ØAL116 Operations Management and Process Improvement

Contents and structure

The course "Production management and process improvement" is one of the specialization courses within the logistics study / specialization in logistics at HVL, campus Bergen. The purpose of the course is to give students an understanding of efficiency and improvement opportunities within a business and in a supply chain. Central to this is the ability to understand and see connections between the various internal parts of a business, whether products, services, information or personnel, with a view to continuous improvements. Through theoretical and practical problem understanding, students will receive training in assessing challenges related to change and improvement at different levels in the businesses.

The course "Production management and process improvement" anchors management thinking in the two basic values: continuous improvement and respect for people. The tension between efficient flow and efficient use of resources challenges the design and distribution of tasks and workstations, location, layout, warehousing and inventory management, quality and control systems in all types of businesses: goods or service production, in public or private enterprises. The processes must be managed, planned and coordinated so that they are anchored in the enterprises' overall strategies for business development, innovation and product / service development and in information systems. Anyone affected by the activities of the enterprise is covered by the value "respect for people".

The academic platform will consist of literature within Lean and improvement work: TPS, JiT, Kaizen and visual management, process design as well as methods and tools that can be used in improvement work.

Learning Outcome

After completing and passing this course, students will have acquired:

Knowledge:

• Be able to assess varied procedures and aids for continuous improvement based on respect for people.
• Be able to assess flow efficiency vs. resource efficiency and factors that affect these in varied processes.
• Be able to evaluate the application of key concepts and techniques for improvement from manager to operator level and understand overall relationships and cost effects.

Skills:

• Be able to apply tools and models for planning and analysis of production challenges in practice.
• Be able to use and explain relevant analysis techniques for management and improvement of processes in production and service provision.
• Be able to write, present and oppose in connection with term papers.

General competence:

• Be able to explain and know challenges within flow and improvement of processes.
• Have basic knowledge of challenges in improvement work from mapping the current situation to initiating and implementing improvement projects.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

At least 100 ECTS credits from the first 2 years of the Bachelor Program in Business Administration or the admission requirements for a one-year programme in logistics.

Teaching methods

Classroom teaching combined with group work, company visits and possibly guest lectures. Different parts of the subject matter are concretized through case assignments and various activities such as. "The Flashlight Game."

The students write a term paper in groups where improvement work is discussed in a self-chosen business based on the company's value streams. The teaching plan reflects the structure of the term paper.

Feedback along the way is provided by subjectsresponsible on drafts. A comprehensive first draft is commented on/presented by two and two groups based on a structured "Peer Evaluation" scheme. In addition, the groups receive feedback from the coursecoordinator. Based on the feedback, an improved, final version is delivered.

Compulsory learning activities

Group-based term paper. The term paper should be min 10-15 pages with line spacing 1.5 (approx. 6000 words). Everyone is obliged to enclose their own reflection notes on their own learning outcomes.

The submission time will be announced by the course coordinator.

Assessment

Oral exam (individual) for 20 minutes based on course content, the term papers and relevant academic literature.

Grading scale A-F where F corresponds to fail.

Examination support material

None

More about examination support material