Text: Operations Management (8e): Processes and Value Chains
Krajewski, Ritzman, Malhotra; Prentice Hall, 2007

Description

This is an introductory course in the fundamentals of Operations Management. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts and techniques of managing operations both in the service and manufacturing and sectors.

Course Objectives

1. To develop an appreciation and comprehension of the contribution of operations to the overall competitive position of a service/ manufacturing organization.
2. To understand how Operations integrates with other functions of the firm, with an emphasis on the relationship between Information Systems/Technology and Operations Management.
3. To develop a basic understanding of the key issues, terms, and techniques in Operations Management that includes key topics such as Operations Strategy, Process Management, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management, Operations Planning and Control, and Project Management. Further, the student will develop an appreciation of the difficulties faced in implementing such solutions in a real company.

Service-Learning Project

This is a team assignment. Students will work in teams on specific real-world operations problems that have been identified by non-profit community organizations in our area. The details of the assignment will be discussed in class and further details will be provided on the course Blackboard site.

What is Service-Learning?

Service-learning combines service objectives with learning objectives with the intent that the activity would change both the recipient and the provider of the service. This is accomplished by combining service tasks with structured opportunities that link the task to self-reflection, self-discovery, and the acquisition and comprehension of values, skills, and knowledge content.

Service-learning incorporates community work into the curriculum, giving students real-world learning experiences that enhance their academic learning while providing a tangible benefit for the community. It is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

Service-Learning Projects

Organization: Pearl City Community Garden, Boca Raton, FL
Note: You will NOT communicate with any outside organization on behalf of Pearl City Community Garden (PCCG) unless asked to do so specifically for your project. When necessary, in your communications with any organization, you will state that you are working on a FAU class project and researching the issue (specify which type of project).

Infrastructure Project A: Develop plans for building 50 (8’x4’) gardening boxes and a tool shed at the PCGG. This should include proposed layout, complete bill-of-materials, potential sources of funding or donations for the material and/or labor, and sources of professional labor for installation.

Infrastructure Project B: Develop plans for providing permanent water supply to the PCCG. This should include the set up of permanent city water supply and a water irrigation system at the garden.

Product Design Project: Develop plans that detail what products (plants) should be grown at the PCCG. This should include decisions such as organic vs. regular products, identify the specific varieties to grow, define the annual schedule for growing these products, identify sources for seeds or plants, specify soil types needed and the sources, how to protect during a hurricane
(contingency plans), identify funding sources or donation mechanisms for a continual supply of resources to maintain your schedule.

Organizational Design Project: Develop plans for the future of the PCCG. This should include a road map for how this organization could develop based on how community gardens are being developed around the country. It should include identifying specifics such as who are the “customers”, what to do with the products (produce), how to achieve sustainable growth of the
organization (not the products/plants), and what are the funding sources available in the government and private sectors to support such an effort.

Volunteer Relationship Management Project: Design a volunteer relationship management system that will help operate the PCCG. This will include a proposed organizational structure to manage volunteers, and mechanisms to build and maintain relationships with volunteers in the community and at FAU.

Community Outreach Service Design: Design community outreach services with the PCCG as the center of activities. This could include talks, historic walks, cook-outs, etc.

Notes:
http://www.bocahistory.org/_pearl_city/index.asp
Pearl City, Florida: a Black Community Remembers by Arthur S. Evans, Jr. and David Lee
(FAU Library)
http://www.veggies4u.com/ (specifically see research and links sections)
http://www.slowfoodmiami.com/ and http://www.slowfoodusa.org/

Schedule

A tentative schedule is given below. It is a standing reading assignment unless modified by the Professor.

Dates Topics Chapters
1/5, 7 Course Overview
Operations as a Competitive Weapon 1

1/12, 14, 21 Operations Strategy 2

1/19 MLK Day Holiday

1/26, 28; 2/2, 4 Project Management 3

2/ 9, 11 Process Strategy 4

2/16, 18 Process Analysis 5

2/23 *** Midterm Exam Part A 1, 2, 4

2/25 *** Midterm Exam Part B 3, 5

3/2, 4 Spring Break Holiday

3/9, 11, 16, 18 Process Performance and Quality 6

3/23, 25 Constraint Management 7

3/30; 4/1 Lean Systems 9

4/6, 8 Inventory Management 12

4/13, 15 Supply Chain Strategy 10

4/20, 22 Scheduling 16
*** Service-Learning Team Project Report due on 4/22 in Class

4/27 Review for Final Exam

4/29 *** Final Exam (10:30am-1:00pm) 6,7,9,10,12, 16

Note: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. All revisions will be announced in class. Students are responsible for being familiar with any revisions even if they were absent from the class on the days changes were announced.