COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Concepts & Techniques in Operations Management course. This program will equip you with an in-depth understanding of how modern operations function, how value is created through organisational processes, and how operations managers apply analytical, strategic, and behavioural tools to improve productivity and performance. You will explore both foundational theories and contemporary developments in the field, building a comprehensive understanding of how operations contribute to competitive advantage, organisational growth, and long-term sustainability. This course also connects classical academic concepts with real operational challenges to help you understand how theory and practice align in today’s dynamic business environment.

This course begins by examining the importance of the operations function and how operations management developed as an academic discipline. You will explore the purpose of a theory of operations and the classical theory of the division of labour, showing how specialisation has historically increased productivity while also creating limits and challenges that organisations must manage. This section also explains the interdependence of operations, highlighting how every process relies on others within the organisation, and how coordination and cross-functional alignment ensure operational reliability and value delivery.

The next learning area introduces the structure and nature of operations systems. You will explore the characteristics of operations systems, the important properties that determine their effectiveness, and how operations systems function as transformation processes that convert inputs into goods and services. This section also examines the properties of strategic competencies, the organisational resources that support operations, and the broader environment in which operations systems exist. You will learn the key dimensions to consider when studying the environment of an operations system, including systems control, system boundaries, external pressures, and stakeholder influences.

Further learning focuses on productivity, output, and the nature of goods and services. You will explore how operations output and productivity are measured, the distinctions between goods and services, and the role of the service revolution in reshaping operational priorities. This section also examines the three sector hypothesis and the evolution of economies beyond it, the concept of servitisation, and how service science is used to improve productivity through process innovation and customer-centred design.

The program then examines the central role of customers and relationship management in operations. You will explore customers and relationship capital, how factor analysis is used to classify behavioural intentions, and how operations managers and marketers collaborate to manage customer relationships. This section also explains why listening to customers can be challenging in operational contexts, how customer-perceived value is formed, and how quality function deployment helps translate customer needs into operational specifications.

The next section explores service design and customer interaction. You will examine customer contact and its impact on service system design, when operations should be decoupled, and the procedures used to determine which contact strategy is most appropriate for a given service. This section also introduces technology in modern operations management, the technology-induced business transformation, and the ways emerging technologies are shaping the future of operational systems and decision-making.

A further learning area focuses on coordination within and across operational processes. You will examine the principles of coordination theory, the mechanisms that enable coordinated work, and the importance of planning and control in operational environments. This section explains what operations managers can achieve through effective control systems, how to match demand with supply, and how planning horizons and planning flexibility support operational responsiveness.

The program then examines integration within operations systems. You will explore integration systems—their functions and forms—and how ERP and process management support organisational alignment. This section also introduces key ERP-related issues in operations management and the operational risks associated with complex systems. You will examine a model of operational risk and learn how to evaluate and mitigate risk factors across interconnected processes.

The final learning area explores major theories in operations management that shape modern thinking and organisational design. You will examine the neo-classical theory of the firm, the managerial theory of the firm, the behavioural theory of the firm, the transaction cost theory, and the evolutionary theory of the firm. This section helps you understand how foundational economic and organisational theories influence operations practice, decision-making, and strategic direction.

By the end of this course you will be able to analyse and evaluate operational systems, understand classical and contemporary operations theories, apply tools for improving productivity, design and control service processes, integrate technology and coordination techniques, and manage operational risks while aligning operations with organisational strategy and customer expectations.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The importance of operations function
• How operations management is considered as an academic discipline?
• The purpose of a theory of operations
• The theory of the division of labour
• The interdependence of operations
• The benefits and limits of specialisation
• The operations systems and their characteristics
• The important properties of operations systems
• Operations systems as a transformation process
• The properties of strategic competencies
• Organisational resources in operations
• The environment of operations systems
• The key dimensions to consider when studying the environment of an operations system
• Systems control and boundaries
• The operations output and productivity
• Goods and services in operations management
• The service revolution
• The three sector hypothesis and beyond
• What is meant by servitisation?
• How service science is used to improve productivity?
• Customers and relationship capital
• How factor analysis is used to classify the various behavioural intentions of customers?
• How operations managers and marketers can participate in managing the relationship with customers?
• How listening to customers can be a challenge in operations management?
• The customer-perceived value
• The quality function deployment
• Customer contact and design of service system
• When should we decouple operations?
• The procedures for analysing which contact strategy should be followed for a service
• Technology in modern operations management
• The technology-induced business transformation
• How technologies are affecting the future of operations management?
• Co-ordination in operations
• The co-ordination theory
• Planning and control at work
• What operations managers can do through effective control systems?
• How to match demand with supply in operations?
• Planning horizons and planning flexibility
• Integration in operations systems
• Integration systems: function and form
• ERP and process management
• ERP: operations management issues
• Risks in operations
• A model of operational risk
• Theories in operations management
• The neo-classical theory of the firm
• The managerial theory of the firm
• The behavioural theory of the firm
• The transaction cost theory
• The evolutionary theory of the firm

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.