15.762J focuses on effective supply chain strategies for companies that operate globally with emphasis on how to plan and integrate supply chain components into a coordinated system. Students are exposed to concepts and models important in supply chain planning with emphasis on key tradeoffs and phenomena. The course introduces and utilizes key tactics such as risk pooling and inventory placement, integrated planning and collaboration, and information sharing. Lectures, computer exercises, and case discussions introduce various models and methods for supply chain analysis and optimization. The class is recommended for Operations Management concentrators and is a first half-term subject.

This course was also taught as part of the Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA) programme as course number SMA 6305 (Manufacturing Systems II: System Design and Optimisation).