INFORMS Open Forum

Dear Colleague,

Most supply chain courses produce technically competent employees. Far fewer produce visionary leaders who can see the big picture: why supply chain matters, which problems to solve first, and what a cascade of small disruptions can do to an entire enterprise.

That distinction matters more than ever. The next generation of the workforce needs skills that are compatible with AI, not replaceable by it. AI can follow order and execute, but it can't yet decide which order to give. Students trained to follow technical instructions are exactly those AI will compete with. Students trained to see the direction are the ones who will lead.

Join Dr. Yao Zhao (Rutgers Business School) for "Teaching Supply Chain Management by Visual Storytelling"

Aug 11-12, 2026. 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

[REGISTRATION LINK]: https://rutgers.zoom.us/meeting/register/7gK6CfL0QNezdbgaSDQmHw

Visual storytelling isn't a soft add-on to technical training - it's how students learn to interpret data in non-obvious ways, and how they develop the judgment to identify and prioritize problems, not just solve the ones handed to them. As one student put it: "I want to learn how to interpret data and use analytical tools to uncover insights that drive business decisions." The philosophy: teaching is wood igniting, not duck filling - and a good story is what lights the fire.

Day 1 (Aug 11) - The Storytelling Framework

• Case studies and data sets that illustrate the real-world stakes of supply chain decisions – including the Supply Chain Butterfly Effect, frameworks for showing how small operational shocks cascade into major financial consequences.
• Up-to-date teaching materials on sourcing analytics to handle global trade challenges, including an operational analysis of Intel's stock rebound and its foundry sourcing relationships with Apple and other major customers – so your fall course reflects what's actually happening in industry right now.
• A framework for teaching problem identification and prioritization - Illustrated through a sequential breakdown analysis of American Airlines, showing how to drill down to and isolate the operational issues with the greatest financial stakes, and potentially impact the bottom-line by billions.

Day 2 (Aug 12) - Bringing It to Life With Simulations

• Hands-on walkthrough of two ready-to-use classroom games: the Hunger Chain Simulation and the Florapark Simulation, and tips for integrating these games into existing course structures.
• Hunger Chain Simulation - students experience firsthand how panic ordering during a supply shortage amplifies into a full-blown crisis, even when only minor shortage existed.
• FloraPark simulation – students manage a back-stabbing relationship with supply chain partners into a win-win by implementing coordinating supply chain contracts.

Best wishes,