Operations Management and Operations Strategy, we would argue, consist of the disciplines which fill the void between 'Vision' and 'Execution' (it is what a company does). Slack et al (2007) argue that there are many ways to envisage operations in relation to business strategy: Strategy drives Operations; Operations supports Strategy (Hill, 2000); Operations drives Strategy (Wheelwright and Hayes, 1985).
Operations was also once only equated within the narrow definitions of manufacturing, but now - everything has been reinvented - distribution, new product development, the supply chain (all in the field of operations). But is Marketing stuck in the past? (Elliot Ettenberg, 2001) - This module is deliberately designed to be contentious.
Management is usually debated in the context of large organisations, however; over 99.5% of all companies in the UK are classified as small and medium sized enterprises (SME's) ; they account for 41% of GDP, over 58% of employment and 60% of exports (DTI, 2002; 2005). Evidence also suggests that they are an important source of innovation and employment creation (e.g. Arias-Aranda et al, 2001; Cohen, 1995). Therefore the module will pay particular attention to SME's as well as the process of development of operations strategy in larger organisations.
Some of the following issues will be covered:
- The basics of operations - 'the neo-classical view of the firm'
- Process choice and Typologies of operations - the myth of the product/service divide
- The genealogy of operations from 'Mass Production' to 'Flexible Specialisation'
- The significance of SME's and the way they operate
- Views of operations and operations strategy: 'Bottom up', 'Top down', 'market requirements', 'capabilities and operations resources'. The ways SMEs view it.
- Service delivery and culture in large and small organisations.
- Content versus Process in Operations and Operations Strategy. The Hill perspective of Operations, business strategy and marketing.
- Structural and infrastructural decision areas - 'order winners' and 'qualifiers'.
- 'Operational effectiveness' versus 'Strategy'
- TQM, 'Lean', 'Agile' and other aspects of best practice.
- 'Value innovation' in operations.
- Planning and control and the role of information systems in the field of operations management and strategy.

The direct contact hours (36) will consist of a combination of conventional lectures (approximately 60%) and participant-led tutorials (approximately 40%). The latter are assessed and have a 15% weighting (see assessment). All participants will be provided with a module handbook, which introduces the 'agenda' for lectures and seminars and also provides detailed presentation briefs, including additional 'stimulus material' and directed readings.
The independent learning hours (114) will be occupied with:
1. Independent reading and additional research of change and service delivery systems in preparation for participant led seminars (30 hours);
2. Wider primary and secondary research in order to address the requirements of the main assignment and class tests (84 hours).

Use of the internet for electronic journals, the module website and company reports. The Business Library for non-electronic journals. E-mail to communicate with colleagues on the programme. The module tutor will provide you with a comprehensive list of journal papers and appropriate commercial sites on the module website, as you will be expected to undertake secondary research beyond the essential texts such as:
Barnes, D. (2002), The manufacturing strategy formation process in small and medium-sized enterprises, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp 130 - 149.
Cassell, C., Nadim, S., Gray, M. and Clegg, C. (2002), Exploring human resource management practices in small and medium sized enterprises, Personnel Review, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp 671 - 692.
Moreton, K., Williamson, D. and Lynch-Wood, G. (2007), Strategy, service and innovation as determinants of business performance: an empirical study of SME's in the environmental sector, (forthcoming)

Slack, N. and Lewis, M. (2002) Operations Strategy, Financial Times Prentice Hall
Slack, N., Chambers, S. and Johnston, R. (2007) Operations Management, (5th edition), Prentice Hall.

20% of the assessment weighting will be based on oral presentations by small groups of participants. (Group size will be determined by the number of participants studying the module.) Presentations will have specific briefs, which will normally be case-study based associated with other 'stimulus' material, e.g. research papers. Each group will also submit a written synopsis, fully referenced with a word count of 750-1000 words.(LO 1, 3 and 4)

or

20% Class Test (closed examination - 1 hour) which will take during week 8 of the module delivery. The test will consist mainly of short questions and a multiple choice section. (LO 2, 4)

80% of the assessment weighting will consist of a fully referenced individual management report which will be based on pre-issued case study(s), papers, issues raised by visiting lecturers or work based. You will be given a choice of at least five issues for your assignment (a multiple choice assignment).The word count will be 2,500 excluding diagrams, tables and appendices. (LO 1, 2, 3, 4)

Students must obtain at least 30% in all of the assessments.