I just came across the video below lauding the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and in particular the Supply Chain Management program. I happen to have a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management from this very program. Of course it is good to hear that the program is maintaining it’s top rankings that existed while I was in school!

I’m also happy, and not in the slightest concern to be going against the trend, that top B-Schools admittance rates are nudging up a tad – I’ll be applying in the next few weeks.

If you’re like most and think “supply chain management” sounds like some corporate mumbo-jumbo, click the link below to read a little more and see some quick clear videos on what it means.

What is Supply Chain Management?

I think one of my former professors sums it up best in this video:

While I earned – and very much value – the specific degree of Supply Chain Management, my work since school has been more of a mix of a slice of SCM mixed with a healthy dose of business management fundamentals. The slice of SCM that I use most, I generally refer to as “Operations Management.” Think of it more in terms of optimizing the processes that businesses use to make sure they are able to convert all the materials into sell-able products. That is, as opposed to negotiating the contracts with vendors for the materials or arranging the transportation of materials to the factory or distribution to sales channels.

I have put together some posts (rather lengthy start here: Part I – 3 Pillars of Operations Improvement – Introduction) that try to summarize the work I do, but here is the closest video to what I do for my clients:

Booz & Co (top tier global strategy consultancy) runs one of my favorite websites, Strategy + Business, where they share their latest thinking and tons of great business and industry analysis.

Recently they published an article entitled Putting Strategy into Practice which is good in and of itself, but it has an amazing bonus! Click the link just below the byline of the title to download Harvard Business Review’s “Must Reads on Strategy” anthology as pdf.

If I’m not mistaken, this anthology would normally cost a decent chunk of change, and until June 15, 2010 Booz is picking up the tab!

While I’m at it, here are a few more plentiful business management websites:

• McKinsey Quarterly – by McKinsey & Company
• Knowledge @ Wharton – publishings from Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania
• Focus – Ideo’s “thinkings” – if you don’t know who Ideo is, I suggest you learn – NOW.
• Manager Tools – by the firm of the same name which has mastered executive coaching with a twist – it’s unbelievably practical. I HIGHLY recommend downloading and listening to their entire Manager Tools Basics podcast series.

What else is out there?