Marketing & Logistics 784
Transportation Management
FISHER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND LOGISTICS
COURSE SYLLABUS
Term: Spring 2011
Course TITLE: BUS M&L 784, Transportation Management
Course TIME/
PLACE: Monday/Wednesday – Schoenbaum Rm #230, 1:30 PM to 3:18 PM
Catalog Prerequisites: BUS M&L 650, BUS MGT 330, and BUS MGT 331.
Description: This course is a study of the general characteristics of the 5 modes of transportation (air, motor, pipeline, rail, and water), consideration of competitive relations between modes of transportation, and basic aspects of traffic management. In addition, the course will review the impact of transportation management related to organizational and industry strategies.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES
AND SCOPE: The course is designed to provide the student with:
1) a broad and general exposure to the transportation environment and the management of transportation (from both carrier and shipper perspectives
2) a thorough presentation of how transportation relates to logistics management, supply chain management, and corporate strategies.
3) an exposure to management initiatives and control techniques in transportation management.
INSTRUCTOR: David Widdifield
Fisher Hall, Room #536
(614) 292-2757 (office)
E-mail:
Website: https://carmen.osu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: Office hours: By Appointment
Required Text: Transportation A Supply Chain Perspective, 7th Edition, Coyle, Novack, Gibson, and Bardi,
(South-Western Cengage Learning, 2010); ISBN 13 978-0-324-78919-5, Retail $216.35 (OSU Bookstore; www.ohiostate.bkstore.com), $186.06 (Amazon; www.amazon.com)
Select Articles (available via Carmen class site)
Optional Text: None
Course Lecture
Materials: Course lecture materials include business cases, PowerPoint slides, industry journal articles, and questions from the text. All class materials used for the lecture will be available on our Carmen website for downloading prior to lecture.
COURSE This course will consist of instructor and class led discussions, topic lecture,
FORMAT: guest speakers, case analysis, and industry visits. Each lecture will cover the assigned text chapter as well as a comparison to current trends in the industry. You are expected to attend all classes and to be prepared to discuss and/or apply assigned readings to the class discussion. Students may be called upon to discuss assigned topics and concepts. In addition, students are expected to actively participate in all team projects and papers.
CLASS POINT
TOTAL: Grades will be based upon performance on the following:
Assignment /Points
/Percentage
Case Analysis / 35 / 8.75%Final Exam / 100 / 25%
Mid-Term Exam / 100 / 25%
Guest Speakers / 45 / 11.25%
Participation / 20 / 5%
Transportation Company Team Presentation / 40 / 10%
Transportation Company Team Written Analysis / 60 / 15%
TOTAL
/ 400 / 100%ASSIGNMENT
DETAILS:
1. Case Analysis. Thinking analytically is critical to supply chain professionals at all levels. During the course students will have the opportunity to develop this skill through analysis of text cases. Working in self-selected teams of 4 or 6, students will read and prepare a written analysis of a selected business case (see “Class Schedule”, pg7-11) found at the conclusion of the chapter. Cases are assigned on a “first come, first served” basis, with no more than 3 teams selecting the same case for analysis. The below template will need to be used in preparation of the written case analysis; however some adaptation may be needed in the response to the specific case questions.
a. Case Analysis Template
- Cover page; title, team members, & date
- Case background
- Key players; position/title and role in making the decision?
- What questions need to be answered to come to a decision?
- What alternatives, if applicable, should be considered to help answer the questions? What transportation concepts and tools could be helpful to answer the questions?
- Could alternatives be implemented? What are the benefits and risks? How might the key players react to alternatives?
Each team will submit a single softcopy of the team’s written analysis no later than 11:59pm the day of lecture on corresponding text chapter. The expected deliverable consist of a 2-3 letter sized, 1.5 spaced, type-written paper using 11 pt Arial or Verdana fonts. All documents must include a cover sheet listing student team names, text chapter, case name, and date. Case analysis will account for 35 points towards individual final grade. A grading template is attached at the end of this document.
ASSIGNMENT
DETAILS: (cont’d)
2. Exams. Two exams will be given. The exams will consist of questions drawn from the readings, lectures, and class assignments. You are responsible for the material even if it is not emphasized during the lectures. Pre-exam reviews will be held the 1 or 2 days prior to the exam. This review will focus on material which may be included in the test. Exams will focus on the text chapters contained in the class schedule. Due to the nature of the course and subject matter, exams may contain some comprehensive elements from guest speakers, industry visits, and select articles. There will be no make up exams except in extraordinary situations, which require approval before the scheduled exam. All tests will need to be returned to me at the conclusion of the exam. Each exam will account for 100 points towards the final grade.
3. Guest Speaker Attendance. During the course, we will have the opportunity to host 3 or more senior level managers from leading companies in the supply chain industry. They will provide critical insights to the importance of logistics from a corporate perspective as well as current or emerging industry trends in business and/or employment. The objective of these events is to provide the student with a practitioner’s perspective on the part logistics plays in his/her business. Students unable to attend need to notify me at least 8 hours in advance. Students obtaining an approved absence will need to complete a written analysis of the speaker’s company. This written paper should include; 1-company background, 2-primary service/product, & 3-key competitors. The expected deliverable consist of a 2-3 letter sized, 1.5 spaced, type-written paper using 11 pt Arial or Times New Roman font. Industry visits will account for 45 points towards the final grade.
4. Transportation Company Team Written Analysis. Students will self-select teams of 5-6 persons to review an instructor approved transportation company. Student teams must consist of at least 3 members and not exceed 5. The student team will complete a written analysis of the chosen company’s: 1-company history, 2-primary market & service offerings, 3-market share, 4-key competitors, 5-Intermodal partners (if applicable), & 6-potential opportunities and challenges within the industry. The objective of this project is to gain an understanding of how transportation companies organize their company to meet market opportunities, challenges, service their customers, and increase overall market share. Teams are free to select any transportation company; no 2 teams can select the same company without instructor approval. The completed written analysis is due upon the date of the team’s presentation. The expected deliverable consists a soft copy of a 5-8 letter sized, 1.5 spaced, type-written paper using 11 pt Arial or Verdana font. The team’s paper will account for 60 points towards the final grade. A grading template is attached at the end of this document.
ASSIGNMENT
DETAILS: (cont’d)
5. Transportation Company Team Presentation. Student teams will conduct a 15 minute in-class presentation of their company data gathered during the written analysis portion. The objective of this project is to share with the class the results of their analysis and sharpen public presentation skills. The expected deliverable to the instructor consists of soft copy of the team’s MS PowerPoint presentation due upon the date of the team’s presentation. The team’s presentation will account for 40 points towards the final grade. A grading template is attached at the end of this document.
6. Class Participation. Participation will be based on attendance, preparation for class, appropriate in-class participation during lecture, and quality of in-class participation. Additionally, students’ participation graded is determined by their respective team members. Lack of individual effort on a team project can adversely affect individual participation score. Team members wishing to highlight an individual’s lack of participation will need to document team efforts to engage the nonparticipating member. Any team feeling a member has not been contributing will need to submit their documentation to the instructor. I will consider any team input as a potential part of a student’s overall participation when calculating points. Class participation will account for 20 points towards your final grade.
Assignments You are expected to approach each assignment with the professionalism
and Due Dates: required of you in the “real” world. This is particularly relevant for your interactions with companies and as part of fulfilling the requirements of this course. All assignments, unless otherwise specified, are due on the day of class and not later than 11:59pm following the end class. Additionally, assignments can be submitted any time prior to the due date. A 50% penalty will be assessed for submissions within 24 hours after the assignment is due (one day late). A 100% penalty will be assessed for submissions more than 24 hours after the assignment is due. Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation are expected and will be considered in the grading of all assignments.
Grading The grading scale is guaranteed. You will receive no less than the grade
Scale: listed within the appropriate interval.
Grade / Numeric Range / Quality PointsA / 384-400 points / 4.0
A- / 360-383 points / 3.7
B+ / 348-359 points / 3.3
B / 320-347 points / 3.0
B- / 312-319 points / 2.7
C+ / 300-311 points / 2.3
C / 280-299 points / 2.0
C- / 272-279 points / 1.7
D+ / 264-271 points / 1.3
D / 240-263 points / 1.0
E / 0-239 points / 0.0
ATTENDANCE Class attendance will be taken the 1st three weeks of the quarter to
AND TARDINESS: resolve Registrar scheduling issues. Going forward, students should consider attendance mandatory. I may reinstate attendance in the event of excessive absenteeism. I may also give “no-notice” quizzes and/or classroom exercises related to text or lecture material as needed. These in-class quizzes and exercises cannot be made up if missed without a valid medical excuse or bona fide family emergency. If you miss a quiz or in-class exercise due to tardiness, you will not be able to make up the covered material.
Academic All tests, written exercises, and papers are to be your own work.
Integrity: academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment that fosters excellence in teaching, research, and other educational and scholarly activities. Thus, the Ohio State University and the Committee on Academic Misconduct (COAM) expect that all students have read and understand the University’s Code of Student Conduct, and that all students will complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the University’s Code of Student Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”
The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04) defines academic misconduct as: “Any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to) plagiarism, collusion (unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another student, and possession of unauthorized materials during an examination. Ignorance of the University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered an “excuse” for academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct and, specifically, the sections dealing with academic misconduct. If I suspect that a student has committed academic misconduct in this course, I am obligated by University Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. If COAM determines that you have violated the University’s Code of Student Conduct (i.e., committed academic misconduct), the sanctions for the misconduct could include a failing grade in this course and suspension or dismissal from the University.
If you have any questions about the above policy or what constitutes academic misconduct in this course, please contact me. Other sources of information on academic misconduct (integrity) to which you can refer include:
· The Committee on Academic Misconduct web pages (oaa.osu.edu/coam/home.html)
· Ten Suggestions for Preserving Academic Integrity (oaa.osu.edu/coam/ten-suggestions.html)
· Eight Cardinal Rules of Academic Integrity (www.northwestern.edu/uacc/8cards.html)
Americans If you have a disability, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act
with (ADA), which requires classroom accommodation or auxiliary aids, please
Disabilities inform me of your needs during the first week of class so that I can take
Act: appropriate action.
COURSE The schedule, policies, and assignments contained in this course syllabus
DISCLAIMER: or on my website are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, class progress, or by mutual agreement between the instructor and the students.
Other: All cellular phones, pagers and other electronic communication devices are to be turned off during class. Any electronic recording of the lecture or presentations is not authorized. The only exceptions will be those authorized in writing by the Office of Disability Services.
EXTRA
CREDIT:
There are 3 ways in which you can earn extra credit for the course. You may only receive credit for fulfilling one of the 3 options (not both). Successful fulfillment of each option is worth up to 15 points:
· Supply Chain Topic Analysis (Short Paper option): You may earn up to 15 extra credit points by writing 3 short papers on a recent news item involving logistics management. The topic may be selected from current world news or from events and initiatives within the industry. There should be no report addressing the same topic submitted from different sources. Papers should be well-researched and written not exceeding two (2) pages in length (double-spaced, one-inch margins and 12-point font). You should conduct thorough research on the topic and not simply summarize one to three news articles. The paper should provide brief reference citations within the text and full citations at the back. The deadline for all paper submissions is June 6. Only partial credit will be given to papers that fail to meet my expectations. Should you fail to receive the full 5 points for a paper and wish to revise for consideration, you may do so as long as you provide the original paper and its revision for reevaluation no later than June 6 deadline.