Blockchain in Supply Chain and Logistics Management

Students are expected to be familiar with supply chain and logistics management as well as blockchain (It is also highly recommended taking ‘Basic of Blockchain’ module developed by Professor Mikko Ranta)

This course offers the basic concept of blockchain technology and brings forward its opportunities and challenges by deploying it to supply chain and logistics (SC&L) management. It also demonstrates several real-life use cases and explores future prospects and trends of blockchain in decentralized organizational structures, networks, and applications. In addition, the students will learn about the fundamentals of blockchain along with a hands-on exercise, smart contracts in SC&L, an overview of the supply chain and its challenges, application of blockchain in supply chain and logistics management with its accompanying benefits, challenges, and use cases.

After this course, students will be able to:
o Learn what blockchain technology is and how it works
o Develop a solid basic understanding of several aspects of blockchain and smart contract
o Identify the main challenges in today’s SC&L domain and to know why blockchain is a great fit along with its potential solutions
o Understand the integration and impact of blockchain in SC&L domain
o Explore real-life use cases applicable to blockchain in SC&L domain
o Recognize the opportunities and challenges of blockchain in SC&L domain
o Explore prospects and trends of blockchain in decentralized organizational structures, networks, and applications

Additionally, the course develops:

1. Analytical and critical thinking skills (knowledge assessment and interpretation)
2. Digital skills (hands-on exercise and assessment based on Python programming for building blockchain)

1. Subramanian, N., Chaudhuri, A., & Kayıkcı, Y. (2020). Blockchain and Supply Chain Logistics: Evolutionary Case Studies. Springer Nature.
2. Waller, M. A., Van Hoek, R., Davletshin, M., & Fugate, B. (2019). Integrating Blockchain Into Supply Chain Management: A Toolkit for Practical Implementation. Kogan Page, Limited.
3. Vyas, N., Beije, A., & Krishnamachari, B. (2019). Blockchain and the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies and Practical Applications. Kogan Page Publishers.
4. Pagano, A. M., & Liotine, M. (2019). Technology in Supply Chain Management and Logistics: Current Practice and Future Applications. Elsevier

Five places have been reserved for Open University students for this implementation.