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A Guide on Using Purchasing and Supply Management in the Classroom

Published Date
Author P. Fraser Johnson

Welcome to the exciting world of supply chain management. Each day, people working in the field confront a wide range of challenges, evaluate a diverse range of opportunities, and influence significant organizational resources. They face decisions that include embracing new information technologies, such as artificial intelligence; managing financial, operational, and reputational risks; meeting and exceeding sustainability requirements; and creating and implementing meaningful supply function and supplier metrics. The seventeenth edition of Purchasing and Supply Management incorporates the latest theory and best practices in this exciting field. The overarching theme is based on the conviction that the supply function and suppliers must contribute effectively to organizational goals and strategies. Every organization needs suppliers and the importance of effective supply chain management has never been more critical for organizational success. Organizations must have world-class suppliers if they are to achieve their revenue, profit, customer service, and other goals and objectives. 

While several factors differentiate this textbook, the main distinguishing feature is the inclusion of 49 real-life supply chain cases. The cases allow applying the latest research and theoretical developments to real-life issues, opportunities, decisions, and problems faced by practitioners. Instructors who want to incorporate case discussions in their courses can use the cases in the textbook—without having to ask students to purchase cases from third-party sources. 

The structure and sequence of the chapters in the textbook have been set to make it convenient for instructors to organize their course syllabi. One approach is to organize the course into five modules. First, as an introduction, chapter 1 provides an overview of procurement and the book, and Chapter 2 identifies the strategic importance of supply management that can be used to frame the course. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 collectively address issues related to the organization of the supply function, management of supply processes, and decisions related to make versus buy. 

Chapters 6 to 10 cover the core areas of procurement (quality, quantity, delivery, and price) while chapters 11 to 13 provide coverage of topics related to supplier relationship management. The final module can include chapters 14 to 17. For the final class, I would like to conclude the course with a discussion of one of the cases from Chapter 2 (strategy) or Chapter 17 (supply function evaluation and trends). 

Instructors at all levels—from community colleges to graduate schools—will find the new edition of Purchasing and Supply Management both easy to use and refreshed with timely content. This seventeenth edition is ideal as a stand-alone course in purchasing and supply management, as well as part of a comprehensive supply chain management program that contributes to a holistic body of knowledge. We are honored that you are using our book in your classroom and welcome your questions, comments, and feedback. 

About the Author

P. Fraser Johnson is the Leenders Supply Chain Management Association Chair at the Ivey Business School, Western University. Professor Johnson is director of the Ivey Purchasing Managers Index, the most widely watched and utilized indicator of future economic activity in Canada. He was faculty director of the Ivey MBA Program from 2009 to 2014. Dr. Johnson received his PhD in Operations Management from Ivey in 1995, and following graduation, joined the Faculty of Commerce & Business Administration at the University of British Columbia. He returned to Ivey as a faculty member in 1998, where he currently teaches courses in supply chain management and operations. Professor Johnson previously worked in the automotive parts industry where he held a number of senior management positions in finance and operations. His experience includes managing automotive parts facilities in both Canada and the United States, and overseeing a joint venture partnership in Mexico. Professor Johnson is an active researcher in the area of supply chain management, and he has authored articles that have been published in a wide variety of journals and magazines. Fraser has also authored a number of teaching cases. He is an associate editor for The Journal of Supply Chain Management and sits on the editorial review board for the Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. Professor Johnson has worked with a number of private- and public-sector organizations in both consulting and corporate education assignments in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

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