MBAA 607: Operations Analysis & Decision Support Systems Loyola Marymount University Spring 2015 Section 1: Monday 4:25 7:05 Room: Hilton 113 Instructor Name: Dr. Linda Leon Office: Hilton 209 Phone: (310)338-7634 Email: lleon@lmu.edu Office Hours: Monday 11:00 12:30 and 3:15 4:15; Wednesday 11:00 1:00 Required Text: Harvard Business Publishing Course packet https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/32500587 Course Prerequisites MBAA 603, sound knowledge of algebra, basic spreadsheet proficiency Course Description This course exposes the potential manager to operations management and uses quantitative models to provide information for decision-making in various operation applications. Excel will be used in depth to solve and analyze problems. Cases, simulations and computer exercises will be assigned to complement the lecture material. Class time will be utilized to structure, analyze and discuss these exercises. Students are expected to attend class, read the assigned materials beforehand, attempt the exercises in and outside class, and participate in class discussions. Learning Outcomes This course contributes to student achievement of the following CBA core learning outcomes: Students will be able to apply key concepts in the business-related area of operations and supply chain management Students will be able to utilize critical thinking skills in analyzing business situations Students will be able to integrate concepts and skills from multiple business areas when analyzing business situations Students will be able to effectively express knowledge and ideas through written communication Students will be able to apply appropriate data analysis and risk assessment techniques in the analysis of business situations and in decision making. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to: 1. Model various operations management and decision-making problems using quantitative techniques 2. Analyze various operations management and decision-making problems encountered in today s business world, including process analysis, quality management, demand forecasting, inventory management, resource management, and supply chain management. 3. Integrate information provided by use of computer models into the decision-making process and be aware of the limitations of the underlying quantitative technique and assumptions.
Course Requirements and Grading Policy Two projects will be assigned and graded. These projects will require each student to develop his/her own spreadsheet model to analyze an operations application. Students will submit a typed 1 to 2 page executive summary and supporting computer files in MyLMUConnect. Two weeks will be allowed for completion of the projects. Late projects or projects not meeting the required format will not be accepted. Three Harvard Business School computer simulations will be assigned throughout the semester. Two of the simulations are asynchronous and will be used to apply concepts from the reading and class lecture. The last simulation is a group model and will require students to synchronize their time outside of class to complete the exercise. Cases will also be used as a basis for class discussions throughout the semester. Students are expected to prepare the cases before the class lecture period so that they can participate meaningfully in the discussions. Background work for the cases will be collected and graded to reflect your preparation effort. The cases and the simulations are part of the Harvard Business course packet. Your case preparation and participation in the computer simulation exercise assignments will comprise your class participation grade in the course. Your lowest score on one of these assignments will be dropped from your grade calculation. Problems and short computer exercises will also be assigned as homework for several course topics in order to reinforce the concepts, methods and techniques studied. The problems will not be graded and solutions will be provided on the course website the next lecture. There will be three noncumulative exams that will be based on the recommended homework problems, projects, class lectures, computer simulations and case discussions. All exams are closed book, closed notes and will require use of the classroom laptop to complete. You may bring in one 8.5 x 11 sheet paper with whatever notes you believe are useful. The final course grade will be distributed as follows: ASSIGNMENT WEIGHT Project 1: Waiting Line Simulation 12% Project 2: Aggregate Planning 12% Class Participation (simulations, cases) 10% Exam #1 22% Exam #2 22% Exam #3 22% TOTAL 100% All assignments will be graded on the scale 0-100. The point scores will then be combined according to the above weights to determine your final percentage score. A letter grade at the end of the course will be assigned based on the final percentage score according to the following guidelines: Final % Score Grade Final % Score Grade 93-100 A 70-75 C+ 90-92 A- 66 69 C 86-89 B+ 60 65 C- 80-85 B Below 60 F 76-79 B-
Important Notes: 1. Files containing class handouts and spreadsheet models will be distributed to the class through the web page http://myweb.lmu.edu//lleon/mbaa607/. Students will also be required to use MyLMUConnect at http://mylmuconnect.lmu.edu to submit files for their project assignments and case preparations, to view grades and to access problem sets, snippits for Excel support and some assigned readings. 2. No make-up examinations will be offered. If you are excused from an exam due to a documented medical situation or a pre-scheduled business trip, the weights used to determine the final grade will be adjusted. Otherwise, the exam will have a score of 0. 3. Flash snippits will be posted in MyLMUConnect as they become relevant. These optional snippits will provide support for several of the Excel mechanics required in this class. If you miss class or if you are struggling with Excel, you should make sure that you review these snippits as they are posted. 4. This course requires the use of Excel add-ins, in particular Solver and Analysis TookPak. These addins are available for the PC. 5. If you use a MAC, you should be aware that Excel for Macs does not support all of the Add-ins used in this class. You should be aware that if you want to use your Mac for course purposes, it is your responsibility to either virtualize your Mac to run a Windows machine on it so that essential course software can be installed and run or to make alternate plans for how you will acquire access to the necessary software tools. You are responsible for learning about all the adjustments necessary regarding the different keystrokes in the Mac, since instructional examples will be provided in the Windows environment. Please see the Mac snippit in MyLMUConnect s Excel snippit section that describes alternate keystrokes that will also be needed for some of the exercises. Similarly, during the three exams, you will be expected to use the classroom PCs which operate in the Windows environment. 1. The computers in the CBA Computer Lab in the Hilton basement have all of the necessary add-ins for this course. The virtual systems on the 2 nd floor near the elevator have also been set-up with this software in case you need access when the lab is closed. 6. The scheduled topics and dates shown on the course outline may be adjusted as necessary in order to accommodate the pace of the course. 7. Academic Honesty: Academic dishonesty will be treated as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that can range from receiving no credit for assignments/tests to expulsion. It is never permissible to turn in any work that has been copied from another student or copied from a source (including Internet) without properly acknowledging the source. Every spreadsheet model must be programmed individually by the student submitting the work. It is your responsibility to make sure that your work meets the standard of academic honesty set forth in the LMU Honor Code and Process which appears in the LMU Bulletin 2010-2011 (http://www.lmu.edu/about/services/registrar/bulletin/bulletins_in_pdf_format.htm.) 8. Students with special needs who need reasonable modifications, special assistance, or accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the Disability Support Services Office. Any student who currently has a documented disability (physical, learning, or psychological) needing academic accommodations should contact the Disability Services Office (Daum Hall 2nd floor, 310-338-4216) as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please visit http://www.lmu.edu/dss for additional information.
COURSE OUTLINE Week Date Topic HBS Readings 1 1/12 Introduction to Course Overview of Operations Management Introduction to Process Analysis >> Benihana of Tokyo Case Process Analysis Core 2 1/19 * Martin Luther King Holiday * 3 1/26 Process Analysis Operating system performance metrics >> Process Analytics Simulation Process Analysis Core 4 2/2 Process Design and Improvement Types of processes >> Reading Rehabilitation Hospital Case National Cranberry Cooperative Case Designing, Managing and Improving Operations Core 5 2/9 Monte Carlo Simulation Decision-making under risk; Data Tables 6 2/16 * EXAMINATION #1 * 7 2/23 Waiting Lines Discussion of Project 1 8 3/2 Quality Management >> Toyota: The Accelerator Crisis Case 9 3/9 Statistical Process Control Product inspection Process control charts >> Quality Analytics Simulation * PROJECT 1 DUE * Managing Queues Core Managing Quality Core Managing Quality with Process Control Core
Week Date Topic HBS Readings 10 3/16 Demand Forecasting Time series models Causal models F 3/20 ** LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW ** 11 3/23 * EXAMINATION #2 * 3/30 * Spring Break * 12 4/6 Resource Management Aggregate planning >> Wilkins, A Zurn Company Case Discussion of Project 2 13 4/13 Inventory Management Types of inventory Inventory models 14 4/20 Supply Chain Management Supply chain design strategies Supply chain coordination >> Barilla SpA Case * PROJECT 2 DUE * 15 4/27 Supply Chain Management Bullwhip effect >> Root Beer Game Simulation Summary of Course Managing Inventory Core Supply Chain Management Core Supply Chain Management Core 16 5/4 * EXAMINATION #3 * Additional readings besides those listed in the course outline will be assigned as necessary. The scheduled course outline may also be adjusted as necessary.