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Module

NBS8221 : Operations Management

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Ying Yang
  • Lecturer: Dr Yan Jiang
  • 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 ActivitiesLecture62:0012:00PIP lectures
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture53:0015:00PIP lectures
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion162:0062:00Time for students to complete formative and summative assessments
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading150:0050:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching61:006:00PIP
Guided Independent StudyReflective learning activity115:0055:00Estimated based on 5 hours per teaching week (not necessarily to do in that week)
Total200:00
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 Examination1201A70The exam can be set online if required
Exam Pairings
Module Code Module Title Semester Comment
Operations Management1Dual Award Shadow Code
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay1M302000-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 exercises1MN/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