MO9520 - International Operations Management

This module encourages you to develop your practical, integrated and cross-functional view of the international operations management in order to solve business problems in the real world. Delivery consists of lectures and seminars to encourage your learning of theoretical and practical strategies, and skills in an integrated environment of the global operations management. It will demonstrate how core elements of operations interact and are dependent upon on each other in order to fulfil the purpose and objectives of a business in a global environment.

This will be achieved through a series of linked lectures encompassing the primary functions of the operations and supply chain management set out in an integrated approach to promote operations and supply chain improvement in a global context. The lectures will explore the complex interactions between these primary elements and in doing so reflect the dynamic nature of operations and supply chain management. The seminars promote interactive learning relevant to these business management elements through individual case study analysis, team-based discussion, journal article analysis and guided and facilitated seminar activities. It is intended to develop theoretical, research, practical and personal skills useful for your study as well as operational and leadership skills. In addition to business-related skills and strategies, you also have opportunity for research skills development and also personal development and problem solving skills such as team working, presentations, task delegation and debate during seminars and as part of independent study.

The design of this module will encourage your development as an independent learner, enabling you to explore issues arising and make extensive use of the available information technology. You will have opportunity to work on different ranges of relevant and current case studies to identify a series of relevant contemporary operations and supply chain issues and challenges and their interface and integration; and to utilise problem solving strategies or tools to address the issues. You will also have opportunity to review the current peer reviewed journal articles and discuss your understanding of the content, literature and methodology with peers in a debating environment facilitated by the seminar tutor. This would promote an integrated and aligned approach of practical and theoretical analysis of the contemporary issues in global operations and supply chain management to address the likely direction of the global operations and supply chain in the future.

Support will be provided to you by the member of academic staff leading the module and providing the lecture input, alongside other academic staff members. The use of a teaching team allows that subject specialist staff will deliver lectures and seminars.

The seminar sessions will be delivered to small groups of students and will be facilitated by a group of academic staff with subject speciality who can offer support and guidance.

Your module is also supported by an e-learning portal, which accommodates lecture materials, seminar instructions, supportive learning resources, alongside assessment details and various support facilities such as electronic reading list comprising your “recommended to purchase” and to read book(s), academic reports, conference papers and journal articles that are relevant to principles of operations and supply chain management.

The module summative assessment is a single component that will be distributed at the beginning of the semester and supported throughout. You will be receiving extensive support for your assessment including the assessment brief, marking criteria, marking guide, assignment examples, assignment surgery alongside on-line and face-to-face communication by the module leader and the teaching team.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1) Understand the context of global and regional integrated operations and supply chain management, its likely future direction, and the impact of its strategies and tools on the future direction in global business (MLO1)
2) Demonstrate understanding of various tools, strategies, key skills, and techniques that can be used in any global or regional operations and supply chain management area in different sectors with different sizes of the organisations with the support of contemporary research – enriched material (MLO2)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

3) Apply problem solving skills in global business context associated with different contemporary operational and supply chain issues and strategies with the support of cross-functional thinking, critical reading, intensive and extensive applied research, teamwork and presentation skills (MLO3)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

4) Ethical and social awareness and cultural interface in global operations, and supply chain environment (MLO4)

Summative Assessment:
Individual 2,500 words assignment: a critical evaluation of different contemporary issues and challenges in international operations and supply chain management, and relevant theories, strategies and tools through both practical and theoretical contribution. The assignment will be research – enriched through promoting heavy contribution of contemporary peer reviewed journal articles. It also reflects the contemporary practical global operations and supply chain issues and challenges.

This assessment addresses MLO1, MLO2, MLO3 and MLO4.

Formative Assessment:
Formative assessment will take place through group work, case study review, journal article review, oral presentation and theory/practice related discussions and debate and assignment discussion and reflection in seminars facilitated by the seminar tutor.

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Operations Management is one of the most common business principles with which employers expect you to be familiar as part of real world business problem solving initiative, regardless of the size, sector or location of the business and your position. Through studying this module you will develop both practical and theoretical knowledge and skills to tackle real world business problems associated with operations and supply chain processes. International Operations Management is the vital topic that every business student needs to understand because it is at the heart of the creation of wealth for businesses, value for customers, and the improvement in the living standards of citizens of all countries and in such a demanding global market. Operations Management is important because it is concerned with creating services and products upon which we all depend. Operations Management is also exciting because it is at the centre of so many changes affecting business world, customer preference and technology globally.