Operations Management

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

• 8. Decend work and economic growth
• 9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Objectives

Operations Management is a subject that provides a general and conceptual overview of the flow of materials and information in the business cycle: planning, purchasing, production, warehouses, inventories, quality and distribution. The subject starts from a global and strategic approach to the operations area and, in a funnel-like fashion, goes into the details of each function until reaching the control instruments used, of which practical exercises are carried out to achieve a better understanding.

At the end of the course, the student must be able to identify the critical points within the operations area of a company and an economic sector and design the indicators of a control panel based on the concepts studied, ensuring control of the logistics flow.

Learning outcomes

• Learn the fundamentals and basic principles of the company's production system.
• Manage and administer a company or organization, taking into account its competitive and institutional location, its strengths and weaknesses.
• Analyze and evaluate the management of the different functional areas.

Competencies

General skills

• Show ability to adapt to contexts and changing business and social realities within a global environment.

Specific skills

• Devise integrated business plans for development of business initiatives.
• Interpret the principles of enterprise systems of production and logistics in order to improve competitiveness.
• Lead an organization and manage different operational units, identifying strengths and weaknesses in relation to the business strategy.

Basic skills

• Students can communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialists and non-specialists.

Core skills

• Be a critical thinker before knowledge in all its dimensions. Show intellectual, cultural and scientific curiosity and a commitment to professional rigor and quality.
• Use oral, written and audiovisual forms of communication, in one's own language and in foreign languages, with a high standard of use, form and content.

Content

1. Operations management (OD)
   • Evolution of production systems
   • Definition and objectives of DO and logistics
   • DO Functions and Responsibilities
   • Supply chain management
   • The world DO ( world class manufacturing )
2. Information systems
   • Generalities
   • Characteristics
   • Rankings
   • Evolution of information systems
   • Information technologies
   • Different information systems
3. Planning
   • Planning Objectives
   • Hierarchical approach to planning
   • Strategic planning
   • Tactical planning
   • Operational planning
   • Demand forecasts
4. Shopping
   • Purchasing Objectives
   • Shopping Features
   • Strategic policies
   • Tactics and games
   • Outsourcing
   • Supplier selection and approval
   • The negotiation
5. The production
   • Production concepts
   • Types of production
   • Line balancing
   • Times and methods
   • Technology in production
   • Production philosophies
     • Just-in-time (JIT)
     • Theory of Constraints (TOC)
   • Management tools
     • Materials Processing Planning (MRP I)
     • Capacity planning (CRP)
   • Project Management (PERT/CCPM)
   • Enterprise Resource Planning (MRP II/ERP)
   • Short-term programming (SCHEDULING)
6. The quality
   • Evolution of the concept of "quality"
   • Visions and dimensions of quality
   • TQM or total quality management
   • The cost of quality
   • The quality gurus
   • Statistical process control
   • ISO standards and quality awards
7. Inventories and warehouses
   1. Inventories
      • Concept
      • Inventory costs
      • Inventory Classifications
      • Inventory management models
      • Control indices
      • Physical count
   2. Warehouses
      • Storage principles
      • Warehouse Classifications
      • The functions of the warehouse
      • Design of a warehouse
      • Storage principles
      • Means of manipulation
8. Physical distribution
   • Concept and characteristics
   • Distribution strategies
   • Transport tactics
   • Types of transport
   • Incoterms

Evaluation

Continuous assessment consists of:

• Two exams during the semester (with a theoretical and practical part) corresponding to topics 1-4 and 5-8. Short conceptual questions and practical exercises. Each exam is worth 30% of the final grade and the average grade of the two exams must exceed the passing mark. Otherwise, one of the two exams must be retaken during the retake period.
• Create a dashboard for a real company, creating indicators. Oral presentation at the end of the semester (20% of the final grade). Mandatory work.
• Answer a questionnaire on one of the suggested readings (10% of the final grade). Compulsory test.
• Write a text commentary on a documentary related to maritime transport (10% of the final grade). Mandatory work.

Methodology

Conceptual theoretical classes are combined with the resolution of exercises on physical flow control instruments.

As the subject is explained, students will carry out practical and individual work on the creation of a dashboard for a specific company, chosen by the student and which can belong to any economic sector. This work will be accompanied by the teacher through personalised and compulsory tutorials.

However, throughout the semester it is necessary to submit text comments on the proposed reading and documentaries.

Bibliography

Key references

• Chase, R. i Aquilano, N. (2009). Administración de Operaciones: Producción y Cadena de suministro (12 ed.). McGraw Hill.
• Goldratt, E. i Cox, J. (2013). La Meta: un proceso de mejora continua (3 ed.). Díaz de Santos.
• Muñoz-Seca, Beatriz i Riverola, Josep (2007). Ópera y operaciones. Prentice Hall.
• Núñez Carballosa, Ana; Guitart Tarrés, Laura i Baraza Sánchez, Xavier (2014). Dirección de operaciones. UOC.
• Sun-Tzu (2015). El arte de la guerra. Profit Editorial.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.