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BA 320 home

Syllabus

Schedule and homework

Lecture notes

Term project

Extra credit

Phone: Campus 360.438.4587

Email: dstout@stmartin.edu

Web site: http://homepages.stmartin.edu/fac_staff/dstout/

Office hours:  Old Main 370, M/W 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., T/R 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Required text:

Russell and Taylor, Operations Management, 6th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

Prerequisites: MTH 161 or MTH 171; MTH 201.

Course description: This operations management course is intended to be a survey of the operating practices and procedures found in both manufacturing and service delivery firms. We will focus our attention on those business processes and procedures used to transform various inputs into finished goods and services.

Operations management focuses on the systematic planning, design, and operation of all processes required for the production of goods and the delivery of services. Thus, operations management spans almost all the real value-added activities of an organization including product and process design, customer order management, production, and service delivery. Operations management also includes many supporting value-added activities such as purchasing, material requirements planning, inventory management, project management, and process improvement. These and related topics will be covered.

Course objectives: This course seeks to improve your understanding of operations management and to give you specific skills. At the end of this course, you should have:

• gained an appreciation of the importance of operations.
• understand how a product or service is designed, produced and delivered to the customer.
• learned basic project management principles.
• learned to appreciate group dynamics in project work.
• developed a terminology base allowing you to effectively converse with veteran operations management personnel.

You should also have increased your ability to

• develop and execute a research plan

• organize and write an effective team project report.

• organize and deliver a team-developed oral presentation.

• work cooperatively and productively on a project team.

Teaching strategy: Class sessions will be a combination of lectures, interactive exercises, internet exercises, project work, and case discussion. Course content will  come primarily from the assigned textbook.  Internet content will be incorporated where appropriate.

You are responsible for reviewing the class schedule and completing the assigned readings, homework problems, project tasks, and case analyses.

Because Saint Martin's University's business administration department recognizes the importance today's organizations place on high-performing project teams, a primary focus of this class will be completing a group project.  With classmates coming from different cultures who possess diverse educational backgrounds, working habits, personalities, and writing styles, a group project poses a challenge for every student.  We want you to learn to appreciate the differences, to solve disagreements among team members, to work together as a team, to bring out the strengths in everyone, and produce the best achievable outcome.

Project teams will select and visit local business. Teams will analyze and document their selected business' operations management practices. Teams will submit written and oral reports of their research findings at the conclusion of their investigation.

The term project will be organized and managed using project management tools and techniques.

Grading - (see grade calculation sheet for details)

Grade category and points: Your grade in this course will be determined by both individual and group activities. Your grade will be determined by your performance in the following areas:

Examinations and quizzes: (65 points) Two intermediate examinations (15 points for exams 1 and 2) and a final examination (25 points) will be given. Tests will be made up of questions and problems taken from lecture material, case readings, homework, your term project experience and the text. 

Exams are time limited (generally 75 minutes) to test your full knowledge and grasp of the concepts being tested.  By design, if you do not know the material, you will not be able to complete the exam within the time allotted.  Be prepared.  Bring a calculator ... no laptops.

I will make every effort to inform you of points allocated to questions and problems prior to each examination. 

Unannounced quizzes (10 points) on reading assignments and problems will be given periodically. Homework may be collected and treated as a pop quiz. If an insufficient number of quizzes/homework is given to justify 10% of the course grade, the points for quizzes may be reallocated to the final examination.

Makeup exams will not be given unless you make prior arrangements.

Project: (30 points) Your project grade will be a combination of your group’s grade as determined by the instructor and your individual grade as rated by your teammates. You will earn a group grade based on the quality of your oral presentation, the professionalism of your written report, and the quality of your project submittals including progress reports.

I will also ask you to prepare and submit preliminary drafts of segments of your term project. I find this to be a useful tool for me (and for you). It helps me gauge the strength of your writing skills and helps me see how you are progressing toward project completion. Grades for outlines and drafts will be counted as part of your term project score.

At the end of the semester, you will be required to complete a confidential peer evaluation review sheet. Peer evaluation evidence influences project grade distribution.

See the term project requirements sheet for project details and grading guidelines.

Homework: Homework assignments may be collected and reviewed. Graded homework will be counted as a pop quiz score.

I ask you to adhere to the following guidelines:

1)  Do your homework on engineering graph paper (the green ruled engineering paper is available in the bookstore or at any office supply store) - the ruled paper makes graphs easier to construct, calculations easier to follow, and handwritten content easier for me to read.

2)  Begin with a restatement of the homework question.

3)  Show all work. Indicate intermediate steps you took to arrive at each answer.

I encourage you to form and work in study groups to do homework problems.  I have found discussion within study groups contributes to overall understanding. A cautionary note, I expect you to do your own cogitating. You should use your group as a means to help you hurdle specific problem areas, not to replace your own problem-solving thought process.

Attendance/participation:  (5 points) I highly recommend you come to each class session. Attendance is not mandatory in the same manner as passing the exams, reading the course material, and doing the homework is not mandatory. I value class participation. I like seeing you. Your presence and participation during each and every class period contributes to everyone's overall learning. Persistent absence, tardiness or chatting in class will harm your grade.

Extra credit:  (Up to 5 points may be earned for a presentation and paper combined) Your extra credit topic will be based upon a "Competitive Edge" article of your choosing found in your textbook. You must gain my approval of your topic. Presentations for extra credit must be given when your assigned chapter appears on the course schedule. Presentations will be graded for both content and delivery. Papers are to be submitted according to the course schedule.

The paper should be a typed four to six page (do not exceed the 5 page maximum), fully cited explication of your research with accompanying bibliography.  Please use Chicago style to format your paper. Click here for more information on the extra credit requirements.

Keeping in touch with me:  First, ask questions in class (it helps you and may help others). Alternatively, visit me during my posted office hours. Slide a note under my office door ("Old Main" room 370). Call me (360 438-4587).  Or, send me an email (dstout@stmartin.edu).

Special assistance: The Learning Center offers individual learning consultations, study group assistance, handouts and books on study skills, and free peer tutoring in the following subject areas: math, chemistry, physics, economics, accounting, Spanish, French, and Japanese. The tutoring schedules are posted outside the door in Old Main, room 212.  To learn more about resources available through the Learning Center you are encouraged to drop by room 208 or visit their website:  www.stmartin.edu/academics/learning_center/index.htm.

Special needs:  If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have medical and/or safety concerns to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

Contact Information:

Office:  
Room 370 "Old Main"

Phone:
360.438.4587

E-Mail: dstout@stmartin.edu