Operations & Technology Management

• GSM OM 726: Creating Value Through Operations and Technology
  This MBA core course is case-oriented and focuses on topics of use to managers in any environment: process analysis, process improvement, supply chain management, and strategic operations decision-making. The course emphasizes the importance of effectiveness and efficiency and evaluates the potential trade-offs between them.
• GSM OM 840: Managing and Improving Quality: Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
  Six Sigma is a powerful management tool that promotes process improvement, cost reduction and significant enhancement of bottom-line profitability. The purpose of this course is to thoroughly examine the concept of quality, to define it in terms that are useful for managers, to survey the ideas of major quality thinkers and theorists, to develop proficiency in the use of quality tools, and to consider the challenges of quality program implementation in real business situations. Throughout the course we will investigate similarities and differences between quality management in manufacturing and service contexts. The course has three major objectives. The first goal is to define quality and explore important philosophies and useful frameworks for managers or consultants. The second goal is to focus on the Six Sigma tools available for the pursuit of lasting quality improvements. The third is to bring the experiences of Six Sigma practice into the classroom. We?ll benefit from the expertise and experience of Six Sigma professionals who will help us to understand the challenges of Six Sigma implementations and analyze the lessons they have learned from projects they have undertaken.
• GSM OM 845: Clean Technologies and Supply Chains
  The clean technology industry is one of the largest sectors of the economy and yet still undergoing significant growth and attracting a plethora of new entrants. It has been characterized by a great deal of experimentation around new technologies and around business models in the face of regulatory and market place disruptions. The course uses a combination of cases, simulation and analytical exercises to review trends and their co-evolution within the clean technology/energy eco-system. It aims to build a skill set around risk and opportunity assessment, and allied implementation challenges. This course is being set up as an MBA elective that is aligned with the needs of Entrepreneurship, PNP and Strategy concentrations. GRS and ENG students who have graduate level exposure to clean technologies/ environmental studies, and who wish to explore business aspects of clean technology issues may enroll with instructors permission.
• GSM OM 854: Supply Chain Management
  This course presents tools and modeling frameworks that are relevant to solving today's supply-chain problems. The class will offer a mixture of case discussions, lectures, games, and outside speakers. Case discussions will cover subjects including designing new-product supply chains, optimizing inventory levels, quick response, the role of b2b exchanges, and managing capacity for short life-cycle products. Lectures will provide the theoretical foundation for the course. Although the course does not focus extensively on mathematics, enough detail will be provided so that students can apply the material in practice. Games including the distribution game, the OPT game, and the Beer Game will reinforce the concepts in a constructive way. Finally, outside speakers from a number of companies will present real-world examples of how supply-chain models are being deployed in practice. This course has been designed for students who will be working in consulting or supply-chain management after graduation. Additionally, for students interested in finance or marketing, the course provides solid exposure to an area that is integral to any product-focused company.
• GSM OM 855: Project Management
  Projects are increasingly the way that work gets done in companies of all types and sizes. In this new course you will learn the strategic dimensions of project management, including critical aspects of project selection, definition, planning, execution, and monitoring. Concepts and approaches for dealing with complexity, uncertainty, vague mandates, temporary staff, partners, stakeholders, dynamic risk, and time-critical deadlines are emphasized. Cases and readings cover a wide range of industry and organizational contexts. This course requires that students apply these topics and considerations to a real project of their choice either by analysis of publicly available information or direct field study. Many MBAs are tested on the job through tough assignments in project settings. Your performance there is highly visible. Doing especially well can accelerate your subsequent career opportunities. Prepare now for success in strategic project management by developing the skills and perspectives covered in OM855!
• GSM OM 865: Idea Lab
  This is an experiential course aimed at developing ideas for digital products and services ("web services"), within the context of a multi-stage "innovation tournament." The tournament structure will force the "screening" of certain ideas in the initial stages, and in such cases, some students will get reassigned to the surviving ideas . Participants will learn specific tools, methods, and concepts related to the creation of such services (e.g., opportunity sensing, management of variation, innovation/business analytics, crowd sourcing vs out sourcing decisions, existing versus incremental enabling technologies , idea interdependence and information architecture, task sequencing for enhancing cycle time and service quality) and will be required to develop and test web based prototypes. For the initial offering, the tournament will focus on the "SMART Cities and Environmental Sustainability" sector. Students who wish to start their own businesses in this sector, either full time or part time, are strongly encouraged to take this course. The instructor anticipates that the best performing ideas will have high potential for entrepreneurial development. Thus, this course can serve as a front end to conduct follow on development by working either in the IS, operations or entrepreneurship concentration courses, and/or by working with affinity groups in the BU community, such as, ITEC.
• GSM OM 880: Product Design and Development
  This course explores central managerial challenges in the effective design, development, and introduction of new products. Topics covered include reducing the time to market while meeting cost and quality targets; managing cross-functional projects and inherent technological risks while keeping a focus on customer requirements; and integrated problem-solving by industrial designers, engineers, manufactures, and marketing specialists. [Case studies, readings, guest lecturers, field project]
• SMG OM 323: Operations Management
  Junior requirement; component of SMG SM 323, The Cross Functional Core. Focuses on the elements of operations management that are of particular importance in the context of new product development. These include: product and process design, process analysis, supply chain configuration, inventory management, and capacity and production planning. A semester-long business plan explores the interaction between operations management and marketing, information systems, and finance decisions. 4 cr.
• SMG OM 440: Operations Strategy
  Explores the ability of an organization's operations to satisfy its strategic requirements by investigating the influence of decisions made about the structure capacities, facilities, technology, and vertical integration and infrastructure workforces, quality, production planning and control, and organization of an organization's operations and its capabilities. These decisions are considered in the context of different types of performance improvement plans organizations use: quality management, lean, reengineering, supply chain management, strategic alliances, and performance management. 4 cr.
• SMG OM 441: Operations Analysis
  Presents tools and modeling frameworks that are relevant to solving today's supply chain problems. The class is a mixture of case discussions, lectures, games, and outside speakers. Case discussions cover subjects including designing new-product supply chains, optimizing inventory levels, quick response, and capacity management. Lectures provide the theoretical foundation for the course; the major subjects are inventory theory and forecasting. Although the course is not overly focused on mathematics, enough detail will be provided so that students can apply the material in practice. Games including the distribution game, the OPT game, and the Beer Game reinforce the concepts in a constructive way. Finally, outside speakers present real-world examples of how supply chain models are being developed in practice. This course is designed for students that will be working in consulting or supply chain management after graduation. For students majoring in areas like Finance or Marketing, it is a solid exposure to an area that is integral to any product-focused company. 4 cr.
• SMG OM 443: Supply Chain Modeling Practicum
  Provides hands-on exposure to modeling a real-world multi-echelon supply chain problem. Students work in teams and are assigned to solve a supply chain problem presented by a local company. The projects focus on determining the optimal solution as well as near-optimal solutions that can be more easily implemented in practice. 4 cr.
• SMG OM 447: Operations Management in Service Sector
  Introduces students to the special challenges of managing service organizations. Structured around the service quality gap model, the course demonstrates that a service manager must combine operations, marketing, and human resource skills into an integrated ?service system general manager? approach. The course incorporates the following topics: service strategy, service system design, service quality, multisite services and technology in service.
• SMG OM 453: Project Management
  Focuses on project management from two perspectives. First, the course explores management of projects on a day-to-day basis at the functional, operational level, dealing with the management of tasks, resources, risks and timelines within an individual project. The course also covers project management on a more strategic level, program management, which identifies linkages between and among a portfolio of projects at the business unit or firm level. The course covers the tools, techniques, roles, and responsibilities that are critical in managing programs effectively and managing projects to completion.
• SMG OM 465: Improving Quality: Six Sigma Certification
  Six Sigma quality programs help companies deliver near-perfect products and services. People trained as Six Sigma experts are highly sought after on the job market. This course makes students proficient in Six Sigma including its underlying philosophies, tools (for example, statistical process control), and implementation. This course certifies students as Six Sigma Green Belts and is also designed to prepare students so that when they complete one or more quality improvement projects in a post-BU career, they will be ready to test for a "Black Belt."
• SMG OM 467: Global Supply Management
  Develops an understanding of the nature of international problems associated with the supply, distribution, and sourcing of products. Issues such as the operational support of market development in foreign countries, international sourcing, country analysis, and the management of supply and distribution activities are covered. A team project is required. 4 cr.
• SMG OM 498: Directed Study in Operations Management
  Directed study requires consent of the instructor and the department chairman.

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