Program Overview

Overview of Operations and Supply Chain Management

Creating value through effective processes is the core focus of Operations and Supply Chain Management. This field enables leaders to measure, predict, model, and improve processes, understanding trade-offs and optimization within service and manufacturing organizations.

Topics Covered

The curriculum includes a range of topics designed to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical application skills. Key areas of study include:

• Operations Management Strategy: Develops students’ ability to recognize and analyze a firm’s process-related challenges and develop operations strategies to further its goals.
• Supply Chain Management: Teaches how firms organize and operate their supply chains to provide a source of competitive advantage.
• Service Operations: Trains students in the particular challenges of service firms, in organizing their work and improving their practices.

Additionally, courses are designed to develop skills in acquiring and using data, including:

• Data and Information Management: Provides hands-on skills, including Python and SQL training, to acquire and organize data.
• Management Analytics: Further develops the ability to develop predictive models from data to support decision making.
• Modeling and Optimizing for Decision Making: Teaches how to structure, analyze, and solve business decisions that involve uncertainty and risk.

Toolsets and Applications

Specific toolsets and applications are also covered, including:

• Quality Management: Provides the foundational elements of the Lean Six Sigma approach and an opportunity to apply the learning in a business setting.
• Game Theory and Applications to Management: Offers an introduction to the methods and results of modern game theory and the practical applications of these tools.

Career Paths

The skills developed through Operations and Supply Chain Management prepare students for roles such as operations consultants across all sectors or leadership positions in an organization’s operations or supply chain. This learning pathway is designed to equip students with the necessary skills to excel in these roles.

Courses Supporting Studies

Recommended electives that are broadly relevant to Operations and Supply Chain Management include:

• Operations Management Strategy
• Supply Chain Management
• Service Operations
• Data and Information Management
• Management Analytics
• Modeling and Optimizing for Decision Making
• Quality Management
• Game Theory and Applications to Management
• Managing Talent for Global Operations

For detailed information on each elective course, students can refer to the MBA electives guide.

Conclusion

Operations and Supply Chain Management is a critical field that focuses on creating value through effective processes. By covering a wide range of topics, from operations management strategy to specific toolsets and applications, this field prepares students for leadership roles in operations and supply chain management across various sectors. The emphasis on both theoretical knowledge and practical application ensures that graduates are well-equipped to address the challenges of modern business environments.