VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
VILLANOVA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MBA Program
MBA 8503 - 001: OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Spring 2011
Dr. Matthew J. Liberatore
Phone No.: (610) 519-4390
Office: 3072 Bartley Hall
Fax No.: (610) 519- 6566
E-mail address: matthew.liberatore@villanova.edu
Class web site: http://www.homepage.villanova.edu/matthew.liberatore/MBA8503
Class schedule: Wednesdays 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Office hours: Wednesdays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm, and by appointment
______________________________________________________________________________
SYLLABUS
DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on improving the performance of the firm’s operations
and supply chain. Topics include: operations and supply chain strategy,
project management, process management, quality management, lean
management, resource allocation, inventory management, forecasting,
vendor management, procurement/outsourcing, supply chain integration,
and coordinated product and supply design.
READINGS:
Goldratt, Eliyahu M., and Jeff Cox, The Goal: A Process of Ongoing
Improvement, 20th anniversary edition, North River Press, Great
Barrington, MA, 2004, ISBN 088427178-1.
Articles and selected cases are available on: WebCT, accessible through
novanet. Harvard cases can be obtained at: http:/hbsp.harvard.edu
SOFTWARE:
The Beer Game simulation software is available on the web and will be
used for real-time ordering, planning, and forecasting decisions in the
supply chain.
The Global Supply Chain Management Simulation is available through
http:/hbsp.harvard.edu and allows students to manage product design,
procurement, and production for four simulated years.
MS Project will be used to support development of the project schedule
Excel will be used to support the quantitative topics
PREREQUISITES:
MBA 8502: Statistical Analysis
It is the student’s responsibility to be certain that the prerequisites have
been successfully completed. If at any time during the semester it is
determined that a student has not completed the prerequisites, the student
can be administratively dropped from the course without credit or tuition
refund.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To gain an appreciation of the responsibilities and decision-making activities of operations
and supply chain managers
2. To recognize and formulate a variety of operations and supply chain management problems
3. To be better prepared to discuss the global and cross-functional integration issues related to
operations in the 21st century
METHOD:
This course stress those models, concepts, and solutions methods that can be applied to the
design, control, operation, and management of operations and supply chains. The course includes
lectures, case discussions, presentations, and hands-on, practical exercises and games to provide
both a sound base of learning and an opportunity to test and develop skill. Students should do all
of the assigned readings and cases before coming to class, and prepare for, and contribute to,
class discussions.
STUDENT TEAMS:
Teams will consist of three to four students who will work together as the presenting and
questioning teams for cases as described below. The teams may allocate the work as desired, as
long as all team members agree with the allocation. The team should let a member know if they
are not performing at an appropriate level, and should contact the instructor if problems persist.
CASE PRESENTATIONS:
Each student team will have the opportunity of serving as the “presenting team” for two of the
cases and the “questioning team” for two cases that we will discuss in class. The “presenting
team” will provide the background and content of the case, an analysis of what the company did
correctly or incorrectly, and suggestions about what the company should do in the future. They
should also address any questions given as part of the case write-up or indicated by the
instructor. The presenting team should email their PowerPoint presentation to the instructor
prior to the start of class. The “questioning team” will be responsible for questioning the
presenting team, offering alternative solutions, and for leading the rest of the class in a
discussion of the case. The questioning team will email a list of questions to the instructor prior
to the start of class. The members of the class will be asked to assess the performance of both
teams using an evaluation sheet. The instructor will incorporate the class evaluations into the
presentation and questioning grades.
WRITTEN CASES:
All students are individually required to submit two written case reports. The cases selected will
be among those that a student is not participating as part of either the presenting or questioning
team. These reports should be no longer than six typed pages in length. Proper grammar,
2
spelling, and paragraph construction as well as evidence of effort in crafting a well-written
analysis are required. Any questions listed in the case itself or on the class web site should be
addressed within the report. Charts, tables and other graphical displays should be attached as an
addendum, and do not count toward the page requirement. Please note that the sources used for
written reports and presentations should be limited to the case itself and the material covered in
this course.
In addition, each project group must submit written solutions to the XYZ Case and Kristin’s
Cookie Case (A). These reports require a 250 word summary and the remainder of the report
should focus on the questions specified. These reports should not exceed five typed pages in
length (double spaced, one inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font). The comments
concerning case questions, attachments, and material sources given above also apply.
BOOK ASSIGNMENT:
Each student is asked to read The Goal and prepare a 4-page (double-spaced) paper that
discusses the most important lessons learned about managing operations. These ideas will be
shared during class discussions.
FINAL CASE:
All students will be required to individually submit a written report for a final case. The same
submission format as mentioned above for the individual written cases will be followed.
OTHER ASSIGNMENTS:
Graded problem assignments requiring the use of Excel and MS Project will be made for the
quantitatively-oriented topics. Each student team must submit a solution file for each assigned
problem that clearly indicates the suggested solution. Other individual or group assignments
may be given.
EXAMINATION:
The examination will consist of two parts: short answer/essay questions (closed book, with a
sheet of notes allowed), and one or more problems requiring the use of Excel (open notes, open
computer). Make-up examinations will only be given in cases of serious, documented
emergencies or if permission is obtained from the professor PRIOR to the scheduled
examination time.
PARTICIPATION:
Expectations for participation and involvement are high. You should come to class prepared to
become involved in the discussion, and have read the specified material and prepared questions
about areas that were not clear to you, and offer observations about other situations/examples
that may help generate class discussion. The instructor will form a subjective impression of your
performance. In addition, each class member is to provide the instructor with an evaluation of
3
the performance of each their classmates using the following categories: 5 = exceptional
participation that really contributed to my learning in the course; 4 = many solid contributions
that helped the class to learn; 3 = solid participation that contributed to the discussion; 2 =
sometimes contributed, but not at a high enough level; and 1 = this person did not pull their
weight either in terms of the number or quality of contributions. Based on the aggregation of
these reports, I will adjust the participation grade up or down.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are expected to make every effort to attend all classes. Missing more than one class
during the semester will reduce your class participation grade. Students must be present when
their team is presenting or questioning a case. Not being present will reduce the student’s grade
for that assignment by 30 points.
CELL PHONES, WEB SURFING AND LAPTOPS:
It is important to display courtesy and respect towards others during class. Please turn off all cell
phones prior to the start of class. Please do not surf the web, text message, or email during class.
If you need to make or receive a call or if you feel you must surf the web, text message, or
answer emails, please excuse yourself and leave the class room. Your laptop should not be
turned on unless you are following the PowerPoint or electronic materials being used by the
instructor.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY:
The Code of Academic Integrity of Villanova University addresses cheating, fabrication of
submitted work, plagiarism, handing in work completed for another course without the
instructor’s approval, and other forms of dishonesty. For the first offense, a student who violates
the Code of Villanova University will receive 0 points for the assignment. The violation will be
reported by the instructor to the Dean’s office and recorded in the student’s file. In addition, the
student will be expected to complete an education program. For the second offense, the student
will be dismissed from the University and the reason noted on the student’s official transcript.
DISABILITY:
If you have a disability that may affect your success in this course and wish to discuss academic
accommodations, please arrange to meet with me as soon as possible and not later than the end
of the second week of the semester.
GRADING:
Case presentations and questioning
Written case reports (individual and group), and
report on The Goal
Examination
4
20.0%
30.0%
20.0%
Final Case
7.5%
Homework assignments
5.0%
Harvard Global Supply Chain Simulation
7.5%
Attendance and class participation
10.0%
Total
100.0%
The assignment of grades based on the student’s weighted average numerical class grade:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
F
100 - 93
92 - 90
89 - 87
86 - 83
82 - 80
79 - 76
75 - 70
69 -
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
No
.
1
Date
Topic
1/12/11
Readings
2
1/19/11
Class Introduction
Introduction to Operations and Supply
Chain Management and Strategy
Project Management
3
1/26/11
MS Project
Complete Project Management
2/2/11
Process Management
Process Performance Measures and
H. R. Anna Cases
XYZ Case due
Project Management Homework due
Six Sigma and Quality Management
2/9/11
Kristin’s Cookie Case (A) due
Process Management Homework due
Lean Management
4
5
Six Sigma Implementation at Maple
Leaf Foods Case due
Quality Management Homework due
5
Class 1 PowerPoint
Class 2 PowerPoint
Liberatore, Stout, Robbins (2007)
MS Project PowerPoint
Class 2 PowerPoint
Class 3 PowerPoint
Hammer (1990), Hammer (2004)
Class 4 PowerPoint
Plotkin (1999), Gale (2003)
Class 5 PowerPoint
Womack and Jones (1996), Spear
and Bover (1999), Swank (2003)
6
2/16/11
7
2/23/11
8
3/2/11
3/9/11
3/16/11
9
3/23/11
10
3/30/11
11
4/6/11
12
4/13/11
4/20/11
13
4/27/11
14
5/4/11
Resource Allocation
Lego Game
Excel’s Solver
Class 6 PowerPoint
Eagle Services Asia Case due
Outside Speaker
Complete Resource Allocation
Resource Allocation Homework Due
Report of The Goal due – class discuss
FALL BREAK
SEMINAR WEEK
Forecasting
Wachovia Case
Inventory Management and Risk
Pooling
Sport Obermeyer Case due
Forecasting Homework Due
Value of Information and the Bullwhip
Effect
Beer Game
Barilla SpA case due
Procurement and Outsourcing
Zara Case due
Supply Chain Integration
Dell Inc.: Improving the Flexibility of
the Desktop PC Supply Chain case due
EXAMINATION DUE
Coordinating Product and Supply Chain
Design
H-P DeskJet Printer Supply Chain Case
due
Harvard Global Supply Chain
Simulation Practice Round
EASTER BREAK
Outside Speaker
Harvard Global Supply Chain
Simulation – Second Round Results
McDonald’s Corporation: Managing a
Sustainable Supply Chain case due
FINAL CASE
6
Speaker PowerPoint
Class 6 PowerPoint
Class 8 PowerPoint
Class 9 PowerPoint
Class 10 PowerPoint
Lee et al. (1997), Kahn (2003)
Class 11 PowerPoint
Ferdows et al. (2004)
Narayanan & Raman (2004), Kahn
(2004)
Class 12 PowerPoint
Fisher et al. (1994)
Speaker PowerPoint