MG104      Half Unit
Operations Management

This information is for the 2019/20 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr David Newton

Availability

This course is compulsory on the BSc in Management. This course is available on the BSc in Accounting and Finance, International Exchange (1 Term) and International Exchange (Full Year). This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Pre-requisites

None

Course content

This course provides students with an understanding of the drivers of organisational performance, conditional on a strategic objective. Aspects of Operations Management studied include process flow analysis, inventory management, assembly line balancing; supply chain management; quality management and scheduling.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the MT.

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

Formative coursework

One formative essay of 2000 words will be set in the Michaelmas Term.

Indicative reading

  • Operations and Supply Chain Management, Jacobs and Chase.
  • Strategy and Sustainability: Whelan, Tensie, and Carly Fink. "The comprehensive business case for sustainability." Harvard Business Review, (October 2016), n. pag.
  • Capacity Management: Pullman, Madeleine, and Svetlana Rodgers. "Capacity management for hospitality and tourism: A review of current approaches." International Journal of Hospitality Management 29 (2010), 177-187.
  • Process Analysis: Amorim, Marlene, Philip Moscoso, and Alejandro Lago. "Customer participation in services: A framework for process design." International Journal of Qualitative Research in Services 2, 1 (2010), 47-61.
  • Manufacturing Processes: D’Aveni, Richard. "The 3-D printing revolution." Harvard Business Review, May (2015), 40-48.
  • Service Processes: Frei, Frances X. "Breaking the trade-off between efficiency and service.” Harvard Business Review 84, 11 (November 2015), 92-101.
  • Six-sigma Quality: Schroeder, Roger G., Kevin Linderman, Charles Liedtke, and Adrian S. Choo. "Six sigma: Definition and underlying theory.” Journal of Operations Management 26 (2008), 536-554.
  • Project Management: Browning, Tyson R. and Ranga V. Ramasesh. "Reducing unwelcome surprises in project management.” MIT Sloan Management Review, (Spring 2015), 53-62.
  • Lean Supply Chains: Bruce, Margaret, Lucy Daly, and Neil Towers. "Lean or agile: A solution for supply chain management in the textiles and clothing industry?” International Journal of Operations and Production Management 24, 2 (2004), 151-170.

Assessment

Project (100%, 3000 words) in the LT.

The project will be split into three parts:

1. A group project plan (10%)

2. The main group project submission (70%)

3. An individual self-reflective essay (20%)

Students will be randomly assigned to four-person groups for the summative assessment project.

Key facts

Department: Management

Total students 2018/19: 249

Average class size 2018/19: 17

Capped 2018/19: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills