Business Management 2322: Operations in Action
‘Mayester’ May 6-9th
Meet in SB205 each day
Instructor:
Office:
Dr. Andrea Prud’homme, CSCP CPIM CIRM
Fisher Hall 614
(614) 292-3173 prudhomme.3@osu.edu
Wed 10-11:30 or by appt
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to provide early business students, especially women, exposure to the field of
operations and supply chain management (OM/SCM).
Operations Management is the heart of any service or manufacturing company, and is found in all for profit and
not-for-profit organizations. OM is the area responsible for adding value for customers/clients. The importance
of operations management has increased dramatically in recent years. With the globalization of markets, firms
are recognizing that the operations function can be used to strengthen their position in the marketplace and as
a primary source of competitive advantage. Operations managers are concerned with each step in providing a
service or product. They determine how staffing, equipment, materials, labor, information, and other resources
can best be used to satisfy the demands of the marketplace.
This course will use a blended method of education consisting of self-study of selected materials, in-class
discussion, communications with a mentor, and tours of operations at several selected organizations.
EXPECTAITIONS:
 ATTENDENCE and PARTICIPATION at ALL class meetings/tours, for the full time, is MANDATORY.
Missing 10% or more of a class will result in a full letter grade reduction for each occurrence.
 MENTORING PROGRAM (40%): Each student will also be paired with a female Operations Management
professional from companies for a mentoring relationship. You will be expected to contact your mentor
regularly (plan on approximately ½ hour EACH week between March 6th to May 10th) (35%). Each student
will write a thank-you letter to their mentor (5%) at the end of the course.
 ON-SITE LEARNING (55%): This will be a “hands on class” with “behind the scenes” visit to a variety of
operational settings, both manufacturing and service. We have arranged for an unusual schedule to provide
for travel time to locations throughout central Ohio. We will meet mornings to prepare, and then leave
campus by bus to travel to a site to learn more about Operations in Action!
There are several elements of your grade in this section.

Each student will be assigned to a group responsible for researching the company we will be visiting
and sharing that information with the rest of the students BEFORE the visit (15%)

Each student will be evaluated on their active participation and professionalism during each of the
four company visits (5% each visit for a total of 20%)

Each company group will provide a summary of the visit for the rest of the students (15%)

Each company group will write thank-you letters to the hosts at each company (5%)
Guidelines for tours: dress is business casual - CLOSED TOE & HEEL shoes, covered legs, minimal
jewelry. Bring the ‘read a plant’ survey, and something to take notes with. The ‘host team’ should be
prepared with questions for the organization we are visiting, base upon their research.
 JOURNAL (5%): Each student will keep a journal of the class. This will allow you to keep the material
organized for use in future courses (and hopefully the early portion of your career). The journal should
contain: 1) reading assignments and other course materials, 2) the research data on the companies we will
visit, your own evaluation of the site visits, and thoughts from the site visits, 3) your mentor interactions and
activities, and 4) your general thoughts as we progress through the course (I suggest you use a three-ring
binder with sections so you can easily add, change and use your pages).
Activity/Assignment
%
Due Date
Development of Mentor relationship
35%
On-going,
Group research on tour company
15%
Single report submitted by the group, posted in
Carmen discussion board by 5:00pm Sun May 5th
Active participation& professionalism on tours
20%
5% per tour
Group summary of tour
15%
Single report submitted by the group, posted in
Carmen discussion board by NOON Friday May 10th
Journal of course
5%
On-going, submit end of class May 30th Fisher 600
10%
5% Sent to ALL hosts at assigned host company no
later than day after tour
5% Sent to mentor
Give the postage applied envelope/letter to me for
verification, and I will pop them into the mail.
Thank you letters
(one member of the ‘host team’ should get
business cards from everyone we talk with)
All assigned lecture and reading materials will be posted in Carmen, unless otherwise noted.
Date
Topic and Activity
Assignment
Assignment BEFORE May 6th class.
Pre-meeting
Readings:
 “What everyone needs to know about SCM”
Wed
Course Intro and Intro to OM
 “Supply Chain Life or Death”
March 6th
Posted Video
5-6pm
 ‘What is Operations Management?”
Assignment of Mentors to students
Assignment:
Tour (go by bus)
Readings BEFORE class meets
May 6th
 “Retail SC career”
9-5
 “Warehouse career”
 “The retail challenge”
SB205
 “Keeping a lid on costs”
Discussion slides from team
Assignment:
May 7th
Tour (go by bus)
Readings BEFORE class meets
8-3:30
 “Process vs discrete manufacturing”
 “Factory efficiency comes to the hospital”
SB205
Discussion slides from teams
Tour (go by bus)
Assignment:
May 8th
Readings BEFORE class meets
8-12:30
 “Service Operations”
SB205
Discussion slides from team
May 9th
9-1:00
SB205
Course Wrap-up
Guest Speaker
Lunch with mentors at Blackwell