BUS2029 : Operations Strategy and Management
- Offered for Year: 2020/21
- Module Leader(s): Dr Paul Lewis
- Demonstrator: Professor Jingxin Dong, Dr Jiayao Hu
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
Effective management of operations is critical to the success of organisations right across business and industrial sectors, the service sector, the public sector and the ‘not-for-profit’ sector. Organisations that produce products and/or deliver services have operational systems at their core. Well-designed, robust operational systems that align with an organisation's strategy and are managed consistently well are central to sustaining high levels of organisational performance.
This module provides a broad introduction to the Operations Strategy and Operations Management discipline with a focus on topics that are particularly relevant to practice. The aim of the module is to provide the foundations and frameworks to understand and analyse key issues of relevance to the management of operations in contemporary organisations. It also aims to offer an insight into the contemporary issues of the subject of operations strategy and its importance for an organisation.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module covers four key themes in Operations Strategy and Management:
1. Operations strategy
2. The management of operations (steering operations and processes)
3. Operations improvement
4. Planning and controlling operations
Teaching Methods
Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 36 | 1:00 | 36:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 48:00 | 48:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 18 | 1:00 | 18:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Skills practice | 4 | 1:00 | 4:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 46:00 | 46:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| BUS2129 | Operations Strategy and Management (for Erasmus / Study Abroad Students) |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module includes lectures, exercises, readings, cases and discussions. The lectures will be formal sessions. Opportunities will be made available for discussions and Q&A. Lectures provide the concepts and frameworks. These contribute to the module’s intended knowledge outcomes. The seminars and other interactions allow responses to questions giving students the opportunity to use the concepts and frameworks. These contribute to the module’s intended skills outcomes.
Assessment Methods
Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 65 | N/A |
Exam Pairings
| Module Code | Module Title | Semester | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUS2032 | Service Operations Strategy and Management | 2 | N/A |
| BUS2034 | Operations Management | 2 | N/A |
| LBU2034 | Operations Management | 2 | Paired with London module version and resit. |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | A | 35 | 2,000 words |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | M | Group discussion and a problem solving session. Feedback is offered during the seminars and also on VLE. |
| Written Examination | 2 | M | The students can practice exam questions |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Formative feedback is provided throughout the module in order to help students check their understanding of the teaching material to help prepare for the exams. Once a student has attended the lecture and undertaken the essential reading they can check their understanding through taking an online test. Where numerical concepts have been covered, students can undertake multiple exercises to test their understanding of these concepts. The assignment and exam assesses students’ breadth and depth of understanding of the key concepts and techniques in operations strategy and management. The examination is an appropriate way to assess the theoretical underpinning and problem solving skills associated with operations management in order to identify what is important and how to think critically. The semester one assignment assesses the work undertaken in the first part of the module. The second semester exam assesses concepts and techniques covered across the module and also assesses numeracy skills associated with application of basic techniques in operations strategy and management.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- BUS2029's Timetable