Topic outline

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    Overview

    The course covers key operations topics from demand analysis to operations strategy. Moving from demand analytics and forecasting models, to planning processes and coordination of supply and demand through sales and operations planning. Based on the analysis of the demand side, we will design competitive operations with the use of process analysis and design, factory physics. We will evaluate solutions to operations problems using the fundamental models and relevant analytics and simulation tools, valuing operations flexibility, costs and optimizing capacity and decisions under uncertainty. We will also introduce state-of-the art of planning and control of supply chains and evaluate the design of the hierarchical planning models.

    Course format

    This is a case-based course, and we will use different methods for working on operations analytics and simulation. There are two types of assignments during the course. Weekly case assignments with questions requiring quantitative and qualitative analysis of the given case and its topic for the week. Simulation exercise assignments with two smaller and one larger assignment, which are done in groups. The weekly case assignments are not extensive reports but more specific questions regarding the cases that need to be answered.

    Lectures and Case sessions
    All teaching sessions will be online (Based on current situation 16.12.2021).

    • Monday sessions 10:00-12:00 (10.1-14.2) focus on the theoretical and technical concepts and different advanced operations management topics and how to apply the fundamental operations management concepts in analyzing operations. Teaching methods include lecturing, discussions and small in-class assignments. Some part of the theoretical and technical concepts can be provided asynchronously
    • Thursday sessions 16:15-18:00 (13.1-17.2) focus on practical applications of the operations management frameworks and theories in cases. We will discuss the applications and solutions that students have developed for the weekly case. We will also focus on the general insights and value of the solutions for design and management of competitive operations in general. In the Thursday sessions, the students take an active role in case discussion and will be prepared to justify the logic and insight of their case solutions that were prepared before the session.
    • Simulation sessions Mondays 08:30-10:00 (17.1, 24.1, 7.2, 14.2) Simulation exercises focus on Factory Physics from basic to more advanced concepts of how processes behave and how to analyze and design processes to deliver on the target performance. This is done with discrete event simulation analysis. The simulation session presents some theoretical knowledge and instructs using of the simulation software that you use in small groups to solve small simulation assignments.

    See syllabus for full course description.