Operations Management

In this course, you will learn about the role of operations and how they are connected to other business functions in manufacturing- and service-focused organizations. You will learn and practice the use of decision-making frameworks and techniques applicable at all levels, from management-level strategic decisions such as connecting process to the needs of various customer segments, to front-line tactical decisions such as choosing between ordering larger quantities vs. ordering more frequently.

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the role of operations management
• Relate underlying principles to operations management frameworks and techniques
• Synthesize information to make strategic operations decisions
• Evaluate processes on different dimensions
• Apply analytical techniques for tactical operations decision

This course is part of the iMBA offered by the University of Illinois, a flexible, fully-accredited online MBA at an incredibly competitive price. For more information, please see onlinemba.illinois.edu.

Module 1: Course Orientation & Operations Strategy
In this module, you will become familiar with the course, your instructor, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation also helps you obtain the technical skills required for the course. This module also covers the basis of operations management and how it works in different kinds of organizations. Connecting operations management to other aspects of running an organization, it lays the groundwork for how to develop and implement a solid operations strategy.

Module 2: Process Analysis
Module 2 discusses types of process arrangements and when each might be appropriate. It introduces process metrics with a focus on Little’s law and how it functions in practical contexts. It also covers how variability affects process capacity and planned utilization.

Module 3: Inventory and Supply Chain Management
Module 3 focuses on making sound decisions about inventory and supply chains. In addition to discussing approaches to categorizing inventory, tracking its performance, and implementing inventory policies, the module covers questions of outsourcing and supply chain, including how to avoid the bullwhip effect.

Module 4: Quality Management
Module 4 covers definitions of and different approaches to quality of both products and processes. It includes techniques for managing and assessing quality, with an emphasis on variability and statistical process control.