Operations management is concerned with the production of goods and the delivery of services to meet customers' demands. It is one of the central functions of every business, government agency, and non-for-profit organizations. Sound and creative operations management can provide an important competitive advantage for firms to succeed in today's marketplace. Successful companies need to have the capability of delivering high-quality products/services to meet their ever-changing customer demands in a timely and cost-effective manner. It has also been realized that the operations function must integrate into the overall corporate planning and strategy to achieve such an advantage. Therefore, an understanding of operations management is important for all managers, and a working knowledge about the Operations function of a firm is an integral part of your MBA education.
The objective of this course is to develop a general managerial perspective on the role of operations management in the function of a firm, at both the tactical and strategic levels. The course will offer a broad survey of concepts and techniques in managing operations, with particular emphasis on a number of major operations management issues that can significantly affect the competitive position of a firm in the marketplace. Through the discussions of these issues, the students can also develop a good understanding about how operations should interact with other functional areas such as marketing and finance.
Operations, getting the work done efficiently and effectively, are a matter of technique, and so we shall devote some time to mastering analytical methods. The deeper issues surrounding Operations, however, need to be addressed through a broad and conceptual approach. This course provides a blend of qualitative and quantitative treatment. A combination of lectures, cases, videos, games and in-class discussion will be used to convey the basic concepts.

Prerequisite: Business Management 企業管理

Course Delivery

This course will be presented by using lectures and discussions. Student learning outcomes will be evaluated based on homework and exams.

1. There will be one mid-term exams and one final exam (see course schedule). All exams are closed notes. Using any other resources during exams is not allowed. Students are allowed to bring a calculator during exams. There will be no make-up exams except in the cases noted below.

2. Homework problems for lectured chapter will be assigned after class. Students are encouraged to complete the homework problems independently and turn it in by 2:20 p.m. next class, and any makeup homework would not be accepted. The homework will be graded.

3. When appropriate, mini cases of the textbook will be used. Every four student forming a team is required to submit a report for the cases. Some specific case questions might be provided to help you prepare the case reports, but your own ideas and creativity are paramount. Keep the report concise. There is no need to summarize the case materials. Simply get to the main points and provide your analysis and/or recommendations with justification. The report should be typewritten in 12 points character, and with single space. The main body of the report should be limited around 2 to 3 pages.

4. No make-up exams will be permitted unless official documentation for absences is provided. All documented absences due to religious observances and officially approved trips will be guaranteed as a make-up opportunity. Absences due to other unavoidable reasons (e.g., death in the family, illness) will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with appropriate documentation required. Except in the case of an emergency, the student must always seek instructor consent prior to the absence. Typically, make-up exams might occur before the scheduled absence and as close to the original assignment date as possible.