MIT Courses

Jonathan Byrnes has taught at MIT for over fifteen years. The courses he has taught, Case Studies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Integrated Account Management, together cover all strategic and operational aspects of customer-supplier relationships. He has taught over 1500 MIT graduate students and executives, and his teaching ratings are among the highest at MIT.

Case Studies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
(1.261J - ESD.261J - 15.771J)

Sweeping changes have been taking place in corporate and intercompany logistics and supply chain management. These changes are altering the prevailing operational and competitive paradigms in many industries. Case Studies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management is a joint CTL-ESD-Sloan course that covers the creation and management of innovative product flow systems spanning procurement, operations, and distribution.

Case Studies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management will have three recurring themes:

• Innovative product flow system design requires breaking out of old paradigms, and seeing the product flow process from a strategic, integrative perspective.
• Changes to product flow require parallel changes to management systems and structures, such as planning, mea­surement, compen­sation, and organization.
• A well-defined change management process is essential.

The course will explore these themes by:

1. Developing a broad understanding of the essentials of supply chain management and logistics
2. Integrating supply chain and logistics system design with corporate and competitive strategy
3. Exploring current trends in quantum product flow innovation, such as intercompany operating partnerships and channel restructuring
4. Developing knowledge of managing supply chains, including interfun­tional coordination and change management

This course will combine discussion sessions, case studies, and readings. Also, guest executives will discuss how they created and managed paradigmatic supply chain innovations. The course focuses on strategic, management, and operations design issues. While some quantification is important, it is not a predomi­nantly quantitative course.

Integrated Account Management
(ESD.936)

Integrated Account Management is a graduate-level course that covers (1) effective processes for Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain managers to work together in market planning and account management; and (2) development of intercompany sup­ply chain innovations to create strategic differentiation and quantum market share increases.

Across our economy, companies are reducing their supplier bases by 30-60%. The suppliers that remain see market share and profitability increases of 30% or more. Market planning, integrated account management, and intercompany supply chain innovations are the critical factors that determine which suppliers see the increase, and which lose out.

The course covers the following topics:

• Strategy – supply chain management as a critical differentiator, cost/profit impact on both supplier and account.
• Extended Supply Chains – scope and nature of intercompany supply chains; development and implementation lifecycles.
• Market Planning – ties between operations/supply chain planning and customer/product planning; product and relationship migration paths.
• Account Selection – relationship selection based on upside, operating fit, willingness to partner.
• Account Planning – use of supply chain management to deepen account relationships; mapping and engaging the extended buying center.
• Account Management – selling, building operating ties, administrative/behavioral drivers (planning, compensation).
• Change Management – internal interfunctional teaming, changing the customer.

In most companies today, these critical functions are largely split between Sales and Marketing on the one hand, and Supply Chain Management on the other. The objective of this course is to provide an integrated framework and process for managers in these functional areas to partner for the selection and development of target accounts.

The class is aimed at both Supply Chain students, and Sales and Marketing students. Integrated Account Management is designed to complement my other course, Case Studies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, although either course can be taken independently.