CMiME:Operations in eCommerce

PART I:DIGITAL ENTERPRISE STRATEGY FORMATION TOP-DOWN & BOTTOM-UP

1. Introduction to Operations Strategy
2. Antecedents of Behavior Supporting Bottom-up Operations Strategy Formation

PART II:CUSTOMER CENTRICITY FROM A MANUFACTURER PERSPECTIVE: MIXED MODEL ASSEMBLY LINES FOR LIMITLESS PRODUCT CUSTOMIZATION

1. Mixed Model Assembly Lines
2. Case Study I: The ‘FENDT VarioTakt’—Revolutionizing Mixed-Model Assembly Line Production

Part III:CUSTOMER CENTRICITY FROM A RETAILER PERSPECTIVE: CUSTOMER REACTIVATION, CUSTOMER CHURN PREVENTION, SEGMENT-OF-ONE CUSTOMER TARGETING, CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAMS VS SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

1. Mail Order Optimization at Rhenania Buchversand
2. Case Study II: Customer Reactivation Management in the Pharmacy Market: Resource-efficient Implementation of Direct Marketing Campaigns for Long-term Profit Maximization
3. Proactive Retention Management in Retailing: Identifying, Predicting & Preventing Partial Defection
4. Maximizing the Potential of Targeted Marketing – A General Framework for Customized Category Promotions in Retail
5. Case Study III: The RealPro Customer Benefits Program: Rekindling Shopper Loyalty through a Subscription Service

Part IV:DEMAND FORECASTING: PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS, SEASONAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

1. Promotional Demand Forecasts for Seasonal Products using Machine Learning

2. Case Study IV: Canyon Bicycles - Judgmental Demand Forecasting for Direct Sales

3. Analytics for staffing and schedule optimization in systems with load-dependent service times

Part V:MANAGING RETURNS FRONT-END OR BACK-END: SALVAGING PORTFOLIOS OR INFORMATION PROVISION

1. Competitive Returns Policies with Salvaging: When Less is More
2. How Providing Information Increases Return Rates

Part VII:BEST PRACTICE

1. Outsourcing in E-commerce

There is no textbook available. Cases and readings, mostly working papers under review or recently published articles in top managerial or academic journals, provide novel insights into the e-commerce operations of leading European retail, manufacturing or service companies. The reading list—including case studies—is contained in the detailed course outline.Cachon, Gerard P.; Christian Terwiesch (2019): Matching Supply with Demand: An Introduction to Operations Management, 4th Edition, McGraw HillCachon, Gerard P.; Christian Terwiesch (2019): Operations Management, 2nd Edition, McGraw HillChopra, Sunil; Peter Meindl (2016): Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operations, PearsonSchniederjans, Marc J.; Qing Cao; Jason H. Triche (2014): E-commerce Operations Management, Second Edition, World Scientific

This course provides students with current show cases how leading e-commerce startups and companies advance their operational performance through digitalization.

In today’s business world, technology increasingly plays a major role in determining a company’s future competitiveness. In this course, we focus on six main topics that are critical for the success of omni-channel players: i) employee engagement and leadership, ii) managing the forward chain, iii) demand forecasting, iv) demand generation, v) managing the backward chain and vi) customer online interaction to curtail mindless shopping.

Students will be able to discuss these approaches with numerous guest speakers from industry and academia. This is a great way to study in depth hot topics and rigorous methods in an open and knowledge-sharing atmosphere.

Students are expected to read the assigned articles and case studiesbeforecoming to class.

Grades are based on four group case assignments (40%), class participation (20%), and an open book, multiple choice exam (40%).

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