Reflection on the past 13 week workshop learning By Li Kai Ching, Tommy (52610371)

After 13 weeks, I learn a lot in this special course and really appreciate the work Sandy has done. From designing course work to approaching companies for site visit, those things can give me and my classmate a better learning content in this course.

For me, visiting a company is a very useful method for learning, as the things I saw in those companies like Kerry logistics, TAL, Yakult and HIT, are very special and practical. It is difficult for a student to visit those reputable companies and understand their operation. Also, their staff would have a presentation to introduce their company and I could listen the sharing of their senior workers sometimes. The knowledge learnt from those visit is hard to find it in books. Those site visits really broadened my horizons and inspired me a lot. I really appreciate those precious opportunities to go to those companies for learning.

Moreover, the case studies were a decent way for me to learn and consolidate not only logistics knowledge, but also business knowledge. They provided another channel for me to approach logistics. For example, I read the teaching materials and browse on internet to answer questions during class time. It is different from classical methods, like studying notes, as I can learn from different dimensions. Also, those cases are leaders in their business area. There are many things I can discover in their business operation. In addition, the questions of those case studies guided me to think and learn through those companies. It is because I might miss some important part but the questions would lead me to the main points or crucial area.

Last but not least, the course design is good for learning in a comfortable and effective environment. As examination may give huge pressure to some students, they might learn by rote. They could forget those stuffs easily after examination, so it might not be an effective learning measure. However, this course included inside and outside classroom activities. I think it is a good combination for learning as I can learn from different aspects. They offered different kinds of knowledge. They can bring out a decent result that is why it is a good combination. Furthermore, without examination, I can learn in a less pressure environment. It is more effective for me to acquire knowledge. Therefore I really appreciate the design of this course.

There only one drawback for attending this lesson was that the lesson time was quite early. It was hard to get up so early. But it could be another type of training. In overall, I was enjoy attending this course.  

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning By Yeung Ho Kuen (52608166)

Reflection learning blog

To begin this course, Lecturer told students about the course design and intended learning outcomes, including all the learning activities, so as to help student understand the course in depth. Initially, it is quite strange for me to have so many activities in one course. I was worried about the workloads in this course. However, my perception has changed after I participated in those activities. I enjoyed the course and reflected a lot mainly due to three reasons.

First of all, the design of the course strengthens our interpersonal skills and integrates our knowledge with real business. The course provided several learning activities including case studies and discussion and company visit. During the lectures, we had to finish three case studies by discussion with group mates. The cases enrich our knowledge on how the real business practice runs and hence consolidate our supply chain knowledge. More importantly, our presentation skills also make improvement since we have to present our ideas in front of the class. It is quite different to others core courses in management science to perform a number of presentations. Personally, I enjoyed the presentation very much because of opportunities provided to enhance my presentation skills. The course provided us necessary practice before graduation.

Second, company visits provided, which was the most appreciate part to me, broadens my horizons. It was the first time to me to visit logistic companies. The company we visited, including TAL, HIT, YAKULT etc., gave us different insight on logistic industries. Fortunately, the lecturer, Sandy, is very helpful and had provided us a lot of information about company before we went. Thus, we were not strangle about those companies and more easy to disclose the company operations. More importantly, staff impressed us a lot from their talents to discussion with them. After I finished all the visits, I made reflection on how to equip myself for the graduated job and what characteristic should I contain. With the sharing from staffs and lecturer, I got some valuable opinions and it inspires me a lot. I believed all of the knowledge I gained from the visit is invaluable to my career. I appreciate this activity the most.

Last but not least, the even-distributed workload in this course allows me to learn in relaxing way. The design of workload is great so that we didn’t have to carry too much work at the same time. The even-distributed workloads keep us in contact with the assessment, but we didn’t feel stressful. Therefore, we found it relaxing and enjoy learning in knowledge of the course.

 Both deep understanding and deep knowledge were present in this course. The company we visited demonstrated how real business run by using supply chain knowledge. Their demonstration strengthens our understanding and makes our knowledge applicable in our future.

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning By Ivy Chan Yee Man (52723918)

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning
By Ivy Chan Yee Man (52723918)

 

Rushing to the next class session after a firm visit, this is my typical life on my Wednesday class schedule. I enjoy this type of busy class schedule since I have the chance to visit firms about supply chain management and logistics in Hong Kong which is a valuable experience that only bought by this course during my university life in CityU.

Since given with a chance to take a look on what was really happening at company daily operations in real life, I can do what was set in the Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), for instance, the third point listed in the course outline that exploring and determining the major operational challenges faced in n implementing an integrated supply chain management strategy from a global perspective. Through the Q and A session, I can learn how the company will do to deal with the global challenges in supply chain management and have a chance to know more about what was the current strategy implemented by the firm when facing the challenges.

In my own opinion, I appreciate the use of case studies as teaching tools and activities. But it will work better if the teacher can brief the students what was the main theories and models that have been applied in the case. This can give a stronger impression on what the students have “taken away” from those case studies rather than just preparing and listening to other group’s presentation. As there are total 8 students in my group including myself, some of us are just having a lower chance in joining the presentation preparation work and the discussion since only two to three computers are allowed at the AC3 classroom. 

About the assessment of the lecturer, I think the classes were scheduled in an organized way since the lecturer has set deadlines and time limits for each individual question of each case study. So the time can be controlled in a better way when compared to other course that I have taken in previous semester which case studies and discussion were also provided as teaching tools. With the blog and the social network tool facebook, I was given a great chance to share my learning experience and ideas with my peers. The lecturer had provided us time and space to us for our reflection on learning and asking questions on the things that we learnt.

I enjoyed attending and participating in the workshop activities especially the company visit part. I will not have the chance to visit the company like Hactl since the company only allows group visits and names must be given to the firm as safety and confidential issues.

The workload of this course is moderate and is just appropriate for me. With two post visit reports, Wiki presentation, in-class discussion and case presentation, it is enough to equip the students to have a comprehensive understanding on the topics.
 

To conclude, I have a valuable learning experience in this course.

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning By Christy Law Hiu Tung (52592521)

Learning Reflection

In the course we studied the case about TAL using VMI and made-to-measure to gain competitive advantage, seven-eleven and FedEx successful in its industry with the advanced technology. Those case studies would be discussed in the lessons can help us to have deeply understanding of the company and how to apply some logistics and supply chain knowledge in the business practice. The in-class discussion also gives us chance to search the information about companies in the web sites. Also lecturer can consolidate our knowledge on logistics supply chain management and concept. It is very useful for us to have a review of three years logistics learnings.

Besides the company visits include TAL, HACTL, Kerry, Yakult and HIT can make us know more about the logistics supply chain management. I learned that how company can build up a long term relationship and provide confidence to their customers by using business strategy and avoid unhappy from their customers. It is worth for us to have a visit since we cannot go to those company to have a sharing and discussion session with the employers in order to have better understanding in real business environment. They shows how using value-adding activities to gain the market share and even competitive advantage against other competitors and how they using their innovation and technology and computer systems to influence the supply chain management.

And we studied the case about before the visit such as TAL. We can get more information about the TAL before the visit. In the discussion and presentation in the lessons, we used the summarizing skill when we read the notes of case study, so we can conclude and pointed out the important information in the notes before the visit. We search for the news related to TAL in the internet. During the visit, we are thinking the critical point in the presentation in the visit and then ask the following questions to the representatives. It is valuable for all of us to discuss the case though the in-class activities. So I strongly recommend having case studies before the company visits and discussing during the lessons.

For the personal reflection, I shared what I feel and learnt in the visit to the other MS department student since it is a great experience to learn about how a company can gain their competitive advantage through IT in such a keen competitive industry. So I very enjoy in participate in the in-class and outsides activities in this course.

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning By Ivan NGAI Chun Hung (52586890)

Reflection on the past 13 weeks workshop learning
By Ivan NGAI Chun Hung (52586890)

In my opinion, I appreciate for the design and learning objective of this course. I really enjoy and attend all workshops and I did not miss any chance of visit!

Inside the classroom, we meet a challenge that we need to prepare the presentation in 20 minutes for the case study and the visit company. This is a great experience for us to learn how to handle the “urgent presentation”. Actually, in last month, I had some graduated job interview which required me to do the presentation about their companies with 30 minutes preparation only. Without the training in this course, I think I cannot present the idea in short time limited. However, I think the interaction of the presentation and discussion is not enough. If it is possible, I suggest that the class can do some group discussion with others about the disputed topic in supply chain industrial (such as how Hactl changes their strategy after Cathay Pacific does not use their service or how Yakult can improve their supply chain management in Hong Kong etc.)

Outside the classroom, the most impressive visit for me is Kerry Logistic Company. The trainees shared us a lot of details about the operation of the company during the presentation. This is a valuable chance for us to have an in-depth learning in logistic company. They also guide us to travel around the warehouse of Disneyland. Without this workshop, I never know how a large company to use the barcode and technology to manage millions of products methodically. Although some logical theories are mentioned in the university lecture, there are some differences between your imagination from your notes and in the real world. Most importantly, the two hour visit helps us to build a strong logic flow about the logistic industry.

For the workload of this course, since there is no quiz or exam, I think it is acceptable. However, I suggest that the word requirement of each post-visit report can be shorten to about 600~800 words but each student is required to hand in at least three reports for the visit. This is because I have different reflection on different visit, however, if the report is too long, I can just report what the guider told us word by word without any critical thinking. In addition, our blog record those visit well so it is meaningless for us to do it once again.