NBS8221 : Operations Management
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Available for Study Abroad and Exchange students, subject to proof of pre-requisite knowledge.
- Module Leader(s): Professor Ying Yang
- Lecturer: Dr Yan Jiang, Professor Stewart Robinson
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To introduce students to the increasingly important field of operations management. The aim of the module is to develop the students with a sound understanding and essential knowledge of operations management and strategies, and effective decision making skills through critical analysis, which will help them to make a significant contribution to organisations’ competitive effectiveness as well as to the wider environment of society as a whole.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Operations Management:
• Introduction
• Products and processes design
• Layout design
• Inventory management
• Capacity management
• Planning and control
• People in operations and performance measurement
2. Operations Strategy:
• Historical context
• Competitive strategies
• Lean strategy
3. Operations Improvement:
• Operations improvement
• Operations changes
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | PIP lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 5 | 3:00 | 15:00 | PIP lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 62:00 | 62:00 | Time for students to complete formative and summative assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | PIP |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 11 | 5:00 | 55:00 | Estimated based on 5 hours per teaching week (not necessarily to do in that week) |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce theoretical issues as well as practical issues and cases relating to operation management.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 1 | A | 70 | The exam can be set online if required |
Exam Pairings
| Module Code | Module Title | Semester | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Management | 1 | Dual Award Shadow Code |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 30 | 2000-word group essay with 4 group members |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | N/A |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The exam tests acquisition of a clear general knowledge of the subject plus the ability to think and analyse a problem quickly, to select from and to apply both the general knowledge and detailed knowledge of aspects of the subject to new questions, problem-solving skills, adaptability, the ability to work unaided, and to write clearly and concisely.
Formative feedback
The lectures on process design, inventory management, capacity management, and project planning and controlling have class exercises to help student understand and apply the formulations into different contexts. Feedback is offered after the exercises are completed and also in the lecture notes.
Two seminars offer a case study group discussion and a problem solving session. Feedback is offered during the seminars and also on Canvas.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NBS8221's Timetable