Stetson School of Business and Economics

The Stetson School of Business and Economics (SSBE) promotes the advancement and integration of quality business education and practice. 
In support of Mercer University’s mission, the School provides undergraduate and graduate programs that are designed to enable, enhance, and expand professional careers, civic responsibility and lifelong learning.

BAM 604 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
(Fall 2011)

Instructor - Office Hours - Course Description - Objectives - Materials
Requirements - Grading Scale - Outline & Schedule

Course Description 
This course focuses on the strategic and tactical issues in managing the creation and distribution of goods and services. Concepts and techniques for process and project management are covered. Specific topics include, but are not limited to, operations strategy, quality management, time-based competition, supply chain management, and project management. A strong emphasis is placed on teamwork and team-building.

Course Prerequisites 
MAT 226 or an approved equivalent.

Instructional Design 
As a graduate course, "Operations Management" is designed with the expectation of active learning -- where the student takes responsibility for his/her learning experience by setting educational goals, extending course content, and contributing to the class' processes.  The role of the instructor is that of a facilitator, enabling the students to purse and attain their goals for this course.  Such an approach has been shown to engender better mastery of course content and to provide better personal development than a traditional instructor-centered paradigm.  

Two other key aspects of the instructional design should be emphasized.  We employ problem-based learning, i.e., work on actual situations rather than sanitized textbook examples.  This is intended to provide the students with a deeper -- and arguably, more practical -- learning experience.  In addition, the emphasis on teamwork and communications skills is intended to promote students' professional development.

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Course Objectives 
Upon the successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify specific operational strategies for performance improvement and in support of business strategies.

• Describe the principles and practices of quality and productivity management

• Apply current management techniques for quality and productivity improvement.

• Evaluate an operational process and identify specific opportunities for improvement.

• Apply project management principles.

To be successful in this class, you are expected to:

• Read the assigned materials in preparation for each class.
• Participate in group exercises and class discussions.
• Use class assignments to apply concepts to your own operations.
• Leverage supplemental resources such as the library and the Internet.
• Allow adequate time to prepare written materials.

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Course Materials 

Required

You will need your own copy of our textbook:

Brennan, L.L. (2010). The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Operations Management. ISBN 978-0-07-174383-9.

You will also be registering for a web-based simulation, using a credit card.

Blackboard is our online course environment.  You are expected to check the calendar and course communications at least weekly.

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Your final grade will be based on several indicators of performance, for a total of 100 possible points, as follows:

• Class Application & Reflection(30)
• Assignments (40)
• Simulation Analysis (30)

You are expected to prepare the reading and homework assignments in advance of each class. This will include written responses to the application questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook, as well as reading checks/quizzes.   Class discussions will be based on these materials, with individuals sharing their questions, answers and experiences. Please refer to the guidelines for effective class participation.  Note that inattention or non-participation (including excessive absences) will modify this grade.

Assignments

Instead of traditional exams, we will use a variety of methods to gauge your learning and understanding of course concepts.  You will undertake a measurement project to demonstrate your understanding of the foundational elements of the course (Chapters 1-3).  Next you will present examples of organizational effectiveness to the class (Chapters 4-6).  The simulation analysis, described below, is designed to evaluate your understanding of process analysis and improvement (Chapters 7-8). Your last assignment will essentially be an essay exam that focuses on: project definition and planning (Chapters 9-11) and your personal effectiveness (Chapter 12).

Simulation

You will be working with an online simulation.  The deliverables and performance elements will be defined in class. 

Course Outline and Tentative Schedule
Specific due dates and homework assignments will be posted in the Blackboard calendar.  In general, we will cover one chapter per week, with the last few weeks devoted to your simulation.

Class Policies

Honor Code
It is expected that you will adhere both to the letter and the spirit of the Honor System as it relates to procedures and assignments for this course.  You may discuss the homework assignments with your classmates; however your work should be original. All work on the exams is to be done individually and is not to be discussed with other students.  Plagiarism is the use of ideas, facts, phrases, or additional information such as charts or maps, from any sources, without giving proper credit to the original author. Using direct quotations, paraphrases, or reproductions of any material that is not the student’s own authorship is also considered plagiarism. Failure to reference any such material used is both ethically and legally improper.  Violations  will result in referral of the matter to the Honor Council.

University Policy for Electronic Communications
Students are generally responsible for checking their Mercer electronic mail accounts for course communications and official University announcements.  As we will be using the Blackboard online system, you are expected to stay current on those communications as well. 

University Policy for Electronic Submission of Course Work
Students bear sole responsibility for ensuring that papers or assignments submitted electronically to a professor are received in a timely manner and in the electronic format(s) specified by the professor. Students are therefore obliged to have their e-mail client issue a receipt verifying that the document has been received. Students are also strongly advised to retain a copy of the dated submission on a separate disk. Faculty members are encouraged, but not required, to acknowledge receipt of the assignment. 

University Policy for Use of Cell Phones and Pagers
Out of courtesy for all those participating in the learning experience, all cell phones and pagers must be turned off before entering any classroom, lab, or formal academic or performance event. 

Disability Provisions
Students with a documented disability should inform the instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible.  If you are not registered with Disability Services, the instructor will refer you to the Student Support Services office for consultation regarding documentation of your disability and eligibility for accommodations under the ADA/504.  In order to receive accommodations, eligible students must provide each instructor with a “Faculty Accommodation Form” from Disability Services.  Students must return the completed and signed form to the Disability Services Coordinator on the 3^rd floor of the Connell Student Center.  Students with a documented disability who do not wish to use academic accommodations are strongly encouraged to register with Disability Services and complete a Faculty Accommodation Form each semester, also.  For further information, please contact Carole Burrowbridge, Disability Services Coordinator, at 301-2778 or visit the website at http://www.mercer.edu/stu_support/swd.htm.

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