Syllabi

INSTRUCTORS

Professor Vahid Lotfi
Information Technology Services
(810) 762-3123
email: vahid@flint.umich.edu

Professor Fred Williams, Dean
School of Management
(810) 762-3160
email: tedwill@flint.umich.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This three credit-hour online course introduces various Operations Management models, to be used by managers in a decision support environment. Session topics include Operations and Productivity, Competitive Advantage, Global Environment, Managing Quality, Forecasting, Capacity Planning, Location and Layout Strategies, Inventory Management, Aggregate Planning, Materials Requirement Planning, and Reliability. The course is designed to provide students ample opportunities to practice model formulation, computer solution, and interpretation of the solution outcomes. As one of the required courses for Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree, this course provides the student with knowledge and skills required to analyze and solve various operations management problems in for-profit as well as non-profit organizations.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

· Demonstrate an awareness of many critical decisions of Operations Management (OM)
· Demonstrate familiarity with various issues surrounding productivity, service operations, designing operations, managing operations, and certain quantitative models
· Demonstrate familiarity with model formulation, computer solution, and interpretation of computer output
· Correctly identify the appropriate model, state the assumptions, develop formulation, and use a computer software to solve several OM models including
- quality assurance
- time series forecasting
- capacity planning
- location and layout analyses
- inventory management
- aggregate planning
- materials requirement planning
· Correctly use vocabulary appropriate for discussing the stated OM models
· Engage in positive and meaningful dialogue with classmates concerning class projects as well as OM
· Express interest in pursuing further study in OM

COURSE OUTLINE
· Day 1: (5/15/2000) Introduction to the course, and coverage of Chapter 1 - Operations and Productivity. Quiz 1 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 1, 4, and 7.
· Day 2: (5/16/2000) Covers Chapter 2 - Operations Strategy for Competitive Advantage. Quiz 2 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 2 and 3.
· Day 3: (5/17/2000) Covers Chapter 3 - Operations in Global Environment. Quiz 3 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 5 and 6.
· Day 4: (5/18/2000) Covers Chapter 4 - Managing Quality. Quiz 4 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 5, 7, and 9.
· Day 5: (5/19/2000) Covers Chapter 5 - Forecasting. Quiz 5 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 3, 5, 12, and 39.
· Day 6: (5/22/2000) Covers Chapter 8 - Location Strategies. Quiz 6 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 2, 4, and 12.
· Day 7: (5/23/2000) Covers Chapter 9 - Layout Strategies. Quiz 7 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 2, 4, and 10.
· Day 8: (5/24/2000) Covers Chapter 12 - Inventory Management. Quiz 8 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 3, 7, 16, and 18.
· Day 9: (5/25/2000) Covers Chapter 13 - Aggregate Planning. Quiz 9 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 3, 11, and 15.
· Day 10: (5/26/2000) Covers Chapter Materials Requirement Planning. Quiz 10 will be given in the afternoon session. Solve problems 1, 2, and 10.

COURSE EVALUATION:

Your grade will be based on 10 quizzes. Each quiz will cover one chapter and will be given in the afternoon session of the day that the chapter is covered. Therefore, it is critical that you read the chapters ahead of time. The quizzes are weighted equally and the lowest grade will be dropped.

Home works will be assigned but will not be collected. Homework assignments but will be discussed in class.

Discussion Questions

1. Eli Whitney (1800) has been credited for early promotion of "standardization." Why is standardization important? What are the drawbacks?

2. Consider a company specialized in manufacturing and sales of personal computers (e.g., Dell, Compaq, etc.). Choose 3 of the 10 OM decisions and describe specific ways these decisions can be used to gain a competitive advantage for the firm.

3. Read the critical thinking exercise on page 71. Would you contract to produce shoes in China? On what basis would you make your decision?

4. Some critics have claimed that Total Quality Management (and presumably, the entire quality movement) is just another in a long line of management fads. Comment.

5. Refer to Critical Thinking Exercise on page 179 and provide your responses to the questions raised in this exercise.

6. Read the Critical Thinking Exercise concerning local and regional bidding wars to attract new business and industrial facilities (pages 311-312). Intense competition to attract new business and industry raises some complex issues identified in the following four thread topics. Please respond to each topic.

7. Read the Critical Thinking Exercise that contrasts office layout in the U.S. and Japan. (page 352). Please respond to each of the two thread topics.

8. Please refer to the Critical Thinking Exercise at the end of Chapter 12 (page 471)and respond to the questions at the end of the exercise.

9. Please refer to the Critical Thinking Exercise at the end of Chapter 13 (page 527)and respond to the questions at the end of the exercise.

10. Read the Critical Thinking Exercise about the compatibility of JIT and MRP. (page 568). Please respond to the question raised in the exercise: What are the techniques, issues, and impacts of adding JIT inventory and purchasing techniques in an organization that has MRP?

See also list of students