Program Overview

Course Information

Course Description

The course ME2054 Purchasing & Supply Chain Management is a 6.0 credit course that covers the fields of supply chain management and its consequences for the purchasing function. The course includes topics such as make or buy decision, Kraljic portfolio matrix, e-purchasing, qualitative and quantitative methods for suppliers evaluation and selection, supply management by means of performance measurements, organizational structures for purchases and control of the supply chain, contract in supply chains, the supplier's risk management, cost analysis and pricing, Porters five forces, Total Cost of Ownership, and Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability in purchases, outsourcing, supplier selection and monitoring.

Course Details

• Course location: KTH Campus
• Duration: 13 Jan 2026 - 13 Mar 2026
• Periods: Spring 2026: P3 (6 hp)
• Pace of study: 50%
• Application code: 61618
• Form of study: Normal Daytime
• Language of instruction: English
• Number of places: Min: 10
• Target group: Elective for all programmes from study year 3, as long as it can be included in your programme

Course Syllabus

The course syllabus is available as a PDF and includes information on the course contents, intended learning outcomes, literature, and examination.

Intended Learning Outcomes

After passing the course, the students should be able to:

1. Describe and explain the role of the purchasing function within the management of transport and operations
2. Use mathematical models for optimising purchasing costs
3. Use mathematical models to suggest best portfolio of suppliers and strategies for relationship management
4. Apply costing models to analyse purchasing costs and evaluate strategies for the supply chain
5. Analyse, synthesise and explain how different types of organizational structures can influence purchasing and other managerial functions in the supply chain
6. In detail describe topic of one's own choice from the course
7. Through analysis of the subjects that are treated in the course illustrate and formulate a relevant research question
8. Through a systematic literature search in the area of purchasing identify relevant theories from previous studies
9. Create a framework that synthesises the identified theories from the examined literature

Literature and Preparations

• Specific prerequisites: Completed the requirements for a Degree of Bachelor, 6 credits basic industrial economics, and English B/Engelska 6 or the equivalent
• Literature: Information about course literature can be found in the course memo or in the course room in Canvas

Examination and Completion

• Grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• Examination:
  • SEM1 - Seminar, 3.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • PRO1 - Project, 2.5 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
• Examiner: Luca Urciuoli

Further Information

• Course room in Canvas: Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas
• Offered by: ITM/Industrial Economics and Management
• Main field of study: Industrial Management
• Education cycle: Second cycle