Operations Management

Course Description  

Operations management is the systematic direction and control of the processes that transform inputs into finished goods and services. This course provides an overview of operating decisions and practices in both manufacturing and service-oriented firms. Students will gain the knowledge of qualitative and quantitative decision support tools and techniques for management decision-making in operations.  

Course Goals and Methodology  

In this course, students will:

• Learn the key terms and concepts underpinning Operations Management both in the service and the industrial sectors.  

• Analyze the importance of the operations subsystem within the context of business systems; understand the key strategic decisions which operations managers make in order to reach production and overall business goals.  

• Identify the main tools and techniques used in production management to optimize strategic production decisions: the product, process strategy, long-term capacity, localization and distribution.  

• Learn how to calculate and improve productivity within a company in both the industrial and service sectors.  

• Analyze criteria and factors taken into account by operations managers when making both strategic decisions in order to reach production and overall business goals.  

• Effectively apply key production management tools and techniques to optimize strategic production decisions: the product, process strategy, long-term capacity, localization and distribution.  

• Be able to communicate effectively both when presenting/expressing ideas and when understanding the ideas expressed by others.  

• Be able to distinguish between specific production functions and more general company functions.  

• Be equipped to identify and deal with problematic production scenarios, making good use of available information.  

• Be prepared to be a leader and direct a company's production or operations department Learning Objectives  Through this course, students will:  

• Become familiar with key strategic decisions, including: product selection and design, technology and process design, capacity, localization, distribution and work design.  

• Develop the ability to carry out diagnostics.  

• Develop the ability to differentiate between relevant and superficial information when dealing with a strategic problem relating to production management.

 

Course contents  

Part I. INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS STRATEGY  

1. INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT.  

2. OPERATIONS STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVENESS  

Part II. STRATEGIC DESIGN  

3. PRODUCT DESIGN.  

4. PROCESS SELECTION AND DESIGN.  

5. JOB DESIGN AND WORK MEASUREMENT.    

6. CAPACITY PLANNING.  

7. FACILITY LOCATION.  

8. FACILITY LAYOUT  

 

Course materials  

Reid, D., & Sanders, N.R. (2009). Operations Management (4th Ed.). Wiley. ISBN-13: 978-0470325049.  

https://campusvirtual.upo.es/ On-line platform with the course material. Specific articles provide by the Professor.  

 

Course Requirements and Grading  

Your final grade will be calculated according to the following system:  

• _Cases (20%)  

• _Mid-term exam (20%)  

• _Final exam (20%)  

• _Final project (20%)

 • _Class participation (20%)