Online Certified in Value Chain Management

This program will help participants to extract a business model at the company and competitive level and familiarizes them with the terminology as well as necessary processes along the value chain within an enterprise. The following online courses will provide you with the fundamental knowledge, skillset, and tools to develop a competitive strategy:

• Mastering Strategic Inter-Firm Collaboration
• Marketing in a Digital World
• Managing Logistics within and between Organizations
• Sustainable Operations Management

To receive a certification, you must participate in all courses and successfully pass each course’s examination. The certificate grants 10 ECTS credits (16% of an MBA).

Mastering strategic inter-firm collaboration

• Learn how to valuate collaborative modes, identify partner strengths and weaknesses, and enhance your company’s attractiveness as sought-after partners
• Learn how to strategically design an alliance portfolio and how to negotiate effective and impactful contracts
• Learn how to foster trustful relationships with partner firms and how resolve potential conflicts
• Understand the opportunities in collaborating with start-ups and how these partnerships will help you staying ahead of emerging trends in the industry

Marketing in a Digital World

• Understand the impact of digitalization on Marketing
• Learn how to optimize your business models through digitalization
• Get to know analytic tools that can be used to change processes within the marketing department
• Learn how to optimize your customer experience

Managing Logistics within and between Organizations

• Understanding the role of logistics and supply chain management for value creation and competitive advantage
• Understand current challenges in global supply chains
• Understanding fundamental concepts that underlie supply chain management (e.g., manufacturing postponement, logistics postponement, push/pull)
• Assessing different strategies that firms can follow in the context of logistics and supply chain management
• Designing and optimizing distribution networks as a driver of an efficient logistics structure given different design options
• Understanding the role of LSPs and logistics outsourcing as a strategic option

Sustainable Operations Management

• Understanding of process analysis, capacity management, forecasting, queueing models, scheduling, and quality management.
• Develop spreadsheet models that support decision making

Expand your professional network at one of the most renowned German business schools and become part of an active network of peers and experts at WHU.

Ideal candidate profiles include

• Participants with a first degree in engineering, law, social sciences, humanities, foreign languages
• Participants with a first degree (Bachelor) in Business Administration or International Business will benefit from this program, as it is very practice-oriented and looks at (maybe) known topics from a different perspective.
• Participants who are aiming at broadening and deepening the business/ management knowledge while fully working.
• Participants with a minimum of two years of professional experience who are moving into a leadership position.
• The participants come from diverse industry and organizational backgrounds, further enriching the learning experience, and creating a valuable network of peers.
• This program requires a high level of self-organization skills. Contents will be provided on an e-learning platform. Candidates are invited to attend live online lectures on Saturdays, and the program requires participation in self-organized virtual group work.
• The Online Certified in Program format is particularly valuable for candidates who are on maternity/ paternity leave.

Admission requirements

• Proof of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent first degree is necessary.
• Minimum of two years of post-graduate professional experience.
• Proficiency in English.
• Participants should be willing and able to engage fully during the courses, as teamwork makes up a substantial part of the programs and course gradings.

Participation in course examinations is mandatory in this program. You can find the complete certificate regulation here.

The program language is English.

The program consists of 4 courses. Each course requires, on average, 17 hours per week of self-paced learning and 1-2 hours of live-teaching sessions which take place on Saturdays with the opportunity to choose between two timeslots at 1:00 pm or 4:00 pm(CEST). All courses last 4 weeks and include a final examination.

You can download an overview of the upcoming dates here:

Dates Online Certified in Programs(PDF, 146 KB)