Dire Dawa University Logistics Department

Background of the Program

Since the year 2004, several universities in Ethiopia have been providing an undergraduate degree program in “Procurement and Supply Management”. However, the profession of Procurement and Supply Management has undergone a significant transformation over the last two decades. The accelerated rate of change in the world economy is driven by an empowered consumer; a shift in economic power toward the end of the supply chain; deregulation of key industries; globalization; and rapid change of technology have made Purchasing and Supply Management a strategic function in various organizations. Such scope paradigm shift from routine operational activities to more strategic approach for the management of the Supply Chain Management as integrated whole forced the higher institutions to rethink the curriculum revision.

Thus, the findings of the need assessment conducted to investigate the demand for graduates of logistics and supply chain management clearly indicated that the existing curriculum limit graduates of the department to be engaged only in traditional and routine buying activities. The syllabus fails to expose students to the strategic dimensions of transport, inventory, warehousing, managing the transformation process, industrial packaging, materials handling, and distribution in particular and the logistics and supply chain functions as an integrated whole. The result clearly indicated the presence of knowledge gap in areas of logistics and supply chain management.

Moreover, the globalization of businesses, the implementation of several projects both by private and government sectors, introduction of dry ports, as well as the government’s focus on logistics not only for implementation of the five year “Growth and Transformation Plan” but also for elimination of resource wastages necessitate workforce with knowledge, skill and attitude in the field of logistics and supply chain management. Therefore, the program is created to produce qualified and competent people in the area of Logistics and Supply chain Management.