OVERVIEW

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to understand the role of Operations Management in the creation of value, highlighting its fundamental contribution to the acquisition of a lasting competitive advantage on a global scale. The course deals with the analysis and implementation of principles, methodologies and tools of Operations Management, Procurement and Supply Chain Management applied to multiple business contexts, from industrial to high service and relational content.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims

The aim of the course is to provide students with the theoretical and operational foundations of Operations Management, Supply Chain Management and Procurement and Supplier Management to develop a critical understanding of its role in the creation of business value in the short and long term, develop skills in the use of the main methodologies and tools in the context of business decision-making processes, to develop skills in the analysis and critical interpretation of business experiences in different market contexts.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will be able to

- describe principles, methodologies and tools governing Operations management at both strategic and operational levels,

- describe principles, methodologies and tools governing Supply Chain management at both strategic and operational levels,

- describe principles, methodologies and tools governing the management of Procurement and Suppliers at both strategic and operational levels,

- apply the acquired knowledge on both a conceptual and operational level with autonomous assessment and skill in different business contexts,

- solve problems related to Operations, Supply Chain and Procurement management referring to specific business and enterprise contexts,

- use the technical language of the discipline to communicate clearly, constructively and effectively, dialoguing both with specialists of the same business function and with specialists of other business functions with a collaborative attitude,

- have developed learning skills that will allow to autonomously deepen the main issues addressed, especially in view of the unavoidable need for continuous updating that the discipline requires.

PREREQUISITES

Students are expected to be familiar with concepts learned in BA courses such as:
Supply chain and economic sectors
Economies of scale, scope, experience
Cost classifications
Sources of competitive advantages
Organizational structures
Managerial approaches production- and market-driven
Specificities of BtB and BtC markets
Market research
Corporate and competitive strategies
Financial aspects: cash flow and working capital
Media, variance and indicator

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, case analyses, operational and interactive seminars held by managers and entrepreneurs. Students will also face individual and team assignments, as well as a project team work aimed at solving a business case to be presented and discussed also with external actors (in primis managers).

The course is taught in Italian.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Prof. Serena Scotto (scotto@economia.unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Operations Management in the strategic decision-making process of firms, supply chains and networks
The Operations Manager's strategic role in creating the value of 21st century economic systems
Operations management: principles, methodologies and tools
Process management and innovation creation
Supply Chain Management: principles, methodologies and tools
Procurement and Supplier Management: principles, methodologies and tools
Operations economic and financial performance measurement

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The textbooks will be indicated on Aulaweb, together with other bibliographical indications for in-depth study of the topics addressed in the course.

See also information published on Aulaweb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The course is taught in the second semester, following the calendar and schedule defined by the Department of Economics.
Schedule and classrooms are available at the Easyacademy link.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written examination (in italian) with open questions and independent elaboration and discussion, also with external experts (primarily managers), of works carried out in team on specific topics concerning the management of operations, the supply chain and purchasing.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam ensures objectivity in the treatment of the students and requires them to write a logical and clear thinking on their own. The questions are formulated to assess the student's degree of learning, as well as their ability 1) to make autonomous connections between the various contents and between theory and practice, 2) to express a critical and up-to-date evaluation, 3) to use the technical terminology of the discipline.
The development of team work makes it possible to verify the students' learning, their ability to apply the acquired notions to specific contexts, the development of soft skills useful for employability, the ability to discuss the solutions developed with experts.

FURTHER INFORMATION

​The lecturer analyzed the results of the teaching evaluation questionnaires relating to the previous academic year and took them into account in the planning of this edition, with a continuous improvement approach.