Operational Improvement

Aims of this Unit

As a practising manager it is important to understand the implications of having appropriate frameworks, methodologies, principles and philosophies strategies and tools for execution of effective operations management including operational improvements.

This unit aims to provide principles that underpin contemporary operations, focusing specifically on operational strategies and improvements in digitalised, turbulent and at times disruptive environments. The unit provides participants with a detailed explanation of how Industry 4.0 is reshaping operations strategy practices and processes to improve operational performance. This unit also explores how organisations are nested in industry/ sectors and how contextual and other factors can pose challenges for organisations seeking to build new capabilities and aspiring towards operational excellence. The unit also builds on the impact of digital and operational improvement, and on how organisations deal with and serve customers and suppliers.  Additionally, the unit emphasises how the strategic alignment of operations is pivotal to an organisation's sustainability.

Knowledge and Understanding

This unit is designed to provide students with an understanding of:

• Contemporary operations management theories and linkages between operations strategy design, implementation and delivery.
• Global challenges and forces of change impacting organisations and their ability to remain competitive.
• The impacts of Industry 4.0, digitalisation and technological advancements and how these are reshaping the nature of operations within industry/sector contexts.
• The value of strategy to operational performance.
• Features of an effective digital strategy.
• The fit between various operational principles and approaches for addressing operational improvements.
• Considerations including ethical, behavioural, human-centred learning and, knowledge management perspectives and practices.
• Emergent themes and trends on operational performance and improvement.

Learning Outcomes

Following completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Critically examine holistic operations management theory and its practical application for sustainable organisational improvement.
2. Assess organisations in terms of operations systems, practices and processes to improve the quality of management.
3. Evaluate digital operations strategy and systems to improve an organisation's performance.
4. Compare and contrast the design, implementation and delivery of strategy and the process of monitoring, control and risk management.
5. Develop a high order of skill in analysis, critical thinking and professional application.