GSU ROBINSON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

MBA 8155 - Operations Management

Fall, 2009 - Course Syllabus - Levine
Section #005, CRN #84377: Monday, 4:30 - 7:00pm, Alpharetta Center
Instructor:

Dr. Kenneth C. Levine

Telephone (cell): (770)-633-9322
Dept. of Managerial Sciences
Email:
levi15@bellsouth.net
Office Hours: RCB 1047 by appointment
Web Page: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwkcl (then select MBA8155)

Operations Management (OM) is concerned with the management of resources and activities that
produce and deliver goods and services for customers. Efficient and effective operations can
provide an organization with major competitive advantages since the ability to respond to customer
and market requirements quickly, at a low cost, and with high quality, is vital to attaining profitability
and growth through increased market share. As competition becomes fiercer in an increasingly
open and global marketplace, a company's survival and growth become greatly contingent on its
ability to run its operations efficiently and to exploit its resources productively.
The course focuses on the basic concepts, issues, and techniques for efficient and effective
operations. Special emphasis is placed on process improvement and supply chain management.
Topics include operations strategy, product and service design, process design and analysis,
capacity planning, lean production systems, materials and inventory management, quality
management and six sigma, project management, and supply chain management.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completing this course, students should be able to:
understand the strategic role of operations management in creating and enhancing a firms
competitive advantages
understand key concepts and issues of OM in both manufacturing and service organizations
understand the interdependence of the operations function with the other key functional
areas of a firm
apply analytical skills and problem-solving tools to the analysis of the operations problems
PREREQUISITES TO THIS COURSE: MBA 8000
TEXT (required): Jacobs, Chase, and Aquilano: Operations and Supply Management, 12th ed.,
ISBN#: 0-07-327873-4 (or other 12th edition)
STUDENT GUIDELINES AND PREPARATION: Class attendance is strongly advised. I intend to
start each class session on time, so please avoid being tardy. If an absence is necessary, it is the
students responsibility to obtain class notes and material for the class missed. Class participation is
welcomed and encouraged.
Reading assignments for each class and topic is given on the Course Schedule; deviations to this
schedule may be necessary and will be indicated during class. As a preparation for class, please
review the material before the meeting time.

COURSE CONTENT: Problems, Cases Studies, Group Term Project, and Exams:
Problems: The class schedule gives a listing of problems for each section. You will not be asked to
hand in your answers to these problems. During class I will go over these problems or similar
examples. Quantitative problems on exams will be similar in content to these problems.
Case Studies: There are case studies assigned for several class sessions. You do not have to
hand in your write-up of these cases or the questions assigned for homework. We will however go
over these cases in the beginning of the next class (after the material needed has been covered).
The case studies are listed on the class schedule. Please prepare to contribute to the analysis
of these cases, by reviewing the case study before class.
Group Term Project: For this course, a group term project is required. We will form teams during
the second class session. You may select your own team. Every team member is expected to
participate in the group project. Teams can determine how members will contribute. For example,
all members can work on all project tasks or members can be assigned different tasks. That is up to
the group. No "free riders" are permitted: Every group member is expected to participate
equally. Any unresolved problems within a group should be brought to my attention
immediately. Further detail is given in the project description.
Exams: There are two exams. The first counts 40%, and the second counts 40%, for a total of 80%
of your final grade. The exams will be held during the class session as indicated on the course
schedule. The exams are closed book, but one 8.5x11 two-sided crib sheet may be used for each
exam. You will also need to bring a calculator with a square root button, and scratch paper.
Make-up exams: If a legitimate problem beyond your control prevents attendance for an exam,
contact me as early as possible to schedule a make-up exam. If the situation can be anticipated,
please contact me before the scheduled exam date. Otherwise, contact me no later then the day
after the exam. Note: A make-up exam may be significantly different in format and in the scope and
depth of material coverage. Exams must be made up before the next class session.
Grading: The final grade consists of a weighted average of the following parts:
Two Exam Scores
Group Term Project

80% (1st@40%, 2nd@40%)

20%

The grading scale for this class is as follows:

Grade
Course
Score

A
93.95
100%

A89.95
93.94%

B+
85.95
89.94%

B
81.95
85.94%

B77.95
81.94%

C+
73.95
77.94%

C
69.95
73.94%

C64.95
69.94%

D
59.95
64.94%

F
Below
59.95%

No additional projects or extra credit work will be accepted. Your letter grade in the course will
be determined by the above table. No exceptions! For example, a course score of 89.94 is a B+.

GROUP TERM PROJECT:

This course focuses on the management of process and supply chain that are used to deliver the
product (either a good or service) to the customer. This group term project requires that a process
or supply chain be identified, flowcharted, and analyzed. Your group may choose one of the
following two options.
Option 1: Choose an existing process for providing a company's goods or services, and then
flowchart the existing process. (For example, a member of your group is responsible for developing
personal financial plans for their customers; map the process of preparing the plans.)
Option 2: Choose an industrys or products supply chain and then document, flowchart and
analyze the supply chain.
The project is centered on a 20 minute presentation of your analysis to the class. Your analysis of
the process should cover the applicable areas of process management. Including such items as:

A detailed process flow chart including process inputs, process outputs, activities, activity
times, processing and labor requirements.

Capacity analysis of the process, including the strategies used to address expected
customer demand.

Suggested metrics used to measure the process or supply chains performance, and how a
changed process may improve them.

Address other relevant issues as appropriate, such as:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Customer demand and process capacity relationships

How production is planned, from customer demand to production schedules
Quality Management issues
Product delivery issues
Collaboration and coordination issues
The interfaces of the process with both the external and internal customers
Waiting line issues and related staffing decisions
Other applicable process or supply chain management issues or concerns

Each group is expected to:

1. Provide a short written midterm report (one or two paragraphs with SIPOC including high
level flowchart) stating the option the group chose and the process they have chosen to
analyze or design. Included should also be a preliminary project plan (what each team
member is planning to do!), and any concerns that the group may have at that time (e.g.,
AWOL members). Due dates are on the course schedule.
2. Make a 20 minute (with an additional 5 minutes for questions) presentation of the project to
the class. Your group will be given no more than 20 minutes for the presentation, so it is
very important to plan what information you want your audience to receive. Present the big
picture DO NOT read your slides to the class. A good rule of thumb is plan for 2 minutes
per PowerPoint slide. Your presentation will be terminated after 20 minutes have passed!
3. Turn in PowerPoint slides (printed six to a page) plus full size process flow charts and tables.
Please - no report covers (binders)! Bring enough copies (in black and white only) for each
class member and the instructor. Your must also send a soft copy to the instructor on or
before the day of your presentation.

Project Grading:
The grade for the group project will be based on:

Process Choice (not too technical or too trivial, clear process flowchart, SIPOC, measurement,
improvement opportunities identified, project plan described (what the team actually did!)
Process Analysis (correctness of analysis, appropriate recommendations justified by logical
analysis and use of appropriate MBA8155 and other improvement methods and tools, thorough
analysis, appropriate measures collected and analyzed - or at least carefully planned, and
originality of the analysis)
Presentation (participation by multiple team members, within 20 minute time limit, logical flow,
clarity and ease of understanding, interest in presentation by audience, and originality of
presentation)

Note that all team members should be able to explain at a high level what was done, and be able to
answer questions posed by the instructor and the class! It is unacceptable to simply present a
project from work that was done by others. The presentation should make clear what was actually
accomplished by each team member!
The student's project grade will be the group's grade with adjustments based on peer evaluations.
*** Note: Any project that is being used or has been used for credit in another class and is being
used in whole or in part for this project needs to receive approval from the instructor. If it is currently
being used as part of a project in another course both instructors must approve. Please ask if you
are in doubt about the applicability of this note to your project.
Peer evaluation:
At the end of the course (attached to the back of your second test) you will be asked to evaluate
yourself and the other members of your group. You will be asked to assign a value between 0 and
10 (10 = Best) on each of the criteria. A reason needs to be given for each score below 5. These
ratings are gauging each team members contribution.

Group Member's Name

Participation
in group
activities

Quality of
work

Quantity of
work

Ability to work
as a team
member

Finished
assigned
work on time

Total
Points
Given

Self:

EXAMPLE
NOTES:

If GSU is closed for any reason on a scheduled class day, you should be prepared to adjust
the schedule accordingly. Material/exam to be covered on the day in which GSU was closed will
be typically be covered in the next class meeting. The instructor will provide direction as to
further changes to the schedule.
Students are responsible for the information contained in the Academic Honesty policy found in
the GSU Graduate Bulletin.

COURSE SCHEDULE:
The following is the tentative schedule of topics to be covered during the Semester. It is possible that there
will be changes in the schedule as the course progresses. Changes to this schedule will be announced
during class in advance of the class periods that will be affected.
Date

Sub-Topic

(Monday)

Readings

Problems

Course Overview
Introduction to Operations
Operations Strategy
Product Design
Service Design
Form Teams

Course Syllabus
Chapter 1; Fast Food Feast Case
Chapter 2: Lazik Vision Case
Chapter 4; IKEA Case
Chapter 7

Chap.2: FF Feast: Questions 1-7

Chapter 2: Problem 2
IKEA Case: Q1-4

Process Analysis
Manufacturing Process Analysis

Chapter 5
Chapter 6 (pp.218-220)

Chapter 5: Problem 4
Chapter 6: Problem 3

Job Design and Measurement

Business Process Reengineering
Quality Management and 6
Quality Management and 6
(contd)
Statistical Process Control
Review for Test#1
Test #1; Project Midterm Report
Due!!; Team Time
Go over Test#1`
Capacity Planning
Aggregate Planning
Enterprise Resource Planning

Tech. Note 5; Levis Jeans Case

Chapter 9 (pp.389-392);

TN5: Problem 8; Levis Case: Q1-4

Chapter 8; Hank Kolb Case

Hank Kolb Case: Q1-2

Technical Note 8

TN8: P2,P6,P8

Class 9
10/19

Lean Production

Chapter 12; Quality Parts Case

Quality Parts Case: Question 1

Class 10
10/26

Inventory Management

Chapter 15

Ch. 15: P5,P20,P30

Class 11
11/2

Waiting Line Analysis

Tech. Note 7

TN7: Problems 1,22

Class 12
11/9

Project Management

Chapter 3

Ch. 3: Problems 2, 7

Class 13
11/16

Supply Chain Strategy

Materials Requirements Planning
Review for Test#2

Chapter 10
Chapter 16

Ch. 16: P18

Class 14
11/23

Test #2

Class 1
8/17
Class 2
8/24
Class 3
8/31
Class 4
9/14
Class 5
9/21
Class 6
9/28
Class 7
10/5
Class 8
10/12

Class 15
11/30
Class 16
12/7

Go over Test#2;
Group Presentations
Group Presentations (contd)

Chapter 11
Chapter 14 (pp. 559-565, 576-578)
Managerial Briefing (pp. 498-509)