Operations Management

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Chapter 1

• Identify the functions associated with operations management.
• Recognize the components of a process hierarchy.
• Cite the management areas for which an operations manager is responsible.

Chapter 2

• Recognize the requirements of the corporate social responsibility concept.
• Specify the circumstances under which operations flexibility is needed, and how such flexibility is measured.

Chapter 3

• State the long-term purpose of the operations function.
• Identify the various stages of the product life cycle.
• Specify the reasons for the operations strategy matrix
• Identify the different types of operations strategies.

Chapter 4

• State the reasons for using strategic experiments in the operations area.
• Specify the advantages and disadvantages of the open and closed innovation systems.
• Cite the problems with generating a large number of product innovations.
• Identify the underlying concept behind the use of innovation measurements.

Chapter 5

• Recognize the characteristics of a supply network.
• Cite the circumstances under which disintermediation makes sense in a supply network.
• Recognize the participants in a business ecosystem.
• Cite the circumstances when economies and diseconomies of scale occur.
• Specify the formula for the breakeven point.
• Recognize the circumstances under which forward and backward integration make sense.

Chapter 6

• Identify the different process types found within a company’s operations.
• Specify the most useful process tracking measurements.
• Cite the types of information that can be collected by a value stream mapping project.
• Specify the advantages of and issues with process standardization.

Chapter 7

• Recognize the different types of layouts that can be used in an operations facility.
• Specify the layout considerations that can have an impact on employees.
• Recognize the reasons for using traffic analysis and cluster analysis in operations.

Chapter 8

• Identify the key performance objectives of a business.
• Cite the types of processes most helped by process technology.
• Identify the boundaries of the window within which operations technology should be acquired.
• Recognize the approaches that can be used to increase the odds of completing a process technology implementation.

Chapter 9

• Specify the root causes of company culture.
• Identify the general classifications of organizational structure.
• Recognize examples of the line and staff functions.
• Specify the structure of a properly constructed job analysis.
• Cite the characteristics of an ergonomically-designed workplace.
• Recognize the actions that may be taken to motivate employees.

Chapter 10

• Identify the performance requirements of a system of planning and control.
• Identify when sales and operations planning should be used.
• Recognize the different types of demand.
• Specify the different types of loading that can be applied to a work center.

Chapter 11

• Identify the different types of forecasting methods, their characteristics, and when they should be used.
• Recognize when a smoothing constant should be used in a forecasting model.
• Specify the types of capacity planning methods that can be applied to operations.

Chapter 12

• Cite the components of a throughput calculation.
• Recognize the situations in which local optimization is occurring.
• Identify the areas in which an expedite zone can be useful to a business.
• Specify the decision criteria for reviewing investment proposals.

Chapter 13

• Cite the activities included in a supplier assessment.
• Specify the issues to consider when choosing a foreign supplier.
• Recognize the management alternatives when dealing with a large number of suppliers.
• State the advantages of using a stable production schedule.
• Identify the options when there is a risk of late deliveries.

Chapter 14

• Recognize the different types of inventory.
• Specify the components of an inventory reordering calculation.
• State the different operations strategies and the situations to which they apply.
• Identify the key components of a material requirements planning system.

Chapter 15

• Recognize the activities needed to gain a long-term competitive advantage.
• Cite the uses to which the kaizen technique can be put.
• Identify the outcome of a successful Six Sigma project.
• Specify the headings typically used on a cause-and-effect diagram.

Chapter 16

• Recognize the characteristics of quality in a product.
• Specify the different types of costs associated with quality.

Chapter 17

• Cite the situations in which a business is better able to retain risk.
• Identify the contents of a corporate risk profile.
• Specify the tools used to contact employees during an emergency, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Chapter 18

• Identify the planning structure of a project, and what is done during each phase.
• Cite the activities included in a planning and control system.
• Specify the contents of a work breakdown structure.
• Recognize the structure of a Gantt chart.