Syllabus

Master of Business Administration

MGT 650: Operations and Optimization in Last-Mile Delivery

Credits - 3

Description

This course examines the strategic decisions, leadership challenges, and competitive trade-offs organizations face in designing and managing last-mile delivery networks. Students analyze how choices about operating models, delivery network strategy, partnerships, and technology adoption influence organizational performance, customer experience, and competitive advantage. Emphasis is placed on cross-functional leadership, resilience planning, and the strategic implications of Scope 3 emissions, climate risk, geopolitical disruptions, and trade policy shifts on last-mile delivery economics and carrier strategy. Students evaluate last-mile transformation opportunities and make strategic recommendations that balance cost, service, sustainability, and organizational resilience.

Materials

No textbooks are required for purchase.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Analyze last-mile delivery network performance using operational and competitive KPIs.
  • Evaluate strategic tradeoffs in last-mile operations across competitive, financial, customer, and organizational dimensions.
  • Lead cross-functional decision-making by communicating strategic recommendations for last-mile delivery operations.
  • Propose risk responses that sustain competitive advantage and organizational resilience.
  • Justify a last-mile network strategy by synthesizing cost, service, and sustainability tradeoffs.

Assignments

For all assessments and learning activities, see Brightspace for the full assignment descriptions and instructions. Read the prompts carefully and use the rubrics to confirm how assignments and discussions will be graded.

Discussions

Course discussions provide opportunities to explore key issues in last-mile delivery through analysis, reflection, and peer exchange. You will examine real-world trends and operational challenges, apply course concepts to your own professional experiences and industry contexts, and consider how different strategic choices affect cost, service, customers, and competitive performance. Through responses to classmates, you will also compare perspectives, question assumptions, and consider alternative approaches to complex operational decisions.

Assignments

Weekly assignments build the analytical and decision-making skills needed to manage last-mile delivery operations. Working as the Head of Operations for your selected organization, you will analyze its operating model and performance, forecast demand, evaluate staffing and capacity, assess routing and optimization opportunities, and respond to operational disruption. Across these assignments, you will use data, KPIs, course concepts, and evidence to evaluate trade-offs and communicate recommendations to organizational leaders.

Week 7 Assignment: Operations Optimization Review

This final assignment brings together the work you have completed throughout the course into an executive leadership briefing for your selected organization. Following a major operational disruption, you will synthesize your previous analyses to explain what happened, identify why the organization was vulnerable, and recommend strategic actions to strengthen performance and resilience. Your recommendations will balance cost, service, customer experience, sustainability, and long-term resilience while identifying the key decisions requiring leadership approval and the KPIs that will be used to measure success.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Learning ActivityPoints
Week 1 Academic Integrity1
Week 1 Discussion: Introduction 4
Week 1 Assignment: Operations Presentation 5
Week 2 Discussion: Last-Mile in the News 5
Week 2 Assignment: Strategic Operations Memo 5
Week 3 Assignment: Forecast Brief 10
Week 4 Discussion: Forecast Review 5
Week 4 Assignment: Capacity Planning 10
Week 5 Discussion Video: Inside Operations 5
Week 5 Assignment: Operations Optimization 10
Week 6 Discussion: Leading Through Disruption 5
Week 6 Assignment: Resilience Assessment 10
Week 7 Assignment: Operations Optimization Review 20
Week 8 Discussion: The Future of Last-Mile 5
Total100

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Dates: September 2, 2026 – October 23, 2026

Week 1: Wednesday – Sunday
Week 2: Monday – Sunday
Week 3: Monday – Sunday
Week 4: Monday – Sunday
Week 5: Monday – Sunday
Week 6: Monday – Sunday
Week 7: Monday – Sunday
Week 8: Monday – Friday

Week Assessments Due

Week 1: Foundations of Last-Mile Delivery Networks

  • Academic Integrity Agreement
  • Week 1 Discussion: Introduction
  • Week 1 Assignment: Operations Presentation

Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 2: Measuring Performance: KPIs, Cost Drivers, and Profitability
  • Week 2 Discussion: Last-Mile in the News
  • Week 2 Assignment: Strategic Operations Memo

Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 3: Forecasting Demand and Planning Capacity
  • Week 3 Assignment: Forecast Brief

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 4: Building Operational Excellence: Workforce, Resources, and Efficiency
  • Week 4 Discussion: Forecast Review
  • Week 4 Assignment: Capacity Planning

Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 5: Routing Strategy and Network Optimization
  • Week 5 Discussion (Video): Inside Operations
  • Week 5 Assignment: Operations Optimization

Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 6: Building Resilient Last-Mile Operations
  • Week 6 Discussion: Leading Through Disruption
  • Week 6 Assignment: Resilience Assessment

Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 7: Operations Optimization Review
  • Week 7 Assignment: Operations Optimization Review

Assignment due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET

Week 8: The Future of Last-Mile Delivery: Technology, Sustainability, and Competitive Advantage
  • Week 8 Discussion: The Future of Last-Mile

Initial Discussion Posts due Wednesday at 11:59 PM ET

Discussion Responses due Friday at 11:59 PM ET

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Enrollment and Retention Counselor is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Please reach out to your student success team member.

UNE Libraries:

  • Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
  • Research by Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship Collection
  • Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their student success team member and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week 

Phone: Mon-Fri: (207) 602-2487

After Hours/Weekends: (877) 518-4673

Career Ready Program

UNE Online supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

Passing Grade Statement

A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program may result in dismissal from the program.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement

Generative AI (GenAI) applications (like ChatGPT) have proven to be powerful and effective tools, and students are encouraged to become familiar with and use them. However, as with any tool, students must use GenAI in ways that support their roles as learners and professionals. The use of AI in academic work falls under our academic integrity agreement, ensuring that all AI applications are used in alignment with our commitment to honest and responsible learning.

In situations in which AI tools are used as a resource, students must:

  • Ensure that all submitted academic work adequately demonstrates student learning (i.e., that the student, rather than a machine, has met the learning outcomes related to the assessment).
  • Acknowledge, in written assessments and extra-curricular applications, the role played by AI tools in producing the student’s work (this can usually be done in a citation or by including a session transcript).
  • Take ultimate responsibility for accuracy of results, think critically about them, and never substitute them for professional human judgment.
  • Monitor GenAI output for bias and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.

As GenAI continues to evolve, students should also stay abreast of best practices and changing risks and benefits.

Please note that individual courses or assignments may have specific guidelines regarding AI use — please refer to your faculty’s directions or assignment instructions for details.

The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

UNE uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. 

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace. In a professional environment, deadlines matter because work impacts teams, clients, and decisions, and this course reflects those expectations.

Quizzes and Tests: 

Quizzes and tests must be completed by the posted deadline .

  • No late submissions are accepted
  • Students are encouraged to plan accordingly, as these are time-sensitive assessments

Assignments: 

Each assignment includes an automatic 48-hour grace period after the posted deadline.

  • No penalty
  • No explanation required

After the grace period:

  • Up to 5 days late: 10% deduction per day
  • More than 5 days late: Not accepted without prior instructor approval

Discussion posts:

Discussion activities depend on timely participation and peer engagement and therefore do not include a grace period.

  • Initial posts: Must be submitted by the deadline; late initial posts are not accepted
  • Response posts: May be submitted within 48 hours after the deadline for up to 50% of the response post grade.

Students are expected to communicate proactively if they anticipate difficulty meeting a deadline. In cases of significant or unforeseen circumstances, extensions may be considered at the instructor’s discretion.

UNE Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.

Attendance Policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Business will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET of the first week. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.