School of Management

University of Texas at Dallas

Course Syllabus

OPER6302-5003 Operations Management Spring 2008

Classes: Wednesdays 7 – 9:45 pm Room SOM 2.717

Professor Yunzeng Wang

Office: SOM 3.212

Phone: 972-883-2458
E- mail: yunzeng.wang@utdallas.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays 3:00 – 5:30 pm

Teaching Assistant: Tharanga Rajapakshe, Office: SOM 3.409

Phone: 972-883-4808 E-mail: tharanga@utdallas.edu

Instructor Information:
Yunzeng Wang is an Associate Professor at the School of Management of the University of
Texas at Dallas. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Operations Management from the Wharton School,
University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining UTD recently, he was an Associate Professor at the
Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Wang’s research
involves developing and analyzing decision models of Operations and Supply Chain
Management f o r performance improvement. His work has appeared in numerous leading
academic journals. He serves on the editorial boards for several major journals in the field. Dr.
Wang consults extensively in the area of supply chain management and logistics. Many of his
research results have been implemented by companies, resulting in dramatic cost reduction and
performance improvement. He was awarded the prestigious George Dantzig Prize in 1998 by the
Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS) for the theoretical
contributions of his research and its relevance to management practice.

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

STAT 5311 or OPER 6301

Course materials (lecture notes, home works and solutions, etc.) can only be accessed through a
course tool called WebCT at UTD’s website. It is essential for you to have the means to logon to
the site for downloading materials posted there regularly.

Course Syllabus Page 1

Course Description

Operations Management deals with the part of an enterprise that creates value for its customers
and shareholders. It involves designing goods and services, producing goods and providing
services, and the physical distribution of goods and services. As global competition in both
manufacturing and service industries increases, a firm's survival depends upon how well it
integrates the operations function into the enterprise’s planning and strategy. Thus, it is essential
for all business managers to acquire an understanding and appreciation of operations. The
objective of this course is to provide you with an understanding of operations and the roles that
they play in an organization.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

By the end of the course, you should appreciate the challenges in providing world-class products
and services and you should be able to use some analytical tools and conceptual frameworks to
guide your thinking about operations. In particular, you should leave this course with a better
understanding of:
· The role of operations in supporting business strategy.
· How to identify and define key business processes.
· How to define clear performance objectives and process measures.
· How to use data and analytical tools to improve the effectiveness of processes.
· The impact of an organization’s context upon process management and improvement.
· Key issues and techniques for managing an organization’s supply chain.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Cases and readings: a Course Pack purchased at the campus bookstore.

Suggested Additional readings

We do not require a textbook. However, if you would like to have a reference, you might
consider: Production/Operations Management by William J. Stevenson, Irwin/McGraw-Hill.

Course Syllabus Page 2

Assignments & Calendar

Important Due Dates for Hand-ins and Tests

Due Dates Turn-in

Group Case Analysis #1

January 30
Skill Builder Exercise #1

February 6 In-Class test #1

Group Case Analysis #2

March 5
Skill Builder Exercise #2

March 19 In-Class Text #2

April 16 Skill Builder Exercise 33

April 23 In-Class Test #3

Detailed Schedules and Assignments

[CPK] – reading materials included in the Course Pack
[WBCT] – reading materials downloaded from the course Web-CT

No. Date Topics and Assignment

1. 1/9 Course Overview, Introduction to OM
Read: Syllabus [WBCT]
Introduction to OM [WBCT]

2. 1/16 Process Analysis Fundamentals

Read: Process Fundamentals [CPK]
Lecture Notes (Slides) on Process Fundamentals [WBCT]

3. 1/23 a) Measuring Capacity

Read: Kristen’s Cookies Company (A) [CPK]

Prepare the following questions for class discussions:

1. Draw a process flow diagram for cookies production at Kristen’s.
2. How quickly can Kristen fill an order for 1 dozen cookies?
2 dozens? 3 dozens?
3. What is the maximum rate at which Kristen can produce cookies if she

Course Syllabus Page 3

 makes batches of 1 dozen, 2 dozens and 3 dozens respectively?
What assumptions do you have to make in your calculations?

b) Preview Group Case Analyses #1:

Before the class, read briefly the National Cranberry Case [CPK] and
the related case analysis assignment [WBCT].

4. 1/30 Bottleneck Analysis and Congestion

Read: National Cranberry Cooperative [CPK]

Turn-in: Group Case Analysis #1 [WBCT]

Skill Builder Exercise #1 [WBCT]

5. 2/6 In-Class Test #1

6. 2/13 Six-Sigma Quality Management and Control
Read: Lecture Notes (Slides) on Quality Management [WBCT]
On Some Statistical Aids Towards Economic Production [CPK]
Constructing and Using Process Control Charts [CPK]

7. 2/20 Capacity Planning for Services: Performance Measures and

Analytical Tools
Read: Lecture Notes (Slides) on Managing Customer Waiting Times [WBCT]
A Note on the Management of Queues [CPK]

8. 2/27 a) Align Process Design with Business Objectives

Read: McDonalds Corporation (McD) [CPK]
Burger King Corporation (BK) [CPK]

Prepare the following questions for class discussions:

1. For each of the two cases (McD and BK), draw a process flow
diagram.
2. What are the different competitive strategies adopted by McD
and BK? How do they achieve their respective strategies
through the design of their production processes

Video: Dell Computer Direct Model

b) Preview Group Case Analyses #2:

Before the class, read briefly The New York Police Department (NYPD)
Patrol System Case [CPK] and the related case analyses assignment
[WBCT].

9. 3/5 a) Capacity Planning for Services: The NYPD Case

Read: The New York Police Department (NYPD) Patrol System [CPK]

Course Syllabus Page 4

 b) Aggregate Production Planning
Read: Lecture Notes (Slides) [WBCT]

Turn-in: Group Case Analysis #2 (NYPD) [WBCT]

Skill Builder Exercise #2 [WBCT]

{Spring Break: Mon. March 10 – Sat. March 15}

10. 3/19. In-Class Test #2

11. 3/26 The Bear Game

Read: The Beer Game [WBCT]

12. 4/2 Inventory Management in Supply Chains

Read: Lecture Notes (Slides) on Inventory Management [WBCT]

13. 4/9 Inventory Management in Supply Chains (continued)

Read: Lecture Notes (Slides) on Inventory Management [WBCT]

14. 4/16 Postponement Strategies in Supply Chains

Read: Hewlett-Packard: DeskJet Printer Supply Chain (A) [CPK]

Prepare Discussion Questions for the Hewlett-Packard case:

1. What are the major problems facing H-P in its DeskJet printer
supply chain?
2. What are the potential solutions?

Turn-in: Skill Builder Exercise #3 [WBCT]

15. 4/23 In-Class Test #3

Grading Policy
The course involves a combination of lectures and class discussions of cases and readings that
are contained in the course pack. As described below, the workload consists of class
participation, four individual home works, two group case analyses, and two exams. The course
grades will be based on the weights shown in parenthesis.

Class Participation (5%)

Students are expected to come to class well prepared to be active participants in the learning

Course Syllabus Page 5

process. So you should read before each class all the assigned materials and be fully prepared to
participate in class discussions. Your semester’s participation is evaluated based on the quality
and quantity of your contributions, with a strong emphasis on quality.

Individual Skill Building Exercises (20%)

During the semester there will be three (3) exercises assigned to help you practice particular
techniques. These assignments should be written and handed in individually, although students
may discuss and work together on the problems.

Group Case Analysis Reports (15%)

There will be two case analysis reports due during the semester, each pertaining to a case that
will be discussed in class. Prior to the due date of each report, an assignment will be distributed
to guide your analysis. Groups of no more than 3 students may work together on these
assignments.
The reports are graded based on both content and presentation. A good report should
clearly and succinctly state the recommendations in the first paragraph to provide the reader with
a framework. (If a lengthy description of the recommendation seems necessary, append it to the
report.) The remaining paragraphs should each present a major part of the rationale for the
recommendation in terms of the desirable and undesirable consequences of adopting it. The
rationale must consider capabilities that the operation system under study needs to excel at, and
how the current system either provides these capabilities or fails to provide them. Reports should
be typed with 1.5 line-spacing and should not exceed 2 pages, not including appendices and
exhibits. Exhibits appended to the reports need not be typed, but should be neat and easy to
understand. As per the honor code, an individual should include his/her name on a report only if
he/she has contributed to the analysis.
Some common problems in preparing reports:
· Presentation related: A good report is NOT a chronology of analysis (i.e., answering the
questions listed in sequence), but a clearly articulated statement of recommendation
and support. If there are options under consideration in the case that are rejected by you, a
clear rationale for your decision should be provided. Facts stated in the case need not be
restated unless used to make a point. I will assume that the most important issues are raised
in the report and that all else is less important to the writer. Both desirable and undesirable
consequences should be factually stated and supported. In the overall evaluation of a report
the discussion of all consequences of the recommendation is of the greatest importance. You
must clearly discuss how your recommendations aid in the development of capabilities that
are important for the logistics system under study. Finally, you should clearly explain the
logic of any analysis.
· Analysis related: Other reports suffer from inadequate analysis. Analysis for a report is a
time consuming and intellectually challenging task. Each case has a set of questions which
are essentially a guide to help you with the analysis. However, you should not limit your
analysis to narrowly finding answers to these questions, nor your report should be a list of
answers to these questions. The objective is to evaluate a complete range of alternatives
and anticipate and discuss the full consequences of your recommendation.

Two In-Class Tests (60%)

Test #1 (15%)
Test #3 (15%)

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 Test #2 (30 %)

Course & Instructor Policies

1. Submit your home works before the start of the class on the due date. Late submission of
exercises and reports will NOT be accepted and NOT be graded, unless under emergency
circumstances. Submit your homework in hard copies and bind/staple them properly
whenever you have multiple pages. Electronic submissions are NOT accepted, unless a
special permission has been issued from the instructor.
2. DO NOT use your laptop computer during classes and exams. You will only need
your computer to do your home works after class for this course. Bring with you a simple
calculator for exams.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the
orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student
organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and
activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to
Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of
Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student
Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she
is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the
value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her
scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s
own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism,
collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.

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 Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for
details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism
and is over 90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning
security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and
staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be
used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These
dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be
followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will
not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of
academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter
with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter
called “the respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the
respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written
response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the
grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean
of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals
Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process
will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where
staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the
semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be
resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to
complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the
incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

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 The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to
those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office
hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.;
and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom
prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral
presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments
may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special
services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student
has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact
the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel
to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property
tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the
absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the
exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of
the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or
assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a
reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor
may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus Page 9