Course description
MSc Managing Global Operations – Course structure
Semester one
Students take the following compulsory course units (15 credits each) -
• Global Operations Management: Theories and Concepts
• International Operations and Logistics (same unit as Decision Sciences 2)
AND at least one and no more than two of the following ‘specialist’ electives:
• Strategic Supply Management
This unit introduces supply chain management covering theoretical perspectives,
strategy, inter-organisational relationships, network design, performance
measurement, e-procurement and environmental and ethical issues.
• Process Improvement Strategy
This unit covers the concepts, principles and practice of process/quality improvement
including Total Quality management (TQM). It considers how these are applied in
different sectors, and self assessment models and quality awards.
• Introduction to Project Management Systems
The aim of this unit is to introduce you to some fundamental tools and methods for
planning and managing the delivery of projects. Throughout the module, you learn
ways to identify and characterise project management situations and underlying
development processes; find out which tools and strategies may be appropriate to
problem-solving; and how to effectively apply those tools and methods in real world
situations.
You may substitute one ‘specialist’ elective by another elective, for example: Chinese
Business or an approved elective from Corporate Communications, Global Business Analysis,
Accounting and Finance, Computing, MPA or Mathematics. This is by arrangement, and
subject to timetabling and student’s background.
Semester two
Students take the following compulsory course units (15 credits each):
• Strategic Operations Management (cases and techniques)
This unit focuses on the role of an organisation’s operations strategy in delivering its
objectives and how this strategy is developed.
• Research Methods
The unit introduces you to main issues in the research process as applied to research
in operations management. The goal is to help you develop awareness for possible
research purposes, questions, and methods as you start looking for a dissertation
topic. The module provides you with tools to help you succeed in writing a research
proposal,carrying on an independent research project, and writing up a dissertation.
and at least one and no more than two of the following ‘specialist’ electives:
• Managing Business Projects
The aim of this unit is to develop a critical understanding of various concepts, perspectives
and approaches for managing projects and programmes involving operations, IS and IT.
Consideration is given to the limitations of
mainstream project management ideas, business projects vs engineering projects. Core
concepts include:
- business projects as value creation processes
- business projects as temporary organizations (including portfolio
management and programme management)
- other relevant images, eg projects and programmes as change processes.
• Decision Analysis and Forecasting
This course unit covers decision modelling and performance analysis, including both
single and multiple criteria decision modelling and analysis, as well applied business
forecasting techniques. Emphasis will be placed on the applications of these methods
and tools to performance assessment and efficient extrapolation. The aim is to
familiarise you with the applications of decision modelling, performance analysis and
business forecasting methodologies. (This unit combines elements of the units
Decision Sciences 3 and Decision Sciences 4.)
• Global Supply Chain Management
This course unit aims to provide an understanding of operational techniques in
purchasing, logistics and supply chain management. It develops an understanding of
international, sector-specific and other contextual issues. The impact of globalisation,
and of ethical and environmental policies on supply chains are discussed.
• Organisational Change
This course unit gives you an understanding of: the main issues involved in
organizational change; the main models of and approaches to change; the main
issues involved in planning and implementing change and change from the
perspective of the different parties involved.
You may substitute one ‘specialist’ elective by another elective, for example: Marketing for
China or an approved elective from Corporate Communications, Global Business Analysis,
Accounting and Finance, Computing, MPA or Mathematics. This is by arrangement, and
subject to timetabling and student’s background.
Summer research period
Research dissertation (60 credits)
During this period you will carry out an original piece of work. These projects are generally
based in or with a host organisation, or working with a real data set, or a literature-based.
You will have a supervisor, who will discuss your choice of research project with you and
advise and guide you through the process. Recent dissertations have covered:
• Globalisation, risk, ethics and global supply chains: an operations perspective
• The implementation, use and effectiveness of the balanced scorecard
• Identification of best practices for the supplier pre-qualification model for Siemens
(UK)
• Production and control systems for small manufacturing enterprises
• Risks in international purchasing and a case study in the UK paper industry
• Risk modelling in an international management consulting group
