An Educational Supply Chain Management Model as Basis for a Big Data-Driven Decision Support Framework for the University

The development of supply chain management (SCM) technics in the manufacturing and service industries has led to a well-developed and highly defined supply chain process. The application of SCM best practices to higher education is strongly encouraged and beneficial for high-quality graduates and better research outcomes for society. This paper provides an educational supply chain management (ESCM) model for higher education institutions. Through our study, we noted the importance of decision-making at all levels of the educational supply chain (ESC). To support decision-makers in the ESC, we explored the potential of involving big data analytics (BDA) in the decision-making process. Inspired by the manufacturing sector's experience in applying big data for decision-making, we present a conceptual framework for a BDA-based decision support solution's proper implementation in universities. A data analysis case study is presented to demonstrate the data processing potential in the university.