University of La Verne

College of Business & Public Management

BU 575: Managing Business Operations
Course Syllabus
Fall 2014

Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1
GENERAL INFORMATION

1. MEETING INFORMATION 2
2. INSTRUCTOR 2
3. PRE- AND CO-REQUISITES

READING MATERIAL 2
2. REQUIRED: 2
2. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
COURSE DESCRIPTION

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 3

THEMES 3
CLASS CONDUCT

GRADING REQUIREMENTS
COURSE OUTLINE

General Information
1. Meeting Information
Day:
Time:
Place:

Saturdays: 08/30; 09/13; 09/27; 10/11; 10/25

8:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m.
Main Campus, LAC 103

2. Instructor
Name: Conrad Shayo, Ph. D.
Availability: Though Electronic Channels or by Phone
Office Phone: 909-994-2072
Office Fax: 909-392-2704
cshayo@laverne.edu Also can use cshayo@gmail.com (Preferred). Please make
sure you put the following in the Subject line for any e-mail to me: BU 575: followed by the specific subject of
your e-mail.

E-MAIL:

3. Pre- and Co-requisites

Met ULV regulations for enrolling in a 500 level class.

4. Students with Special Needs

If you are in need of an accommodation for a special need in order to participate in this class, please let me
know as soon as possible and also contact the office of Services to Students with Disabilities at the Main
Campus.

Reading Material
2. Required:
1). Stevenson, W.J. (2011). Operations Management. McGraw-Hill; 11th Edition.
2). Assigned class Projects, power point slides, and articles on strategic operations management and policies
posted on Blackboard.

3). Software Used To Support Class

Microsoft

Windows 7 0r 8, XP, Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel

2. Additional Materials And Resources

Additional course materials will be provided on blackboard.

All students must obtain and maintain an e-mail account either at ULV or with an internet service provider.
Library Digital Academic Journals (e.g., CACM, IEEE, MISQ, Database CS) and Trade Magazines (e.g.,
Information Week, PC Week).

Course Description

Management of Business Operations is a study of the role of the operations function in manufacturing and
service organizations. We will place special emphasis on the key topics of (1) operations and supply strategy,
(2) product, service and capacity design, (3) Process and Quality Management, (4) Demand Management
and Forecasting, (5) Inventory Control (6) Materials Requirements Planning, (7) Justintime and lean
management, (8) Project Management, and (9) the use of spreadsheets in modeling and solving operations
problems.

Goals and Objectives

1. Goals
This course is designed to give students a solid foundation in practical management of business operations.
The course provides in-depth coverage of business operations, demonstrating that the key to successful
management of business operations is in proper product/service and capacity design and the integration of
the operations function within the other primary and supporting functions of the organization. With lots of realworld examples and spreadsheet exercises, this course helps students develop business operations skills
that have valuable and meaningful application in the real world.
2. Objectives
On completion of this course, students will be able to:
(1). Use the case analysis process to identify operational business problems and improvement opportunities.
(2). Identify efficiency and effectiveness metrics and measure the performance of the business operations.
(3). Describe how an organization can align its operations strategy with the overall organizations business
model.
(4).Develop new process designs that will improve the existing operations.
(5) Develop and apply spreadsheet models to support the management of business operations.
(6). Work with people from different backgrounds as a team to deliberate on a discussion board and solve
complex business operations problems.
(7). Explain the process of developing demand forecasts and how to mitigate the bullwhip effect.
(8). Describe how an organization should develop its inventory control and materials management strategy.
(9). Explain the role of information technology in facilitating the integration of the operations function with
other business functions.

Themes

The underlying theme for this course is that operations management professionals must understand that
both technical and social factors are responsible for successful planning, implementation, and managing of
business operations in organizations. These factors are sometimes be explored separately, but can never be
disassociated. Therefore, we will continually see linkages between social and technical systems. The social
factors are be explored in terms of both people and the roles that they take in organizational settings. Group
assignments are provided to highlight the importance of working as a team and being rewarded as a team in
organizational settings. Technical factors are be explored in terms of tasks and the technology used to carry
out and support those tasks.

Class Conduct
2. Class Climate
2.1 Approach
The approach that I will use in this course takes the view that the instructor and students work in a
collaborative effort that recognizes the uniqueness of each person. As such, we are all co-producers in
learning. The underlying assumptions are that each individual is capable of changing his/her own behavior,
and is responsible for what happens to him/her; and that one person can never assume responsibility for
another persons change. This means that each student must assume responsibility for learning and for the
evaluation of that learning.
2.2 Rules and Policies
a) Any written work MUST be TYPED and be correct for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and typing style.
Your work will be graded for BOTH content and appearance.
b) Failure to submit written reports on due date is serious. Written database project assignment reports
should be submitted on the due date AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS PERIOD.
c) There is no opportunity for make-up work for written projects and/or presentations missed. No
substitutions. A good grade for this course is achieved through CONSISTENT quality work.
d) The student is expected to come to class prepared. Failure to complete an assigned reading is serious
and will impact your class participation points.
e) Only in extreme circumstances can the mid-term or final exam be made up. The student will be
responsible for documenting those extreme circumstances.
f) Incomplete grades will only be considered for extenuating circumstances as provided by ULV policy.
g) Any academic dishonesty such as plagiarism, submitting previous work, etc., will result in a failing grade
for the course.

Grading Requirements
1. Class Sessions
The learning methodology used in this course consists of lecture, class discussion, business operations
vignettes, individual projects, group deliberations, and take home exams..
1.

General Class Participation

The class participation grade will reflect an evaluation of the quality and quantity of student contributions
during the class sessions. Students are expected to have thoroughly read and studied all assigned reading
prior to class. Some class sessions will begin with instructor or student led questions and answers. During
the class, I will routinely stop and ask students to state in their own words what has been said. I will use a
random card format where I flip through a set of 3 by 5 cards each containing one students name. I will
keep shuffling the cards to ensure that each new draw is completely random. Each student who has not been
asked a question will have an equally likely chance of being selected. Look for opportunities to apply the
chapters concepts to situations in class discussions and take time to write down unanswered questions.
(10%)
2. Instructors Discussion Board Topics, Class Presentations, and Research Assignments:
Throughout the term, the instructor will post discussion topics in the Discussion Board for students to
respond and discuss. This will usually require the student to do some research work so as to be able to
respond to Discussion Board and in-class questions. Students are expected to discuss what has

transpired in the Discussion Board postings and findings in class. Students are also expected to pick one
of the topics in text book, make a presentation and lead a class discussion on it (20%)
3. Course Project:
Students are to investigate the current practice of one of our course topics in an organization. The
format of the deliverable will vary depending on the topic selected. The project report will be presented to
the class on an ongoing basis. Each student should notify the instructor about what s/he intends to do at
the end of the first class. Project presentations/postings will be done during the last class. (30%)
4. Take Home Mid-Tem and Final Examinations: (25% each)
5. Grade Weights
Grade points will be assigned according to the weighting scheme shown below. Weighted grade points will
be summed, and then the course grade will be assigned based on this value. The maximum grade you can
earn for the requirements above will be an A given that you submit high quality assignments, do and
effective group project assignments and presentation, participate consistently in class discussion, and score
highly in the mid-term and final examination. When evaluating your status in class, you should not count on
any curve for improvement in your final course grade. Except for a recording error, you will have only (1)
week past the date from which the graded exercises, exams, projects, or presentations are returned to the
class to dispute any grade. After that time, no grade changes will be permitted. Your grades will be posted on
Blackboard on a regular basis.

1. Class Participation
2. Individual Course Project
3. Assigned Discussion Board Assignments and
Presentations
4. Mid-term Examination
5. Final Examination
6. Total
A 94 100%
A- 90 93%
B+- 87 89%
B 83 86%
B- 80 82%
C+- 77 79%
C 73 76%
C- 70 72%
D+- 67 69%
D 63 66%
D- 60 62%

10
30
20
25
25
110

F- Below 60%

Course Outline
The course outline below provides a tentative overview of the topics covered in the course.

Meeting
1

Topics
Introduction to the Operations
Function
Competitiveness, Strategy &
Productivity
Supply Chain Management
Product and Service Design
Forecasting
Strategic Capacity Planning
Linear Programming

Assignment Due
Chapters 1, 2, 15

Process Selection & Facility Layout

Work Design and Measurement
Management of Quality
Aggregate Planning & Scheduling
MRP & ERP
Inventory Management
JIT and Lean Operations
Project Management
Management of Waiting Lines

Blackboard Discussion Board

Assignment
Assigned Readings/Presentations
Chapters 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12
(Mid-Term Take Home Due)
Blackboard Discussion Board
Assignment
Assigned Readings/Presentations
Chapters 13, 14, 17, 18

Individual Project Presentations

(Final Examination Take Home

Due) (Individual Projects Due)

Blackboard Discussion Board

Assignment
Assigned Readings/Presentations
Chapters 3, 4, 5, 19

SELECTED TOPIC PER STUDENT

Last Name

First
Name

Username-Email Topic

Chapter
3
4
5
19
6
7
9
10
11
12
13
14
17
18