A value chain occurs when its partners are intentional about creating and delivering value for which their customers, and for which consumers will pay a premium price. A company’s success depends not only on its excellence in its core activities, but also on the role it plays in the value chain. Understanding the value chains your business is part of is the first step to value generation.

In this unit, you will gain an understanding of the key concepts in value chain management and apply these in practice. You will compare value chain principles against traditional supply chain thinking, explore the role and impact of actors (people) including yourself on the chain, and discover how this knowledge can be used for sustainable competitive advantage. Drivers for change such as consumer preferences, and knowing these trends are important considerations and discussed in this Unit.

In this unit, you will be introduced to:
1. The differences between ‘value’ and ‘supply’ chain concepts.
2. Value chain management and structure.
3. Information flow and communications in the value chain.
4. Mapping your value chain.
5. Growing your value chain proposition and competitive strategies.

In conjunction with the discipline theory, this unit fosters learning through practice and its application to specific business settings.  The content of this unit and other units undertaken in this course will support the development of a personal and business portfolio.