Global Logistics Operations and Risk

This unit develops practical skills for designing and operating international distribution and warehousing systems, including commercial and humanitarian/disaster relief (H&DR) contexts. Students will address sustainability, fleet management, intellectual property and security risks, human resource and cultural requirements, and prepare to apply these designs in subsequent tactical planning and execution units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze international distribution chains, including geopolitical and social risk factors, to recommend routing, warehousing, and sustainability adjustments for a specified product flow
• Apply global logistics tools, metrics, and service models to design a warehousing, fleet, and distribution plan that supports both commercial and H&DR operations
• Demonstrate procedures to protect operations and recover value by implementing intellectual property safeguards, anti-piracy measures, insurance/indemnification strategies, and loss/damage recovery plans
• Evaluate human resource and cultural considerations—expatriate, local national, and third-country staffing models, religious accommodations, and corporate climate—to formulate staffing and organizational recommendations for overseas logistics support