GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
School of Management

Executive MBA Program

Spring 1999




EMBA 635: Managing Operations for Competitive Advantage
 
 

Prof. Sid Das                                       Phone: (703) 993-1790
152, Enterprise Hall                                 Fax:  (703) 993-1809
Office Hours: By Appointment                 E-mail: sdas@som.gmu.edu
 
 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Companies can establish and maintain competitive advantage in today’s market through product leadership, operational excellence, and customer intimacy. This course explores the various interrelated aspects of Operations Management that integrate to provide companies the capabilities to achieve this. The course will provide a strong foundation in contemporary Operations that is essential to managerial success, whatever the functional specialization. This is because Operations is at the core of all enterprise and so Operations is everybody’s business! So the first objective of the course is:
 
 

· To develop an appreciation and comprehension of the contribution of Operations to the overall competitive position of an organization. Many of the developments in the field of Operations have been based on manufacturing activities. This is because much of the history of human enterprise has focused on the creation of wealth through the efficient utilization of tangible resources. While this still continues, we have reached a stage of productivity where only a few of us are required to do this work. We now find ourselves in the midst of a dramatic change in human enterprise, one in which most of us direct our efforts towards wealth creation by providing services. We do this through the effective use of information and knowledge, and in creating and implementing new ideas. This service, information, and knowledge intensive environment is common to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, that have either a local or global perspective. Contemporary Operations exists in this new reality, and involves the design and control of systems to effectively utilize human effort, information, knowledge, materials, equipment, and facilities to achieve an organization’s purpose. The primary objective of this course is therefore:
 
  To develop a comprehensive understanding of the multi-faceted nature of Operations

Management with a specific focus on services. This involves addressing issues in

Operations Strategy, New Product Development, Process Management, Quality

Management, Managing Growth, Supply Chain Management, and Project

Management.
 
 

Detailed and dynamic complexity are the hallmarks of Operations. Various methods to help managers evaluate and make decisions have been developed, and many more are being developed today. As our business environment continues to grow in complexity and information intensity, we must continue to use these methods to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in what we do. The third objective of the course is therefore:

· To develop an analytic perspective regarding Operations through the use of appropriate techniques to aid operational decision-making
 
 

 Ultimately, the course itself is a vehicle for transformation. Its effectiveness as a learning experience is ultimately measured by its ability to transform our perceptions of the world around us. Hence, the last, but certainly an omnipresent objective of the course is: · To promote an attitude of perpetual constructive evaluation of all operations experienced as a customer and provider. Remember - Operations is not just an academic course…Operations is a state of mind!
 
 

COURSE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS

The course will be conducted as a combination of short presentations, class discussions, case analyses, and problem solving exercises. Discussions will center around the issues related to the topic under study for a specific session. Advance preparation from the reading materials is a prerequisite for effective class discussion. These materials include the required operations textbook, articles and cases from the Harvard Business School collection, and Handouts from the instructor. Further, constructive and consistent engagement in class discussions is a part of your performance evaluation on the course. The short presentations by the Professor will address emerging issues and thoughts related to the discussion topic.
 
 

A set of Harvard Business School cases have been selected for the course. These cases address issues and raise questions related to actual operational situations. They provide a context in which operations management concepts and methods can be further explored. The purpose is not to "solve" the problem or get the "right" answer, but to get greater insight through effective analysis. What actually happened in the company subsequent to the situation discussed in the case may provide additional insight or raise additional issues, but is not critical to the learning objectives of the case analysis. Participation in case discussions is also a part of your performance evaluation. To participate effectively, students must be specific by identifying problem issues, suggested solutions, and implementation problems.
 
 

Problem solving exercises will be used to understand and use appropriate analytic techniques to address a variety of operational situations. The principles that govern these techniques and their inherent limitations will also be discussed. The techniques introduced will be an integral part of the body of knowledge required to effectively address operational situations.
 
 

Current issues in operations are reviewed in business publications such as Business Week, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, and the business section of local newspapers. A regular perusal of these sources, as well as other industry specific publications and web sites, will ensure richer class discussions. These activities are essential to further benefit from the course and to make a positive contribution to your learning process.
 
 

COURSE MATERIALS

Required Text: Service Management: Operations, Strategy and Information Technology, JA. Fitzsimmons and MJ. Fitzsimmons, Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 1997 (2nd Edition). This is the leading Operations Management text that focuses only on services. It incorporates most of the major academic research and business ideas in the field. While this second edition is a certain improvement, like most textbooks, it continues to have some idiosyncrasies. A variety of quantitative models are discussed in the text because of the broad range of potential users. Not all these are immediately relevant to this course. Those that require your attention will be identified in class as we work through the various problem solving exercises.
 
 

Cases and Readings Course Packet.

These cases and readings from the Harvard Business School collection have been specifically chosen to emphasize operations management issues in services. In addition, focus on technology and knowledge intensive services has been made when appropriate. This packet is designed to address operations management in contemporary and emerging business contexts.
 
 

Internet Site for this course: http://mason.gmu.edu/~sdas/omc_main.htm
 
 

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
 
 

Evaluation Scheme

Exam 1                                                 25%
Exam 2                                                 25%
Class Case Presentation/Participation    25%
Assignments                                         25%
Total                                                   100%
 
 

· For the class participation grade, please note that it is the value of what you say that is important, and not how often or how long the contributions. Talking frequently in one class or in every class meeting is not essential to get a good participation grade. The objective is to speak up in class, share your thoughts, and be involved in the discussions.

· Details of the individual assignments will be discussed in class.
 
 
EMBA 635: OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Prof. Sid Das

Spring 1999 Schedule





Dates                                                                      Topics                                           Chapters

1/08    10:00-2:45                 Course Overview                                                                  1, 2, 3
                                             Understanding Operations                                                     Handouts
                                              Operations Strategy

                                        Assignment 1 (to be done individually). (Due on 1/09/99).
                                       Case: America West (pp. 60-61).
                                       (Please submit a 1-2 page typed report on the first three questions in p. 61).

1/09       3:00-4:45               Design of Services and Service Processes                                  5
                Case for Class Discussion: America West (pp. 60-61).

1/16        3:00-4:45              Global Operations                                                                      15
                 Read: Developing Global Strategies for Service Businesses (CMR-052)
                  Case: Booz-Allen & Hamilton: Vision 2000 (9-396-031)

1/22        1:00-2:45             Total Quality Management                                                           10
                Read: Note on Quality - Harvard Business School
                            Made in U.S.A.: A Renaissance in Quality (93404)

2/05         3:00-4:45             Quality Management                                                                    10, 14

                                            EXAM 1 Handed Out: Due on 2/27/99

2/13         1:00-2:45              Quality and Customer Satisfaction/Loyalty
                 Read: Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work (94204)
                       Case: Xerox Corporation: The Customer Satisfaction Program  (9-591-055)

2/27          1:00-2:45               Information Technology and Service Operations  4
                   Case: America Online: Using Information Technology to Better Serve the
                       Customer (9-396-290)

3/13           8:00-9:45               Process Management and Reengineering                                    6
                                                                                                                                                Handouts
                   Read:  Breaking the Functional Mind-Set in Process Organizations (96505)
                               Business Process Reengineering: Improving in New Strategic Directions (CMR-048)

                                   EXAM 2 Handed Out: Due on 4/16/99
 

3/19            3:00-4:45               Project Management                                                                  8
                       Assignment 2 (to be done individually). (Due on 4/10/99).
                       (Will be handed out in class)

3/27             3:00-4:45               Project Management (Continued)                                              8

4/10             8:00-9:45               Forecasting Demand                                                                 16
                       Assignment 3 (to be done in Groups). (Due on 4/24/99).
                        Case: Oak Hollow Evaluation Center (pp. 511-512).
                           (Please submit a typed report on the questions in p. 512).

4/16              3:00-4:45               Managing Demand, Capacity, and Inventories                          13, 12
                     Assignment 4 (to be done in Groups). (Due on 4/24/99).
                           (Will be handed out in class)

4/24               3:00-4:45              Management Science Applications in Resource                         18
                                                   Allocation, Facility Location, and Transportation Problems