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SUNY Plattsburgh Launches New Global Supply Chain Management Program

When the great industrialist Henry Ford discovered assembly-line proficiency, others like him quickly followed suit, and American industry was revolutionized by increased efficiency and decreased cost.

Today, manufacturing facilities may be half the world away from the assembly plants. Getting these linked together can make or break a company, and more and more individuals managing supply chains for businesses need a highly technical education.

To prepare students for these new opportunities, the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at SUNY Plattsburgh has rolled out a new major in Global Supply Chain Management (SCM).

"Only 10 percent of AACSB accredited business schools have Supply Chain Management programs."

Learning on a Global Scale

Dr. Colin Read, professor of economics and finance, said students in SBE's Global Supply Chain Management program will learn the complexity of dealing with markets that operate on a global scale.

"Manufacturing is not as big a deal now," said Read. "There is a more global implication (and) we're tending to leave a lot more (of the manufacturing) to developing countries like China, India and Malaysia."

Read said Boeing, for instance, may use workers in 50 different countries to produce parts that make up their planes. These parts are then shipped to an assembly plant where the final product is put together.

"Getting all these links connected is the whole idea behind supply chain management. When Boeing needs parts from one country, they arrive when they're needed, and the company doesn't have to store them," Read said. It also means order taking, outsourcing and keeping it all connected in a world that is increasingly becoming more connected.

Program Enhanced by Distinctive Location

Read said students in the new program will also benefit from the College's distinctive location.

"We think Plattsburgh is unique, with the lake, rail, its proximity to the border and the eastern seaboard. With that, we can offer something distinctive and put our resources behind it."

While students will gain from the program, Read also said that the new program will strengthen a very good business school and make it a distinct business school. 

New Faculty Excited About Program

The Global Supply Chain Management program is piloted by two new associate professors who bring a wealth of experience to the School of Business and Economics.

Dr. Brian Neureuther, Assistant Professor of Management and International Business, sees big things for the new program." I came to (SUNY) Plattsburgh to be a part of the new supply-chain major and to help it become an area of distinction for the School of Business and Economics."

Dr. Kwangseek Choe, Director of the Office of Career Opportunities and Internships, is excited about the possibilities for students once they graduate.

"We will encourage and eventually require SCM majors to do internships in the field of supply chain. As internship director, I plan to develop a network of supply-chain-related firms in this region so that our majors can be taken as interns by those companies."

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