Graduate students from the Master of Industrial Distribution (MID) program at Texas A&M University recently visited Poland as part of a global distribution course that involves experiential learning with live projects.
The 58 students are working professionals from various companies, each with an average of 13 years of work experience. Brenntag Poland and RS Components were two sponsor companies that hosted nearly 30 students each at their facilities in Zgierz and Warsaw.
Brenntag provided a presentation, lab and warehouse tour, and participated in a Q&A. RS Components had their team from Poland and the U.K. present to the students and engage in meaningful discussions. The students are split into 12 teams that are currently working to provide solutions for six project case studies for Brenntag Poland and RS Components, and will make their final recommendation presentations in November.
Additionally, executives from various companies participated in a panel discussion with the students and professors in Warsaw. The panel discussion focused on customers, suppliers and trends in the distribution business.
Globalization influences all distribution channels. International firms face many challenges and opportunities, and even local distributors are challenged with international sourcing and global competitors. The global distribution course examines global competitive issues in sourcing, operations and sales.
Global networks of facilities, human resources, inventories and supplier relationships are examined, together with legal issues and logistics. The course features "real-time" case studies with distributors and their suppliers providing a problem environment for students to work on supply chain solutions. An international trip to the supplier's and/or distributor's operation is included in the course.
Past trips have involved Mexico, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Brazil. Each year, new case studies are prepared for a new location with new problem environments to reflect the changing challenges facing global distribution.
The MID program is a 21-month distance education graduate program specifically designed for working professionals. The program is designed to serve the needs of working professionals who require flexibility in their schedules and location. Courses have been developed specifically to maximize web-based learning advantages.
The program dramatically increases the participant’s ability to think globally, integrate trends, acquire knowledge and act strategically. The rigorous and interdisciplinary degree ensures that students are well equipped to handle both the demands of daily business as well as the unique challenges of doing business in a global economy. The MID program is the largest distance based graduate program at Texas A&M University College of Engineering.
