Operations Management studies the processes in which inputs (including materials, labor, capital and information) are transformed into products and services which customers are willing and able to pay for. These processes can be managed well or poorly. Knowledge introduced in this course will help one understand the reasons for both. This course provides an introduction to the concepts and analytic methods that will be useful in understanding the management of a firm's operations and aims to: (1) familiarize one with the problems and issues that operations managers experience, and (2) provide one with language, concepts, insights and tools to deal with these issues in order to gain competitive advantage through operations.
One will be able to see how different business strategies require different business processes, and how different operational capabilities allow and support different strategies to gain competitive advantage. A process view of operations will be used to analyze different key operational dimensions such capacity management, flow (cycle) time management, project management, quality management, and logistics and supply chain management. We will also explore recent developments in operation management, including as lean manufacturing, just-in-time operations, and e-Business in operations.