Strategic Operations management is a crucial element for any organisation to survive in the global market. Approaching this subject from a truly supply chain management perspective, this module aims to provide a clear and concise coverage, whilst the updated case study gives an opportunity to highlight on practice and further explore the concepts and techniques.
Operations Management is changing and getting more challenging, but it still acquires a much more prominent profile in the business management context. There are a few reasons for this. Managers have seen it as a tool to keep the cost down, enhance the potential to improve revenue, promote an appropriate allocation of capital resources and most important, develop capabilities that provide for future competitive advantage. The strategic impact of applying operations management techniques is vital now in shaping the organisation's strategic direction. Moreover, the scope of operations management has been extended with Internalisation. Global supply chain management has proven that no isolated operation can live, and the need for effective integration is the only way to stay competitive.
All the aforementioned factors have implications on how to utilise operations management approaches in practice generally and in the supply chain context in particular. This module has been designed into three separate emphases (principles, diagnosis, and practice) yet connected to serve one objective which is to manage/improve both service and manufacturing supply chains. It also explores the strategic role of operations management in knowledge-intensive supply chains by tackling some of the critical 'do's' and 'don'ts' in operations, starting from concrete, real-life examples and argues for a solid connection between operations management and the strategy of the venture.
The aim of the module is to demonstrate operation strategies can deliver a competitive advantage for supply chain networks. The module helps to build on the participant’s understanding of operations in order to achieve more lean and flexible enterprises and therefore supply chains. It also enables them to gain a critical awareness of current strategic operations management problems and new insights into how to assess the risk associated with those issues in order to propose an effective business solution. In addition, the module takes a look at some recent ideas that go beyond transactions based on operations management systems and that focus instead on optimisation. Factory Physics is an excellent example of this way of thinking.
System Understanding
Operations and ProcessesOperations StrategyPerformance ObjectivesIntegration of Functional AreasProfit vs. Value-for-MonePublic and Private Sector Perspectives
Design of Operations
Process DesignSupply Network DesignOperation ParametersWorkflow ModellingProcess Analysis
Operations Management
Nature of Planning and ControlCapacity Planning and SchedulingResource Planning and ControlEnterprise Resource PlanningSupply Chain Management
Lean Operations
Factory PhysicsLean Thinking and Lean conceptsLean SynchronisationAgile OrganisationsTheory of ConstraintsVariability (sources, basics, and influence)Optimisation
Quality Systems
Quality ControlTotal Quality ManagementBusiness Excellence6-Sigma
Risk Management
Risk analysis in operationsRisk assessmentRisk poolingModelling Decisions
For postgraduate students, the pedagogical approach will be based mainly on the sharing of knowledge and experiences directed and facilitated by the class lecturer.
The module will incorporate a range of learning teaching methods (e.g., Classroom-based, directed study, and independent learning) in form of lectures, tutorials, class assignments/pre-reading, class discussions, case studies (best practices), and group projects. The teaching methodology will apply a 30% teacher-centred to 70% student-centred learning approach which will assign significant responsibility to the participant in the learning process, for example; the participant will define the business operations and start the analysis phase from the gained experiences in a different context and practical examples in the first lectures. Evaluating the operation logic and taking responsibility for delivering an effective solution for the problem will be the participant's role under the lecturer's supervision. E-Learning and Kolb's approach to teaching/learning is to be considered in the module learning. Guest lecturer seminars will provide the participants with a better understanding of real-life problems in different sectors
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 50 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 50 |