Course Outline 2019

BUSADMIN 766: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (15 POINTS)

Quarter 1 (1192)

Course prescription
Creating value through effective and efficient operating and information system in both
product and service-based firms. Emphasises process inter-relationships and
infrastructural requirement.

Course advice
Prerequisite: BUSADMIN 763

Restriction: BUSADMIN 776

Goals of the course

Operations and Supply Chain Management deals with the processes through which
organisations create and distribute products and services (outputs), utilising resources
including labour, materials, equipment, capital, information, and technology (inputs).
These processes must be designed, controlled, and improved to meet a variety of
performance objectives, taking into account constraints and uncertainty in the internal
and external environment.
The goals of the course are for students to be able to:
• understand and analyse the role of operations and supply chain management – in
manufacturing and services;
• understand key trade-offs involved in operations and supply chain management
and how they relate to an organisation’s strategy and competitive position;
• utilise key concepts, models, and tools to formulate and justify recommendations
to improve operations and supply chain processes.

Learning outcomes (LO)

By the end of the course, it is expected that students will be able to:

# Learning outcome Graduate profile capability*

Explain the key concepts of

operations strategy and justify how
2. Critical thinking
operations and supply chain
LO1 management can be used to
improve the competitive position of
manufacturing and service
organisations

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 # Learning outcome Graduate profile capability*

Identify and analyse methods to

1. Disciplinary knowledge and practice
match capacity and demand of
LO2 products and services to improve 3. Solution seeking
performance - particularly in the
face of uncertainty.

Generate and critique methods and

implementation of quality 2. Critical thinking
management and process
LO3
control/improvement - using
concepts such as lean thinking and
six sigma.

Identify supply chain and inventory

management issues and provide
conceptual (methods and ideas) and 1. Disciplinary knowledge and practice
analytical (modelling) approaches to
LO4 3. Solution seeking
deal with them effectively (e.g.
reducing working capital
requirements and/or improving
customer service).

Articulate important linkages

between operations and supply chain
LO5 management and other areas of the 2. Critical thinking
firm: in particular human resources,
marketing and finance.
* See the graduate profile this course belongs to at the end of this course outline.

Content outline
Week / Relevant learning Assessment
Topic
Module resources/activities due this period

Week 1 Introduction and Required Reading:

Operations
Laseter (2009)
Strategy
Case - Southwest Airlines (2017)
Optional Reading (Text): Sec 1.1

Week 2 Capacity and Required Reading:

Constraint
Case – Kristen’s Cookie Company
Management
(A) Abridged
Optional Reading (Text): Sec 2.2,
2.3, 3.1-3.5, 10.1

Week 3 Service Operations Required Reading: Group

Submission:
• Psychology of Waiting Lines
write-up on
(1984)
Manzana
• 9.1-9.6, 9.10 (Cachon and Insurance
Terwiesch) Case
Case – Manzana Insurance:
Fruitvale Branch (Abridged)

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 Week / Relevant learning Assessment
Topic
Module resources/activities due this period

Week 4 Inventory Optional Reading (Text): Sec 2.4-

Management and 2.5, 5.6-5.7, 16.1-16.9, 14.1-14.7
Optimal Service
Levels

Week 5 Individual Test Mid-term Test Mid-term Test

and Group (In-Class)
Littlefield Labs Simulation
Simulation

Week 6 Make-To-Stock, Case – Hewlett Packard Co.: Group

Make-To-Order DeskJet Printer Supply Chain (A) Simulation
and Reactive Report
Optional Reading (Text): Sec, 15.1-
Capacity
15.4

Week 7 Process Quality Required Reading: Jacobs and

Chase (2013): pp.304-330
Case – Noram Foods

Week 8 Lean Operations Required Reading: Individual

and Just-In-Time Assignment
• Toyota Reinvents the Factory
• Decoding the DNA of the Toyota
Production System
Optional Reading (Text): Sec 8.1-
8.10
Activity: eBeer Game

Week 9 Supply Chain Required Reading: Supply Chain Group

Coordination Coordination and Contracts Submission:
write-up on
Optional Reading (Text): Sec 19.1-
Zara Case
19.2
Case - Zara: Future Ready? (2017)

Week 10 Supply Chain Required Reading:

Management –
What is the right supply chain for
Course Review
your products?
Case - From Garbage to Goods:
Successful Remanufacturing
Systems and Skills

Learning and teaching

The class will meet from 5:30-8:30pm on Wednesday evenings in room 260-223,
(except on Tuesday, 5th of February in 260-009, to make-up for Waitangi Day, and
Wednesday, 13th of February, when the class will meet in 260-040B). Class time will be
used for a combination of lectures and applied discussions of case studies and exercises.
In addition to attending classes, students should be prepared to spend around six hours
per week on activities related to this course. These activities include carrying out the
required readings and assignments, viewing video material, participating in the

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simulations, and preparing for the tests. Note that numerous examples (mostly with
model answers) from previous assignments and exams, and recorded worked solutions
are provided on CANVAS.

A variety of instructional methods will be employed, including lecture, case discussion,

worked examples, simulations, and video. The course content presents both practice
(from case studies and class examples) and contemporary research (primarily from
journal articles) in Operations Management and closely-related fields.

It is essential to have read and reflected on the prescribed material before each session
to ensure class discussion is well informed and productive.

Student feedback will be sought throughout the course – informally, via evaluation and
student representatives.

I will endeavour to respond to emails from students within 24 hours and to provide
feedback on submissions or tests with one week. I will be available at my office during
published office hours and by appointment.

Teaching staff
Subh Ganguly

Office: 260-354

Phone: 09-373-7599 Email: s.ganguly@auckland.ac.nz

Office Hours: Tuesdays 1pm to 5pm, and by appointment

Learning resources
The following text is optional:

Cachon, G., & Terwiesch, C. (2019). Matching supply with demand: An introduction to
operations management. (4th Edition) New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

[Note: In case the 4th edition is not widely available by the time class begins, the 3rd
edition (2013) can be used.]

Digital as well as printed copies of the 3rd edition are available for purchase or rent at
amazon.com. There are also copies in the General and Engineering Libraries as well as a
short loan (3 day) copy. It will be helpful to get you “up to speed” before the classes,
and to provide greater detail to improve understanding.

Cases, articles, and chapters listed in the Detailed Course Schedule provide
fundamentals, applications, illustrations, and extensions. The case study questions (that
will be posted CANVAS) should be contemplated before the appropriate class. I
recommend that, for each chapter and journal article, you record (e.g., on a single sheet
of paper) the key issues, features (positive and negative), and perhaps a question you
would like answered in class.

As a reference source you may like to refer to the APICS Operations Management Body
of Knowledge (free download at www.apics.org/ombok) or the glossary at

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http://www.lindo.com/library/glossary.pdf. For some good discussion on current topics
in operations management take a look at www.operationsroom.wordpress.com and
http://www.oprules.com/. There is a list of some good Operations Management blogs at
http://www.poms.org/om_blogs/.

All other course readings are available via Reading Lists under each module on the
Canvas page or in the Reading List module on Canvas.
Readings

ANON 2015. Toyota Reinvents the Factory. Autocar.

BOHN, R.E. & HAMMOND, J.H. 2007. Kristen’s Cookie Company (A) (Abridged), Harvard
Business School
CACHON, G. P. & TERWIESCH, C. 2019. Matching Supply with Demand: An Introduction
to Operations Management (4th Edition), New York, McGraw-Hill Irwin.

KAVTHANKAR, A. 2017. Zara: Future Ready?, IBS Center for Management Research.
FERRER, G. & WHYBARK, D.C. 2000. From Garbage to Goods: Successful
Remanufacturing Systems and Skills, Business Horizons

FISHER, M.L. 1997. What is the right supply chain for your products?, Harvard Business
Review
INKPEN, A., TAN, C., DEGROOT, V., EDENS, W., MASHRU, J., PATIL, S. & WAGNER, A.
2013. Southwest Airlines. Thunderbird School of Global Management.

JACOBS, F. R. & CHASE, R. B. 2013. Operations and Supply Management: The Core,
New York, McGraw-Hill.

KOPCZAK, L.R. & LEE, H. 2004. Hewlett Packard Co.: DeskJet Printer Supply Chain (A),
Stanford Graduate School of Business.

KUMAR, S. & WOOD, S. 2009. Managing a Short Product Life Cycle at Littlefield Labs.
Stanford: Stanford Graduate School of Business.
LASETER, T. M. 2009. An Essential Step for Corporate Strategy. strategy+business, 57.
LEENDERS, M.R. and WALSH, J. 1998. Noram Foods, London, Ontario, Canada, Ivey
Business Publishing.
MAISTER, D.H. 1984. Psychology of Waiting Lines, Harvard Business School.

RAZ, G. 2011. Supply Chain Coordination and Contracts, University of Virginia.

SPEAR S.J. & BOWEN H.K. 1999. Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System,
Harvard Business Review.
WHEELWRIGHT, S.C. 1997. Manzana Insurance: Fruitvale Branch (Abridged), Harvard
Business School.

Assessment information
Group and/or
Assessment task Weight % Submission
individual
Hand-written hard copy
Midterm Test 20 Individual
(Week 5)
Hand-written hard-copy
Final Test 40 Individual
(administered in Week 11)

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 Group and/or
Assessment task Weight % Submission
individual
Group Simulation 15 Group Within CANVAS

Group Case Write Ups 10 Group Within CANVAS

Individual Assignment 15 Individual Within CANVAS

Pass requirements
To pass the course, an overall passing mark is required on the aggregate of all of the
assessments. Students are expected to prepare before coming to class, attend all
classes, participate in class discussion and submit all assignments on time.

Late Submissions and Special Consideration

Students who cannot sit a test: If a student misses a test or their performance
and/or their preparation is impaired during the test due to a medical condition or other
unforeseen circumstances outside of their control, then they can apply online for an
aegrotat or compassionate consideration. These forms need to be filled out and
submitted to the Health and Counselling service within one week of the assessment date.
Support staff can provide the links.
If work commitments prevent the student from sitting a test (they must provide
evidence), the lecturer should be informed in advance and alternative arrangements can
be made (e.g. sitting an out of time test).

Late Assignments: Case write-ups are due before they are scheduled to be discussed
in class; late case write-ups will not be accepted. For other assignments, a penalty of
10% will be levied for each day of delay.

Description of assessment tasks

Learning outcome to
Assessment task
be assessed
Midterm Test
LO1 and LO2
In-class close-book test in Week 5 (formula sheet allowed)
Final Test
LO3 and LO4
Open-book test in Week 11 (Saturday, 23rd March)
Group Simulation Report
Littlefield Simulation to be played during class in Week 5. The
assignment will be graded in three equally weighted parts:
a) Pre-Game Strategy to be submitted by game-day morning LO2 and LO4
9am
b) Performance in the simulation
c) Reflection on the game (due on 9am Tuesday, Week 6)
Group Case Write Ups
LO1, LO2, and LO4
Analysis of cases to be submitted by 9am before class.

Individual Assignment
Original report on a topic to be shared in class by Week 2.
LO5
Students are expected to reference several sources beyond
textbooks.

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Inclusive learning
Students are urged to discuss privately any impairment-related requirements face-to-
face and/or in written form with the courses convenor/lecturer and/or tutor.

Academic integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and
views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student
submits for grading must be the student’s own work, reflecting his or her learning.
Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and
referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the worldwide web. A student’s
assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised
detection to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Student feedback
The University of Auckland evaluates the quality of teaching and of courses by using the
Summative Evaluation Tool, or SET. Summative evaluation is formal, summative
evaluation of teaching undertaken according to University policy and is conducted at the
end of a semester/quarter through the use of the formal University SET instruments.
Summative evaluation is used by teachers to reflect on their teaching practice, and is
also used by the University for quality assurance of teaching and courses.

In the event of an unexpected disruption

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all
your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University
has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your
assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in
emergencies, In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators
will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the
University website.

Graduate profile for Postgraduate Diploma in Business

The following six themes represent the capabilities that the Business School seeks to
foster in all of its graduates. The development of these capabilities does not come all at
once, but rather is expected to build from year to year. Each course is not expected to
contribute to all capabilities, but each course will have its own goals and learning
outcomes that relate to the overall development of this profile.

Graduate Profile

1. Disciplinary knowledge and practice

Graduates will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of general
management theory and apply this effectively in a range of contexts.

2. Critical thinking
Graduates will be able to effectively evaluate and synthesise evidence from
multiple sources to develop coherent and evidence-based arguments.

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 Graduate Profile

3. Solution seeking
Graduates will be able to frame and analyse complex problems, develop practical
solutions, and understand the impact and implications of planned implementation.

4. Communication and engagement

Graduates will be able to work effectively in teams and engage varied audiences
by communicating professionally using multiple formats.

5. Independence and integrity

Graduates will be able to engage in independent and ethical decision-making and
behaviour, demonstrating self-reflection and self-management in complex and
ambiguous situations.

6. Social and environmental responsibility

Graduates will recognise, in relation to their field, the potential significance of the
principles underpinning the Treaty of Waitangi and sustainability, and
demonstrate capability to shape business practice accordingly where appropriate.

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