Study Guide

Objective

After completing the course, students understand how purchasing and a purchasing organization works in a company, know the cost picture in the purchase process , are able to analyze the supplier selection and know what criteria applies to outsourcing. The student should be aware of the role of purchasing in the value chain.

In addition, the student should be able to:
-Evaluate their own work and that of others
-Critically study and give feedback to report works
-Crictically evaluate different technical methods
-Account for and discuss opinions
-Argument and reason around technical questions

Content

Purchasing process, buying behavior
Organization and structure of purchasing
Supplier relationship
Contracts and laws
Public procurement
Ethics and good practice
Negotiations and contracting

Location and time

Time: See course calendar (in Peppi) for course schedule
Place: Novia-Vasa-Engineering or online (Moodle)

Materials

We do not actually use a textbook, instead we use resources from here and from there - but if you learn the best by reading a proper book from A to Z, I recommend:
Weele, Arjan J. van (2014). Purchasing & Supply Chain Management : Analysis, Strategy, Planning and Practice. Cengage Learning. 6th edition. ISBN: 978-1-4080-8846-3
Erisman, Porter (2018). Six Billion Shoppers : the Companies Winning the Global E-commerce Boom. Pan Books. ISBN: 978-1-5098-7477-4
Solomon, Michael R.; Bamossy, Gary J.; Hogg, Margaret K.; Askegaard, Søren (2016). Consumer Behaviour : a European Perspective. Pearson Education Limited. Sixth edition. ISBN: 9781292063423

Teaching methods

Project-based learning, lectures, exercises, feedback-sessions and self-studies.

Employer connections

One excursion or guest lecture during the course.

Exam schedules

By performing weekly project works and by participating in feedback sessions (with discussion) or self-development activities and excursion or guest lecture you collect points that lead to the final grade.
The first return box closes automatically the evening before the week's lecture. The report submitted here is assessed and scored within one week. The second submission box will remain open until the course starts again next year (if you have no grade by then you start again from zero points). These "late" submissions are graded within one month (not in june-july).
Course grade within one week after the last project, or within one month after the last submission (not in june-july).

Completion alternatives

Can be completed without attendance in class - you can do the projects on your own and can perform self-development activities instead of participating in feedback sessions (see more about these in Moodle).

Student workload

The student is expected to spend a total of 10 hours of work per week on the course in order to reach the European goals of 25-30 hours of work per credits obtained. 3 hours of local education (or equivalent amount of time spent on studying online material and doing self-development activities) and 7 hours of work on own time.

Content scheduling

Week Project
1 Purchasing
2 Purchasing Specifications
3 Purchasing Portfolio –tool
4 The Purchaser’s Role
5 Outsourcing Choice
6 AHP-analysis (Analytic Hierarchy Process)
7 Automatic Systems for Purchasing
8 Contracts and Deals
9 Negotiation Technique
10 Supplier Evaluation, KPI
11 Public Procurement
12 AI in Purchasing
13 Purchasing Ethics
14 Organizing for Purchasing
15 Excursion/Guest Lecture (can be held at other time)
16 Conclusion

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

On request, can analyze an existing purchasing portfolio, and draw conclusions about what should be prioritized.
Knows the importance of purchasing to corporate profits, and knows that international purchasing is an opportunity.
Knows the connection between purchasing, costs and profit
Knows some of the area's central concepts in a foreign language
Can participate in a discussion about purchasing.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Can independently analyze and develop a premade plan
Can specify which problems you can encounter in purchasing
Understands how effective and efficient purchasing is the basis for a company's production and sales.
Can understand texts in a foreign language that deal with the current theme
Can hold a presentation about purchasing.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Can evaluate and propose improvements for a plan
Can argue for and against different strategies and models for purchasing.
Can propose the most optimal methods of purchasing internationally, from a cost and time perspective.
Can learn from literature in a foreign language about Purchasing
Can describe and explain the role of the purchasing function and its meaningfulness to third parties

Assessment methods and criteria

By performing project works and by participating in feedback sessions (with discussion) or self-development activities and excursion or guest lecture you collect points that lead to the final grade.
For participation in project work, the following points are awarded:
Failed = 0p (The work is obviously deficient, parts are left unfinished)
Accepted = 1p (A good work)
Excellent = 2p (Demands that you show significant initiative, creativity, enthusiasm)
For participation in a feedback-session (constructive, detailed feedback) = 1p
For completion of a self-development activity (serious, analytical) = 1p
For active participation in an excursion/guest lecture (discussing, writing) = 1p
Points Results
32->43 = 5
29->31 = 4
26->28 = 3
23->25 = 2
20->22 = 1

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Insufficient knowledge and/or course effort to achieve a grade of 1

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

On request, can analyze an existing purchasing portfolio, and draw conclusions about what should be prioritized.
Knows the importance of purchasing to corporate profits, and knows that international purchasing is an opportunity.
Knows the connection between purchasing, costs and profit
Knows some of the area's central concepts in a foreign language
Can participate in a discussion about purchasing.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Can independently analyze and develop a premade plan
Can specify which problems you can encounter in purchasing
Understands how effective and efficient purchasing is the basis for a company's production and sales.
Can understand texts in a foreign language that deal with the current theme
Can hold a presentation about purchasing.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Can evaluate and propose improvements for a plan
Can argue for and against different strategies and models for purchasing.
Can propose the most optimal methods of purchasing internationally, from a cost and time perspective.
Can learn from literature in a foreign language about Purchasing
Can describe and explain the role of the purchasing function and its meaningfulness to third parties

Qualifications

-

Further information

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