Operations Management

BUS 172a

Operations Management

COURSE SYLLABUS

Spring 2015

Class Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Location: TBD

Anita L. Tucker, DBA

Associate Professor of Operations Management

Office Hours: Mondays 3:00 – 5:00 pm; Tuesdays 5:30 – 6:30 pm

I am happy to meet with you on other days and times, just send me an email request.

Sachar 209B

781-736-8542 (office phone)

Revision date: November 3, 2014

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Overview

Operations Management is central to value creation in organizations. It is the scientific study and optimization of the processes that organizations use to create the products/services purchased by their customers. To be successful, organizations must have reliable processes that are aligned with their strategic positioning. They also must effectively design and manage their supply chain.

By taking this course you will gain the knowledge and skills to assess the efficiency of organizations’ operations and make informed recommendations for improvement. The topics that we will cover include: process analysis, the impact of variability on process performance (waiting time and throughput losses), quality management (lean production), inventory management and supply chain coordination.

Learning Goals

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of operations management.

By the end of the course you will:

·  Be able to apply the vocabulary, tools, and formulas used to analyze processes.

·  Quantify the impact of variability on system performance, and determine strategies for reducing variability’s negative impact on performance.

·  Be able to identify opportunities for improving the performance of operating systems, and know a variety of approaches to improvement (e.g., lean)

·  Understand techniques used to determine inventory levels and manage supply chains.

·  Understand how to manage supply and demand, and techniques for handling imbalances between the two (e.g, delayed differentiation, flexible capacity).

Teaching Methods

The focus of the course will be on learning and applying fundamental operations management principles and techniques. In our classes, we will use a variety of formats to deepen our understanding including lectures, case study discussions and hands-on exercises. We will apply what we learned in homework assignments and exams.

Course Prerequisites: BUS 1b and BUS 10a

Materials

This course will use the following book, which is required:

Operations and Supply Chain Management: The Core. F. Robert Jacobs and Richard B. Chase. 3rd edition. 2013. McGraw-Hill Irwin.

ISBN 978-0-07-352523-5

We will be using “CONNECT” which enables you to do problem sets from the textbook online.

To register for this go to this webpage

https://connect.mheducation.com/class/a-tucker-spring-2015

The book may be purchased from Amazon.com, the Brandeis bookstore or any other bookseller that carries it.

Grading:

Grades are based on several components.

Class Participation (15%). Class participation is determined by your preparation and active engagement during class. Class attendance is required. If you are unable to attend class, please let me know in advance, if possible, including the reason you are unable to attend. You will not be penalized for one absence, but any unexcused absences beyond that will hurt your grade.

For class discussion, you are expected to actively listen, respond to questions, express your viewpoints, and respond to comments from your fellow students. I will keep a record of class participation for each student and assign a grade based on your non-verbal participation and the quality and quantity of in-class comments. Attendance without participation will result in a C+ participation grade (assuming there is no more than one absence). High quality (e.g., contributing analysis, synthesis) participation for most classes will be an A. Consistent, although not always breakthrough participation will be a B.

In general, we will be leaving laptops (and smart phones) closed during discussions.

Homework Assignments (35%)

Assignments may be turned in either in hard copy or via Latte. Late assignments will not be accepted unless there are extenuating circumstances (e.g. death of a close family member). Assignments are due at the beginning of class. Your submission must be your own, but you may work with other students to discuss the homework.

Practice problems on Connect will be worth 10%, the other assigments will be worth 25%

Connect enables you to gain practice with the problems.

Exams (3) (50%)

Exams are mandatory and may not be rescheduled. They are open book, open notes.

Communication

We will use Latte for posting course slides and for class announcements. Email usually is the best way to reach me besides coming to my office hours.

Special Accommodation

If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.

Academic Integrity

You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see http://www.brandeis.edu/global/current-students/academic/integrity/index.html). Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the University.

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Syllabus for Bus 172a

Date / Day / Class # / Topic / Material / Assignment Due
1/13/2015 / Tu / 1 / Introduction / Chapter 1
1/15/2015 / Th / 2 / Operational Performance / Chapter 1 / AE-1: Compare companies using wall street efficiency measures. Bring a single powerpoint slide to class that summarizes the results of what you found and be prepared to present this to class. Upload your slide to Assignments-AE1 on Latte
1/20/2015 / Tu / 3 / Strategy and Sustainability / Chapter 2 / AE-2: The Tao of Timbuk2. Answer questions at end of case and upload in Latte
1/22/2015 / Th / 4 / Forecasting / Chapter 3 / Practice problems on Connect:
Chapter 3: 1, 4, 5 and 20.
1/27/2015 / Tu / 5 / Forecasting / Chapter 3: Starbucks Case / AE-3: Forecasting Supply Chain Demand-Starbucks Corporation. Answer the questions at the end of the case in a short write-up within your spreadsheet. Your spreadsheet should be submitted to Latte and bring a copy to share with the rest of class.
1/29/2015 / Th / 6 / Project Management / Chapter 5 / AE4: Product design project. Answer the questions at the end of the case in a short write-up. Submit your write-up on Latte. Bring a copy to share with the class.
Practice problems on Connect
Chapter 5: 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 11, 13
2/3/2015 / Tu / 7 / Manufacturing Processes / Chapter 6 / Practice problems on Connect
Chapter 6: 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12
2/5/2015 / Th / 8 / Service Processes / AE5: Designing a Manufacturing Process – Toshiba’s Notebook Computer Assembly Line. Turn in via Latte. Prepare a few powerpoint slides that summarize your analysis and bring to class.
2/10/2015 / Tu / 9 / Review Material for the first exam
2/12/2015 / Th / 10 / First Exam
2/17/2015 / Tu / No Class
2/19/2015 / Th / No Class
2/24/2015 / Tu / 11 / Sales and Operations Planning / Chapter 8 / Practice problems at Connect
Chapter 8: 6, 7, 9
2/26/2015 / Th / 12 / Sales and Operations Planning / Use excel solver for aggregate operations planning / AE6: Developing an Aggregate Plan for Bradford Manufacturing (Pages 270-271). See Latte for more details
3/3/2015 / Tu / 13 / Material Requirements Planning / Chapter 9 / Read the Brunswick Motors case, we will complete the exercise in class.
Practice problems on Connect.
Chapter 9: 2, 4, 5, 7
3/5/2015 / Th / 14 / Six-Sigma/ Quality Management / Chapter 10
Six-Sigma Quality Concepts
3/10/2015 / Tu / 15 / Six-Sigma/ Quality Management / Process Capability, Statistical Quality Control / Practice problems on Connect
Chapter 10: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12
3/12/2015 / Th / 16 / Six-Sigma/ Quality Management / Toyota / AE7: Quality Management-Toyota. Complete both part A and B of the case. Prepare a short write up that addresses the questions at the end of each part of the case. Submit your write up to Latte, and bring a copy to class.
3/17/2015 / Tu / 17 / Review
3/19/2015 / Th / 18 / Second Exam
3/24/2015 / Tu / 19 / Inventory Management / Chapter 11
3/26/2015 / Th / 20 / Inventory Management / Practice Problems on Connect
Chapter 11: 1, 2, 8-17
3/31/2015 / Tu / 21 / Inventory Management / AE-8: Warehouse Inventory Planning at Big 10 Sweaters. Prepare a short write-up of the case and a one page powerpoint for use in class. Submit your write-up to Latte
4/2/2015 / Th / 22 / Strategy, Sourcing and Purchasing / Chapter 13
Efficient and Responsive supply chains, the bullwhip effect
4/7/2015 / Tu / No Class
4/9/2015 / Th / No Class
4/14/2015 / Tu / 23 / Location, Logistics and Distribution / Chapter 14 (pages 460-469) / AE9: Global Sourcing Decision. Prepare a short write-up or powerpoint slides that summarizes your answers to the questions at the end of the case. Submit your write up via latte
Practice problems on Connect.
Chapter 14: 3, 4, 5
4/16/2015 / Th / 24 / Location, Logistics and Distribution / AE-10: Distribution Center Location. Prepare a short write up or powerpoint deck that summarizes your answers to the questions at the end of the case. Submit your write-up to Latte.
4/21/2015 / Tu / 25 / Review for Exam
4/23/2015 / Th / 26 / Third Exam

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