OIM - Operations and Information Management

MBA7604 Special Topics: Entrepreneurship in a Digital World

3 Credits

Digital technologies, processes and business models are impacting all aspects of businesses today, from startups to large organizations that need to practice corporate intrapreneurship. This course will focus on how digital strategies, tactics, and tools can be leveraged by today's entrepreneurial leaders to innovate, grow, and renew initiatives in their organizations. We will study how digital platforms can be used to scale operations, improve decision-making, and enable new business models to grow customers and revenue. Topics will include cloud computing platforms that focus on operations, employee collaboration, customer relationships, and machine-to-machine connections such as the Internet of Things (IoT) to capture, analyze, and share data and insights. New digital business models will be explored that will inform corporate strategy and business opportunities. Students will gain hands-on experience using popular data analytics and visualization tools, such as Tableau, to explore opportunities, gather insights, and make more informed decisions. The course will expose students to emerging technology enablers, such as machine learning and augmented/virtual reality tools, and effectively identify the role they can play in the organization's growth and renewal. Finally, we will discuss digital development and implementation strategies, including agile methods, to deliver digital technologies and gain adoption throughout the organization.

OIM7572 Supply Chain Management
3 Elective Credits

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is primarily the management of flows.  These flows involve multiple, interactive parties. Thus, asymmetric interests & information pooling often govern the Chain itself as it interprets the uncertainty inherent in both supply and demand.  The goal of all supply chains is to satisfy or exceed customer’s expectations and to do so at sustainable and reliable levels of profitability. The achievement of these goals is both enabled and challenged by the nature of complex systems in an increasingly globalized economy.   In many industries supply chains are the primary determinant of product cost, capital efficiency and customer satisfaction. Indeed, in certain firms, Supply Chain Management is a compelling source of competitive advantage and shareholder interest.

This course is a foundational elective designed to provide students with an integrated perspective of SCM; with enough specificity to critically assess the strategic fit of an existing supply chain design and to offer discrete recommendations for improvement. Students will also learn to recognize best practices in supply chain management, identify possible supply chain barriers to effectively scaling a venture, and assess the effectiveness of advanced technologies such as robotics, blockchain and AI to further improve supply chain execution & product/service life-cycle management.   As such the course will be an essential component to the portfolio of studies of those pursuing advanced management skills & research.  The course is intended for CEO’s, COO’s, CSO’s, Product Managers and Operations leaders in ventures where the supply chain is an instrument of strategic intent & actualization.

This course is structured on the fundamental assertion that a system is more than the sum of its parts.  As systems, supply chains may exhibit adaptive, dynamic, self-resilient and even goal seeking behaviors. Our scope of study is through a lens involving networks, platforms and ecosystems – often well beyond the hard boundaries of a firm.  For purposes of our course, Supply Chain Management is defined as the transdisciplinary & integrated approach to managing the flow of goods/services, information, and capital, from raw materials through to the end user – and increasingly the conversion of end-of-life products back into sourcing streams.

Prerequisites:    1)  NONE for those involved in Specialty Masters Programs (MSBA, MSF, MSEL)

                              2)  Completion of OIM 7800 for all other students

OIM7800 Operations and Information Management
2 Credits (Core MBA)

If you have taken and passed OPS7200, you cannot register for OIM7800, as these two courses are equivalent

This course focuses on the role of operations and information in executing a firm’s strategy and delivering the organization’s products and/or services. Within this focus, students learn to apply operations design and strategy in three ways. First, they learn to configure resources and design processes to achieve performance, identify improvement opportunities, and leverage strategic capabilities for sustainable growth. Second, they learn the strategic role of technology and data, and use data for improving the operational model. Third, they study the operational model of innovation to create sustainable value for an organization. With an emphasis on building long-term sustainable models, this course helps managers consider environmental and social impact in their operating models.

OPS7200 Technology & Operations Management

2 Credits

Technology & Operations Management (TOM) - This course introduces students to the fundamental components of a firm’s operating systems, be it a mature enterprise or an early stage company. The course introduces the new methods and models to analyze, diagnose and improve operations activities for both manufacturing and service firms. We examine key issues for competitiveness including operations strategy, innovation, product and process design and development, global supply chain management, quality management, and sustainable operations. Developing a strong appreciation for the contribution of technology and operations to a company's market success is an essential element of effective decision-making for entrepreneurs and leaders of all types of organizations.