Introduction to Operations Management: BUS 351

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to analyzing, running and improving business operations regardless of industry. The concepts taught in this course apply broadly to management activities in areas from medicine to entertainment, and are specifically suited to assisting in the daily operations of the wide variety of other professional services that dominate the economy (e.g. financial management, law, marketing, consulting, etc.). Firms in these environments face continued competition and must continually strive to improve the way they process work in order to survive, as well as thrive. improving processes fundamentally requires modifying the way resources (e.g. people and technology) are used. Exploration and application of emerging technology inovations can create long-term operational competitive advantage. Therefore operations management simultaneously requires the consideration of both process-design and resource decisions. In the course, students will be expected to examine data relevant to real world business scenarios and use such data to both quantitatively and qualitatively derive and assess the effectiveness of these decisions.

A core learning vehicle in this course is an applied operations project conducted with a real business. Recent clients have included various businesses including Figo, Willy's, Van Michael Salon, Supercuts, Doc Chey's, Einstein's Bagels, All Fired Up, ADP, LA Fitness, ChocoLate Cafe, Buckwood Pet Hotel, Emory Animal Hospital, Emory Food Services, Emory Transportation Services, University Spirit, Pitney-Bowles, Muriel & Sebastian's, Atlanta Dental Clinic, Piercing Experience, Phidippides, Bagel Palace, Emanation, Dunkin Donuts, and others.