Operations Management in SMEs module (BU32005)

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) drive innovation. They also create jobs and shape communities across the world.

But they often operate with limited resources. This makes effective operations management essential to their success.

In this module you will gain the practical skills to help these businesses thrive. You will learn to turn operational challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.

You will explore essential areas in Operations Management. This will be within the context of small and medium-sized enterprises. Areas that you will explore will include:

• operations strategy and product service design
• capacity management
• inventory and supply chain management
• lean operations
• quality management
• project management
• sustainable operations

You will explore each topic through real-world case studies and international examples. This will enable you to analyse complex operational challenges. You will also be able to develop effective, practical solutions for diverse business environments.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• develop a comprehensive understanding of Operations Management concepts, tools, and analytical frameworks. These will be applicable to modern small and medium-sized enterprises
• explore the dynamic trade-offs between operational decisions, financial performance, and sustainable business practices

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

• critically evaluate and apply relevant concepts and theories to develop effective operational strategies
• identify, frame, and resolve operational issues. You will be able to do this by applying appropriate analytical tools in real-world contexts
• work both independently and collaboratively. You will be able to do this to build interpersonal, numeracy, and digital literacy skills essential for your career

Assignments / assessment

• Individual solution pitch (40%)
  • You will produce an individual video pitch. You will act as an operations consultant for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) of your choice.
  • The purpose of the pitch is to identify a real operational inefficiency within the chosen SME. You will present a clear, evidence-based solution. You will do this using operations management principles taught in the module.
• Individual implementation strategy (60%)
  • You will submit an individual written report. This will develop a detailed implementation strategy based on the solution proposed in your video pitch.
  • Your report will show that you have a strong integration of academic literature, practical case material, and operations management theory. This will justify how the solution can be put into practice within the SME.

Teaching methods / timetable

You should expect weekly lectures and tutorials. There are 11 weeks of teaching.

For this module, the exact dates of teaching and/or reading weeks are to be confirmed.