and case study analysis. While attendance is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended, as each session constitutes an integral component of the course. Active participation is expected—not merely presence. Students are required to engage meaningfully in discussions and collaborative work. When preparatory materials are assigned, students are expected to review them in advance to ensure productive contributions during class activities.

Assessment Methods

The overall grade includes 2 assessments: 1) Written exam (the format will be discussed in class) on the topics covered during the lectures. The questions aim to assess both understanding and comprehension of the topics covered during the course. The weight of the written exam grade is equal to 70% of the final grade. 2) Group Work (presentation or essay or poster). The focus of the group work is to map the global value chain of a specific firm, seeking to understand how both technological and sustainable dimensions affect the configuration of the supply chain). The weight of the group work is equal to 30% of the final grade. Note that the points obtained in the group work will be considered valid only after reaching the minimum score of 18/30 in the written exam.

Texts

Books - Morgan Swink, Steven Melnyk, and Janet L. Hartley (2020). Managing Operations Across the Supply Chain. McGraw Hill Education. Readings - Ponte, S. (Ed.). (2019). Handbook on global value chains. Edward Elgar Publishing. - Wolfgang Lehmacher (2017). The Global Supply Chain: How Technology and Circular Thinking Transform Our Future. Springer. - Hernández, V., & Pedersen, T. (2017). Global value chain configuration: A review and research agenda. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 20(2), 137-150. - Strange, R., & Zucchella, A. (2017). Industry 4.0, global value chains and international business. Multinational Business Review. - De Marchi, V., De Maria, E. D., & Micelli, S. (2013). Environmental strategies, upgrading and competitive advantage in global value chains. Business strategy and the environment, 22(1), 62-72. - Wahl, A., & Bull, G. Q. (2014). Mapping research topics and theories in private regulation for sustainability in global value chains. Journal of Business Ethics, 124(4), 585-608. Supplementary readings will be announced throughout the course.

This course explores the strategic role of operations management within global supply chains in contemporary international business. It provides preliminary foundations on global value chains (GVCs), examining how firms organise production and coordinate value-creating activities across borders. Particular attention is given to how technological and sustainability-related challenges shape the design and management of global supply chains. This is the structure of the module that corresponds to the macro-topics covered during the course: 1) Introduction to the global value chain 2) Principles of supply chain management 3) Sustainability: opportunities and challenges 4) Digital transformation