MG5580 Business Modelling and Simulation in Supply Chains Coursework Brief

Main Objective of the Assessment 

You are required to complete three tasks that assess your understanding of recent developments in theory related to supply chain management and successful applications of simulation in real life. 

Task 1: Essay on A Model From A Seminal Research Paper

In this task, the goal is to write an essay on a model or simulation used in one seminal paper about a supply chain topic. This needs to be done by looking at one highly cited paper in the literature. The paper must have been published in the last five years and from a top-ranked and highly respected journal such as:

• Management Science 
• Operations Research 
• Manufacturing and Service Operations Management 
• Production and Operations Management 
• European Journal of Operational Research 

You are free to choose the topic and paper on your own but it is strongly advised that you confirm your choice with the module 

Your essay should briefly contain the motivation for the subject, a literature review, insights from the results, and directions for future research. As the main part and most importantly, your essay should explain in the appropriate level of detail the main modeling and solution approach used in the paper. It must be conveyed clearly in your essay that you have a very good understanding of the model. If you use a numerical example to elaborate on the model (which is highly recommended) all calculations and explanations should be done clearly.  

TASK 2: Report on a Real-Life Application of Simulation

In this task, your goal is to write a short essay reporting on a successful application of simulation techniques in one area of supply chain management. Your report must briefly explain the details of sthe imulation used in that context. The advantages of using the simulation must also be clearly conveyed. You are free to use non-academic as well as academic sources including, but not limited to, white papers, news articles, documentaries, etc. You are free to use a combination of different sources as well. However, referencing must be done accurately thought out.