Operations & Technology Management

• QST OM 323: Operations Management
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST AC222, OB221, QM222, and ES275 or SM151
  Component of QST 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.
• QST OM 353: Project Management
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST SM131 and sophomore standing
  Formerly OM453. 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.
• QST OM 365: Improving Quality: Six Sigma Certification
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST QM221 or equivalent
  Formerly OM456. 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."
• QST OM 440: Operations Strategy
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST QM323
  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.
• QST OM 441: Operations Analysis
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST QM323
  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.
• QST OM 447: Operations Management in Service Sector
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST QM323
  Introduces students to the special challenges of designing and managing service operations. The course focusses on the problems and opportunities presented by the presence of the customer in the operation which creates and delivers the service; on professional service operations; and on systematic ways to improve performance in service operations. Students carry out a small project developing a new service and the operation which will deliver it. 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, professional service operations, improvement programs in services, and multisite service operations.
• QST OM 467: Global Supply Management
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: QST QM323
  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.
• QST OM 498: Directed Study in Operations and Technology Management
  Directed study in Operations and Technology Management. 2 or 4 cr. Application available on Undergraduate Program website.
• QST OM 725: 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.
• QST OM 726: Creating Value Through Operations and Technology
  Graduate Prerequisites: OB712/713/715, AC710/711/712, QM711/716/717 (Recommended: MK713/723/724, FE717/721/722)
  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. 3 cr.
• QST OM 840: Managing and Improving Quality: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
  Graduate Prerequisites: OM710/725/726, QM711/716/717
  Lean and Six Sigma are powerful improvement methodologies that promote 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 Lean and Six Sigma tools available for the pursuit of lasting quality improvements. The third is to bring the experiences of Lean Six Sigma practice into the classroom. We'll benefit from the expertise and experience of Lean and Six Sigma professionals who will help us to understand the challenges of Lean and Six Sigma implementations and analyze the lessons they have learned from projects they have undertaken.
• QST OM 845: Clean Technologies and Supply Chains
  Graduate Prerequisites: OM710/725/726
  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 aligned with the requirements of the Entrepreneurship, PNP and Strategy concentrations.
• QST OM 855: Project Management
  Graduate Prerequisites: OM710/725/726
  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!
• QST OM 865: Idea Lab
  Graduate Prerequisites: OM710/725/726, MK713/723/724
  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 web based test tools. 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, health sector management, energy or entrepreneurship concentration courses, and/or by working with affinity groups in the BU community, such as, ITEC. Participants will be expected to read assigned material on visualization of ideas, and engage in the generation of promising ideas prior to starting this class. Make sure you have basic familiarity with how the web works. You need not be technical, nor have deep experience with the web development. Rather, you simply should understand the basic ideas behind URLs, HTML, and how web browsers work. You can figure this out by reading the Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Web). We will also provide you with a mock-up of a typical website along with a tutorial on how to upload and edit this web site.
• QST OM 880: Product Design and Development
  Graduate Prerequisites: OM710/725/726
  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]
• QST OM 898: Directed Study: Operations and Technology Management
  Graduate Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and the department chairman
  Graduate-level directed study in Operations and Technology Management. 1, 2, or 3 cr. Application available on the Graduate Center website.
• QST OM 899: Directed Study: Operations and Technology Management
  Graduate Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and the department chairman
  Graduate-level directed study in Operations and Technology Management. 1, 2, or 3 cr. Application available on the Graduate Center website.
• QST OM 922: Theory of Technology and Operations Management
  This seminar's objective is to expose the students to the traditional research associated with Operations Management. Early work done in the areas of inventory, scheduling, facility layout and logistics are generally considered the foundation on which traditional OM research has built. While highly quantitative, the seminar focuses on the means by which the research was (1) conducted, (2) linked to real problems, (3) implemented (or not implemented), and (4) the research opportunities that have been or could be exploited.
• QST OM 928: Research Seminar: Economics and Operations Management
  This course exposes students to a diverse range of OM research methods and topics, and highlights the research of current OTM faculty. The goal of this course is to train students to think as a serious OM researcher who aims to publish in top-tier journals and make meaningful contributions to the field.
• QST OM 990: Current Topics Seminar
  For PhD students in the Operations Management department. Registered by permission only.