Supply chain management and logistics encompasses all the activities involved in getting products to consumers including planning, storing, moving, and accounting for inventory. Inventory availability is the most important aspect of customer service, and the cost of inventory is one of the most important entries on a company's balance sheet.

Recognition of the balance sheet implications of inventory in supply chain management has launched a variety of industry-wide inventory reduction initiatives. Despite all these initiatives to reduce inventory in the supply chain, inventory levels for most companies have remained the same or increased. This course is focused on understanding how to efficiently provide the level of inventory that is really necessary for customer service while minimizing the inventory resulting from poor supply chain management.