Three Supply Chain Management Books Recommended by MSCM Faculty

In the Pacific Northwest, winter is the perfect time for reading (although we recommend it year-round). The days are short, cold, and dark, making it the perfect seasonal pastime. Reading is also a great way to learn new things about subjects that you’re interested in (like supply chain management!) With that in mind, we asked Master of Supply Chain Management faculty to share favorite supply chain management books that have made it onto their shelves. Here are three favorites that you can add to your shopping cart today!   

Supply Chain Management Books Recommended by Professor Kamran Moinzadeh 

1. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu M. Goldratt 

This operations management book is written as a work of fiction. The plot is driven by the main character, Alex Rogo, whom is confronted with a major dilemma- to find a way to improve his failing plant in three months or close it forever. With the help of a consultant, he identifies the bottlenecks in his company’s process, and works to alleviate them using the theory of constraints. Topics covered include performance measurement, operational efficiency, company goals, and productivity.

2. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson 

Through a series of over 40 interviews with Steve’s family, friends, and colleagues, Walter Issacson attempts to piece together the legacy of the revolutionary Steve Jobs. This unlikely contender has more examples of supply chain and operations issues than most people would think. The book is filled with various examples of times when Steve Jobs and Apple had to work through production, leadership, and creativity issues to find solutions to complex problems.   

Supply Chain Management Books Recommended by MSCM Program Faculty Co-Director, Yong-Pin Zhou 

Professor Zhou seconded Professor Kamran Moinzadeh’s recommendation of “The Goal.” Now that sounds like a must-read! In addition, he was enthusiastic about another good read on manufacturing. 

3. Supply Chain Science by Wallace J. Hopp 

Another reader-friendly text, but this time about the dynamics of supply chain and manufacturing. Like Hopp says in his intro, the book focuses on the science of supply chains. He touches on all the people, resources, and activities involved in bringing materials and information together to produce and deliver a service or good using a scientific framework that can be reused time and time again. Readers will learn why systems work the way they do and effective ways to deal with many different scenarios.  

We hope one (or all) of these books make it to your next vacation, winter break, or road trip reading list.  

Happy Reading!