Teachers
Prof. Per J.Agrell, Prof. Pierre Semal
Assistants
Alejandro Lamas , Tanja Mlinar
Language
English
Semester
First semester, Q1
Aims
This course provides a general introduction to production and operational management, one of the primary functions of business management.
The course objectives are
(1) to familiarise students with the problems and fundamental issues facing production managers,
(2) to describe and analyse the language, the concepts usually used in resolving these issues with a view to gaining a competitive
advantage through operational management,
(3) to study the tools and steps involved in the quantitative management methods used to model and tackle these problems.
A process vision of operations is adopted to capture and analyse the fundamental dimensions of operations management, such as capacity management, cycle time management, logistics and quality management. These processes are conceived as basic technologies that all organisations use to produce and distribute goods and services able to meet consumers' expectations.
To study the problems of operational management effectively, the course is divided into three parts or steps. First, students must learn how to model and understand production processes and the product and information flows associated with them. Part 2 examines the causal relations between the structure of the processes and their performances. Lastly, a systematic analysis of management levers and their impact on process performance identifies implications for managerial action.
This modelling approach focused on the analysis of managerial action in operations management is strengthened by a systematic study of the principal quantitative management methods underpinning such an approach.
This product-oriented course serves as an introduction to the specialist option in "Problems and Methods in Production and Operations Management ". In addition to the advanced courses offered within this option, there is another optional course intended for other specialist options which deals with operations management within the service sector.
Program
Prerequisites
A basic course of mathematics, statistics and probabilities
