A postgraduate course in Computing and IT and Engineering, Technology and Design.

The core of any enterprise is the set of processes that must take place to deliver goods and services that provide value to customers and other stakeholders. To effectively design and manage business operations requires an appreciation of their strategic importance, an understanding of the human and technical factors that impact on their effectiveness, and mastery of appropriate analytical techniques. In this course, concepts and principles are taught using case studies spanning all sectors of the economy: public or private, large or small, manufacturing or service-based, and you’ll have opportunities to apply your learning to your own context.

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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

The field covered by this course is traditionally known as operations management; however, this course treats the organisation as a set of business processes rather than a collection of functions, and emphasises the need for cross-functional integration. The course aims to equip managers with relevant knowledge and skills to support their active involvement in making the business processes in their organisation more effective and efficient in meeting the needs of their stakeholders.

This course is for:

• current and aspiring operations managers
• those who have backgrounds in other functional areas of management but who wish to enhance their understanding of operations management issues
• anyone with an interest in improving operational effectiveness and efficiency.

Block 1: Operations, Technology and Stakeholder Value

The overall aim of this block is to demonstrate the critical strategic importance of effective operations processes to all enterprises. You will explore the multiple objectives of operations, and the many different interfaces that the operations manager must be concerned with. You will analyse the links between operations processes, business strategy and competitive advantage in terms of various types of value to be delivered to stakeholder groups, and the ways in which this value is achieved - through appropriate design and management of products and processes and appropriate deployment of technology. The topics covered include:

• the process view of business operations
• operations and business strategy
• stakeholder value
• value from products
• value from processes
• process technology.

Activities and the assignment associated with this block require you to apply your learning to your choice of organisation by critically appraising the design and deployment of operations systems to meet the organisation’s strategic aims.

Block 2: Operations by design

Block 1 established what operations systems need to achieve - Block 2 builds on this by dealing with how operations strategy can be put into practice through effective design, planning and control of operations processes. The block discusses the various factors, human and technical, that influence operations success, and you will learn to apply analytical concepts and techniques to audit existing processes and design new ones. You will explore the following topics:

• design for operations
• supply network design and management
• design and implementation
• the human factor
• planning and control
• managing supply and demand.

Activities and the assignment associated with this block require you to apply your learning to the detailed analysis and design of an operations process of your choice.

Block 3: Improving Operations

This block is concerned with the improvement aspects of operations management. Once in place, even superior systems cannot be allowed to rest on their laurels – the environment will almost certainly change too rapidly, not least through the emergence of competitors unencumbered by the conventional wisdom of the sector. You will explore and critique a range of improvement methodologies with reference to practical cases. The topics covered include:

• the context of improvement
• evaluation of performance gaps
• approaches to improvement
• sustaining improvement
• improvement techniques.

Activities and the assignment associated with this block involve the design of an improvement programme for an operations system of your choice.

All three blocks also draw on additional online and text-based resources including video and text-based case studies, the set book and the course reader. Throughout the course you are encouraged to develop postgraduate study skills (such as information literacy including use of online library facilities) that are likely to be of benefit throughout your masters-level studies. There is opportunity to customise your studies to some extent through self-selection of examples and case studies relevant to your sector of interest.

Entry

There are no entry requirements but we do assume that you have already done some study, up to HNC, HND or bachelors degree level, in a relevant subject area. 

You do need to have a reasonable standard of spoken and written English to study successfully with us. Poor language skills will make study more difficult, and it will take longer. The normal requirements for English language skills are explained on our website.

If you have any doubts about whether your level of English is good enough for you to study this course you may find it helpful to look at our Skills for OU Study site.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Qualifications

T883 is an optional module in our:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Systems Thinking in Practice (C72)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Management (C49)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Computing for Commerce and Industry (C02)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Information Systems (E10)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Systems Thinking in Practice (E28)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Management (E08)
• MBA (F02)
• MBA (F61)
• MBA (Technology Management) (F03)
• MSc in Computing for Commerce and Industry (F05)
• MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice (F47)
• MSc in Technology Management (F36)

Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. These qualifications allow most postgraduate modules to count towards them. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this module can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.

Excluded combinations

Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before registering.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Module Regulations and the Student Regulations which are available on our Essential documents website.

If you have a disability

You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet. 

Study materials

What's included

Course texts, a study guide, case studies, DVD, set book, course reader, assessment book, computing software.

Computing requirements

You will need a computer with internet access to study this course as it includes online activities, which you can access using a web browser.

• If you have purchased a new desktop or laptop computer since 2007 you should have no problems completing the online activities.
• If you’ve got a netbook, tablet or other mobile computing device check our Technical requirements section.
• If you use an Apple Mac you will need OS X 10.6 or later.

You can also visit the Technical requirements section for further computing information including the details of the support we provide.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will be responsible for monitoring your progress on the course, marking and commenting on your written work and whom you can contact for advice and guidance. A programme of face-to-face tutorials will be arranged at one or two UK locations and students will also have the opportunity to engage in real time online tutorials. There is also a separate online forum for all students on T883. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details can be found in the facts box above.

You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.

Professional recognition

The Open University is registered with the Institute of Materials, and Institution of Mechanical Engineers as a Continuing Professional Development provider.

Future availability

The details given here are for the final course start in November 2013. 

How to register

To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button.

Student Reviews

Distance learning

The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move. As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor or study adviser will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone.

For more information about distance learning at the OU read Study explained.

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