One of Nation's Top Schools Embraces NetSuite to Educate Next Generation of Distribution Executives
SAN MATEO, Calif. and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.—June 1, 2006—NetSuite, Inc., the leader in on-demand business software suites, today announced that Purdue University, one of the top two schools in the U.S. for industrial distribution, has become the first institute of higher education to incorporate NetSuite into undergraduate and graduate curriculum for the Purdue Industrial Distribution Program. Several classes eventually benefit from the Program, including: Financial Transactions in Distribution; Purchasing, Inventory and Warehouse Management; and Industrial Sales and Sales Management, among others. As part of the Industrial Distribution Program designed to prepare students with the skills needed to serve the $4 trillion industrial distribution industry, NetSuite is used in a real-life warehouse setting called the Supply Chain Technology Management Laboratory, where students gain hands-on experience using NetSuite for distributor management, customer relationship management (CRM) and Ecommerce, while sharpening profitability management skills such as financial statement analysis, strategic planning, and sales forecasting. By choosing NetSuite, Purdue University has added a new option for students to work with, in addition to the client-server software they have in the lab. For more information about NetSuite Wholesale/Distribution Edition please visit www.netsuite.com.au/wholesaledistribution
Thus far, Purdue University has completed one year of graduate level work and some introductions into the undergraduate curriculum for the Industrial Distribution Program using NetSuite in the Supply Chain Technology Management Laboratory. In addition to distributor management, CRM and Ecommerce, students learn the fundamental functionality needed to run a wholesale/distribution business, such as advanced inventory management, order fulfilment, profit management, demand-based inventory replenishment, supply chain management, logistics and purchasing, marketing, industrial sales management, and human resource management. With the success achieved in the first year, the Purdue University Industrial Distribution faculty will be now incorporating NetSuite into almost every class offered that is related to distribution — both undergraduate and graduate.
"We use various software packages in our lab, and are delighted to have NetSuite. It is quite user-friendly, which is very helpful for ease of introduction into the classroom," said Kathryne A. Newton, Associate Professor, Industrial Distribution Program, Purdue University. "For our new Supply Chain Technology Management laboratory, with NetSuite our students have been able to quickly grasp many of the supply chain processes, including the use of electronic commerce. They particularly love how they can work on their projects from home."
"Purdue is well-known for its academics in wholesale-distribution, and continues to produce many of the best minds in the industry," said Zach Nelson, CEO of NetSuite. "We feel the on-demand model is how all software will be delivered in the future and are honored to be part of training the warehouse and supply chain managers of this next century."
About the Purdue University Industrial Distribution Program
Founded in 1869 and with enrolment of over 69,000 students, Purdue University is an Indiana statewide university system that includes five campuses and numerous teaching and research sites. Purdue's engineering programs consistently rank among the top schools in the nation. Global competition facing manufacturers and the distributors they sell through requires professionals with broad skills. The Industrial Distribution curriculum provides students with a valuable blend of courses in industrial technology, distribution management, and business management. Purdue's program has established strong relationships with industry trade groups to support the development of courses and a new Supply Chain Technology Management Laboratory. The placement rate of Industrial Distribution graduates is exceptional. For more information about the Purdue Industrial Distribution program, visit www.tech.purdue.edu/it/.