Global Sourcing and Procurement

9.9.2026 - 9.10.2026

5 cr

Registration open

Face-to-face

Topics that will be covered during the course are based on three major themes:

Theme 1: Strategic Purchasing and Supply Management
• Role of purchasing in the value chain, definitions of concepts, importance of purchasing to business, classification of purchasing goods, and new developments in purchasing
• Purchasing strategy and management process, including purchasing management processes, how purchasing and supply management develop, purchasing strategy, cost leadership and differentiation, lean manufacturing

Theme 2: Category Management and Supply Performance
• Category Management, which involves cost-saving potential, developing a sourcing strategy, category sourcing planning, myth of partnership
• Supply Research, includes analyzing markets, identifying potential suppliers, assessing risks, and evaluating sourcing opportunities
• Performance Measurement, including factors influencing purchasing performance measurement, purchasing budgets, savings, and other measures such as audit as a management tool

Theme 3: Sustainable Purchasing and Supply Innovation
• Supply Chain Management involves coordinating procurement, production, and logistics to optimize efficiency, cost, and value delivery
• Purchasing, sustainability, and ethics involve the importance of CSR, purchasing’s contribution to people, the planet, and profit, and responsible purchasing
• Purchasing in retail and innovation involves buying and supply management in retail, integrating purchasing in NPD processes, suppliers’ involvement in NPD, open innovation, and quality management

Contains

Check the institution’s website for the required studies.

No active implementations at present.

Additional information and registration

Price and registration period: Check on the university's website

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Additional information:

Fields

Business, administration and law

Scope

5 cr

Code

TUTA2140

This course aims to prepare students with a comprehensive understanding of the strategic roles of purchasing and sourcing in the global value chain and modern business environments. The course holds knowledge on contemporary topics related to procurement and intends to develop students' skills in the strategic understanding of purchasing processes and management, supply research, and decision-making in supply chain management. In addition, this course offers several avenues for students to enhance analytical and critical thinking skills including problem-solving, knowledge assessment, and interpretation. It also fosters an understanding of ethics, responsibility, and sustainability in the context of global sourcing and procurement. The course is designed to offer students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, preparing them for roles in global sourcing and procurement within various business environments.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic roles of sourcing, procurement, and suppliers in the global value chain and modern business environments.
• Identify and evaluate the key factors influencing industrial buying behavior, with a specific focus on public procurement processes and regulations.
• Outline and apply the steps involved in the purchasing management process, from need identification to supplier evaluation and contract management.
• Explore various sourcing strategies, processes, organizational models, and performance scorecards.
• Conduct comprehensive supply research to identify potential suppliers, assess market conditions, and make informed purchasing decisions.
• Learn how to set up and use supplier-related scorecards to measure performance and strategic fit.
• Develop and implement category sourcing strategies to achieve better results from suppliers, including cost savings, quality improvements, and innovation.
Additionally, the course develops:
• Analytical and critical thinking (strengthen critical thinking and problem solving, knowledge assessment, and interpretation).
• Interpersonal skills (teamwork, communication, and collaboration).
• Ethics, responsibility, and sustainability (holistic understanding of sustainable futures, moral principles and accountability).

Purchasing. Supply Chain Management: Analysis, Strategy, Planning, and Practice by Arjan J. van Weele, 5th edition, ISBN: 978-1-4080-1896-5, 2010, Cengage Learning EMEA.
Purchasing and Supply Chain Management by W.C. Benton, Jr., Fourth edition, Thousand Oaks, California, SAGE Publications, ISBN: 9781071804766.
Delivering Customer Value through Procurement and Strategic Sourcing – A Professional Guide to Creating a Sustainable Supply Network by Walter L. Wallace and Yusen Xia, Pearson Education Inc., 2015, USA. ISBN-10: 0-13-388982-3.

Organiser

University of Vaasa

Contact details

avoinyo@uwasa.fi

029 449 8004

Belongs to themes:

Sustainable development and growth

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