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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2016/2017

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Common Courses (Management School)

Postgraduate Course: Operations Improvement (MBA) (CMSE11247)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThe course provides an integrated introduction to the improvement of operations to support strategic objectives. The course provides participants with opportunities in class and online between classes to share their expertise and explore the practical implementation of a range of contemporary techniques for operations improvement.
Course description The course comprises three themed blocks: lean operations, service design, and operational risk. Vertically cross-cutting these themes, each block also addresses the problems and solutions for each theme triggered by the wider focus on inter-organisational operational networks and the increasing importance of IT in operations.

Syllabus
Lean Operations (including Lean/Six Sigma, process modelling, Balanced scorecards)
Service Design (design models, use of analytics, CRM infrastructure)
Operational Risk (Basel Accords, auditing of operational risks and High Reliability Organisations).

Student Learning Experience
The course includes a series of lectures, guest speakers, online learning and case discussions. The course provides participants with opportunities in class, and online between classes, to share their expertise and explore the practical implementation of a range of contemporary techniques for operations improvement. The course is taught in ten sessions. Each of the three course themes is covered in three sessions. The final session provides a chance for the students to present their group online presentations and integrate the key points of the course. Prior to each session students will view a short online presentation of key learning points.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements For Business School PG students only, or by special permission of the School. Please contact the course secretary.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2016/17, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 20, Summative Assessment Hours 30, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 48 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Group wiki report (3000 words) - 50%.
Individual case study reflection (1000 words) - 50%.
Feedback Feedback consists of on-going support provided by the course lecturer to the groups throughout the duration of their projects; group feedback provided at the end of the projects; and on-going generic feedback provided through the course website in regards to the cases covered approximately once every two lectures.

Feedback on formative assessed work will be provided within 15 working days. Summative marks will be returned on a published timetable, which has been made clear to students at the start of the academic year.

Students will be provided with electronic written feedback for all coursework.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Analyse and critically evaluate an organisation as a network of transformation processes and propose pathways to improvement.
  2. Describe and critically discuss the implementation of a range of operations improvement techniques, including Lean/Six Sigma, the Business Excellence model, the use of Balanced Scorecards, service design, process models, OM Systems (ISO9001, ISO27001 etc) and Operational Risk Management;
  3. Analyse and critically discuss how operations improvement has increasingly required the analysis of operations across networks of organisations and not just within a single organisation;
  4. Analyse and critically discuss how Information Technology is implemented to achieve operational improvements.
Reading List
A customised text is provided in the Learn environment.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Cognitive and Subject Specific Skills:
Relate operations strategy to broader concepts of business policy covered in other courses.
Integrate the concepts discussed in the course and relate them to real-world organisational scenarios, suggesting possible methods for operational improvement.

Transferable Skills:
Successfully undertake independent reading and enquiry.
Articulate convincing arguments in writing.
Engage in active debate about one's own managerial practice and experience.
Design and deliver an online resource.
KeywordsOperations Process Improvement Service Risk
Contacts
Course organiserMr Julian Rawel
Tel: (0131 6)50 8067
Email: Julian.Rawel@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Carole Gibson
Tel: (0131 6)51 3854
Email: C.Gibson@ed.ac.uk
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