Course Structure* 

 

*Week 1: Introduction to Operations Management* 

- Role of operations in business, key concepts, historical evolution. 

- *Readings:* Heizer & Render, Ch. 1; Slack & Brandon-Jones, Ch. 1. 

 

*Week 2: Operations Strategy* 

- Aligning operations with corporate strategy, performance objectives. 

- *Case Study:* IKEA’s cost leadership strategy. 

 

*Week 3: Process Analysis & Design* 

- Process flow analysis, capacity planning, bottlenecks, facility layouts. 

- *Tool:* Process mapping exercises. 

 

*Week 4: Supply Chain Management (SCM)* 

- SCM strategies, risk management, demand forecasting. 

- *Case Study:* Dell’s direct-to-consumer model. 

 

*Week 5: Inventory Management* 

- EOQ, JIT, safety stock, ABC analysis. 

- *Simulation:* Inventory optimization using Excel. 

 

*Week 6: Lean & JIT Systems* 

- Principles of Lean, value stream mapping, TPM. 

- *Guest Lecture:* Toyota Production System expert. 

 

*Week 7: Quality Management* 

- Six Sigma, TQM, control charts, Cost of Quality. 

- *Tool:* Minitab for statistical analysis. 

 

*Week 8: Project Management* 

- Agile vs. Waterfall, CPM, PERT, resource levelling. 

- *Software:* Microsoft Project basics. 

 

*Week 9: Sustainability in Operations* 

- Green supply chains, circular economy, carbon footprint. 

- *Case Study:* Patagonia’s sustainable practices. 

 

*Week 10: Technology in Operations* 

- ERP, IoT, AI, blockchain in SCM. 

- *Discussion:* Industry 4.0 impact. 

 

*Week 11: Global Operations* 

- Cultural, regulatory, and logistical challenges. 

- *Case Study:* Apple’s global supply chain risks. 

 

*Weeks 12-13: Case Studies & Simulation* 

- *Activities:* Starbucks’ inventory management, Amazon Robotics. 

- *Simulation:* SAP ERP or Simul8 exercises. 

 

*Week 14: Emerging Trends* 

- Resilience post-pandemic, servitization, smart manufacturing. 

 

*Week 15: Final Project Presentations* 

- Group presentations on real-world operations challenges. 

 

*Week 16: Final Exam* 

- Comprehensive exam covering key concepts. 

 

*Assessment* 

- *Participation (10%):* Engagement in discussions and activities. 

- *Case Studies/Quizzes (20%):* Weekly analyses and quizzes. 

- *Midterm Exam (20%):* Covers Weeks 1-8. 

- *Final Project (25%):* Group project with presentation and report. 

- *Final Exam (25%):* Cumulative assessment. 

 

*Recommended Texts* 

1. *Heizer, J., Render, B., & Munson, C.* (2020). Operations Management: Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. 

2. *Slack, N., & Brandon-Jones, A.* (2021). Operations and Process Management. 

 

*Projects & Activities* 

- *Process Improvement Plan:* Redesign a real-world process using Lean tools. 

- *Supply Chain Risk Assessment:* Analyse vulnerabilities in a global company. 

- *Quality Audit:* Conduct a Six Sigma DMAIC project. 

 

*Additional Resources* 

- *Software:* Excel Solver, Tableau, simulation tools (Simul8). 

- *Journals:* Harvard Business Review, Journal of Operations Management.