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Operations Management (OM) is the functional area of business primarily devoted to the creation, planning, and management of the resource capabilities used by a firm to create products or services. The resource capabilities are comprised of the work force (e.g., skills), technology (e.g., manufacturing equipment and information-based technology), and processes (e.g., supply chain, inventory-distribution system, quality control system, material flow system, production planning methods, monitoring system, etc.) all of which typically represent a significant portion of a firm's total costs and controllable assets. Since resource capabilities determine the types of products and services a firm can offer to the marketplace as well as the associated cost (price), quality attributes, and lead-times necessary to meet demand, the operations function is a critical driver of competitive advantage. Moreover, recent forces such as technology change and increased competition in cost, time and quality have elevated the extent of distinctive competence that can be obtained from the effective management of the operations function.
The (OM) faculty and teaching staff are actively involved in teaching and research in a wide spectrum of topics with relevance to both manufacturing and service industries. The courses offered and the research programs underway address issues at the core of OM as well as multidisciplinary topics that interface other functional areas in management and engineering.
Current Teaching and Research Thrusts
Operations Strategy
• Performance assessment and improvement
• Measuring the financial impact of operations strategies
• Quality management and control strategies
• Resource flexibility and its impact on operational performance
• Operations management strategy in service industries
• Marketing and operations interface
• Manufacturing and the environment
Management of Technology
• New product and process development
• Acquisition and deployment of new technologies
• Justification of new technologies
• Implementation of new technology
• Technology choice
• Knowledge management
Supply Chain Management
• Global operations and supply chain strategy
• Operations planning and control for mass customization
• Supply chain management for e-business
• Information systems for supply chain management
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• Enterprise integration
• Planning and control in manufacturing and service industries
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