Production and Operations Management Course

Lesson 1 • Operations Strategy and Competitive Priorities

Links operational decisions to strategic goals such as cost, quality, speed, and flexibility. Students align operational choices with business objectives.

Lesson 2 • The Production System Model

Introduces inputs, transformation processes, and outputs as a unified system. Provides the analytical lens used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Historical Evolution of Operations Management

Traces key developments from craft production to modern digital operations. Contextualises current practices within their historical origins.

Lesson 4 • Roles and Responsibilities in Operations

Maps the organisational structure of an operations function and key managerial roles. Prepares students to navigate real operational teams.

Lesson 1 • Quantitative Time-Series Methods

Applies moving averages, exponential smoothing, and trend-adjusted models to historical data. Students select and calibrate models for different demand patterns.

Lesson 2 • Qualitative Forecasting Methods

Covers judgment-based techniques used when historical data is scarce. Connects expert opinion and market research to structured demand estimates.

Lesson 3 • Fundamentals of Demand Forecasting

Defines forecasting objectives and error metrics. Establishes why accurate demand signals are essential for all downstream planning activities.

Lesson 4 • Translating Forecasts into Production Plans

Converts demand forecasts into aggregate production requirements. Bridges forecasting outputs with capacity and scheduling decisions covered in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Facility Location Analysis

Applies quantitative and qualitative methods to select optimal facility locations. Integrates cost, logistics, and market access factors.

Lesson 2 • Long-Term Capacity Planning

Evaluates expansion, contraction, and timing strategies for capacity investment. Connects demand forecasts to capital planning decisions.

Lesson 3 • Workstation and Flow Analysis

Uses flow diagrams and load charts to optimise workstation placement and material movement. Directly supports layout decisions made in the previous section.

Lesson 4 • Capacity Concepts and Measurement

Defines design, effective, and actual capacity and their relationships. Establishes utilisation and efficiency as core performance indicators.

Lesson 1 • Inventory Classification and Control

Applies ABC analysis and other classification schemes to prioritise inventory control effort. Aligns management intensity with item value and criticality.

Lesson 2 • Inventory Functions and Costs

Identifies the roles inventory plays and the cost components that drive management decisions. Establishes the cost trade-off framework used in all subsequent models.

Lesson 3 • Economic Order Quantity Models

Derives and applies the EOQ model and its extensions to minimise total inventory cost. Students solve for optimal order quantities under varying assumptions.

Lesson 4 • Reorder Point and Safety Stock

Calculates reorder points and safety stock levels under demand and lead-time variability. Connects probabilistic demand to service-level targets.

Lesson 1 • Master Production Scheduling

Disaggregates the aggregate plan into specific product schedules. Establishes the MPS as the driver of material requirements planning.

Lesson 2 • Job Sequencing and Shop Floor Scheduling

Applies priority rules and sequencing algorithms to minimise tardiness and makespan. Connects planning outputs to real-time shop floor execution.

Lesson 3 • Material Requirements Planning

Explodes the MPS through bills of materials to generate time-phased material orders. Students build MRP records and interpret planned order releases.

Lesson 4 • Theory of Constraints in Scheduling

Uses the Theory of Constraints to identify and exploit bottlenecks in production schedules. Extends sequencing concepts to system-level throughput optimisation.

Lesson 1 • Statistical Process Control

Applies control charts to monitor process stability and detect assignable causes. Students construct and interpret X-bar, R, p, and c charts.

Lesson 2 • Quality Management Systems and Standards

Reviews internationally recognised quality management system frameworks and certification processes. Connects internal quality practices to external compliance requirements.

Lesson 3 • Quality Improvement Tools

Applies the seven basic quality tools and structured problem-solving methods to root-cause analysis. Equips students to lead data-driven improvement projects.

Lesson 4 • Acceptance Sampling

Designs sampling plans to accept or reject incoming lots based on statistical criteria. Balances producer and consumer risk in inspection decisions.

Lesson 1 • Value Stream Mapping

Teaches current-state and future-state mapping to visualise and redesign material and information flows. Serves as the primary diagnostic tool for lean improvement projects.

Lesson 2 • 5S and Visual Management

Applies 5S methodology to create organised, standardised, and self-explaining workplaces. Provides the foundational discipline required for advanced lean tools.

Lesson 3 • Setup Reduction and Total Productive Maintenance

Reduces changeover time with SMED and maximises equipment availability through TPM. Directly improves capacity utilisation and flow continuity.

Lesson 4 • Lean Thinking Principles

Introduces the five lean principles and the eight wastes framework. Establishes the philosophical foundation for all lean tools covered in this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Logistics and Distribution Management

Analyses transportation modes, warehousing, and distribution network design. Connects inbound and outbound logistics to overall supply chain cost and service.

Lesson 2 • Procurement and Purchasing Management

Covers the purchasing cycle, contract types, and total cost of ownership analysis. Equips students to make cost-effective sourcing decisions.

Lesson 3 • Supply Chain Strategy and Structure

Defines supply chain objectives and structural choices including vertical integration and outsourcing. Aligns supply chain design with the competitive priorities established in Chapter 1.

Lesson 4 • Supplier Selection and Relationship Management

Applies evaluation criteria and relationship models to build a high-performing supplier base. Connects supplier quality and reliability to internal production performance.