Course syllabus

Course-PM

TEK421 TEK421 Operations planning and control lp3 VT21 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the Department of Technology Management and Economics

 

Contact details

Patrik Jonsson (Examiner), e-mail: patrik.jonsson@chalmers.se

Hafez Shurrab (Course assistant and lecturer): e-mail: hafez@chalmers.se

Robin Hanson (lecturer), e-mail: robin.hanson@chalmers.se

Ann-Sofie Ullenius (Administrator), e-mail: ann-sofie.ullenius@chalmers.se

Course purpose

The course is a compulsory course in the Master of Science programme Supply Chain Management. It builds on the courses in the two first study periods in the master’s programme. In line with the teaching objectives of the whole programme, the course includes a mix of practical and theoretical aspects.

The overall aim of the course is to critically analyse and evaluate common operations planning and control methods and approaches, and to develop skills to design and use operations planning and control systems in firm and supply chain specific environments. It thus provides knowledge about design and practical use of planning and control processes and methods in supply chain contexts.

Learning objectives and syllabus

After finishing the course the student should be able to:

• understand the role of operations planning and control in the firm and supply chain.
• define the basic data, planning parameters, activities and most common planning methods of demand management, sales & operations planning, master production scheduling, capacity planning, material planning, and execution and control of operations.
• understand and compare the characteristics of common principles, processes and methods for demand management, sales & operations planning, master production scheduling, capacity planning, material planning, and execution and control of operations in a firm and a supply chain.
• evaluate and relate operations planning and control principles, processes and methods to the planning environment and to various aspects of performances.
• understand how to design and manage operations planning and control systems to improve supply chain performance

 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

Course design

The course takes a focal firm (manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, etc.) perspective in a supply chain. It contains lectures, literature and assignments covering the following topics:

1. Fundamentals of operations planning and control

• Structures and perspectives on manufacturing and supply chain planning
• Planning and control performances
• Planning parameters and planning variables
• Planning environment characteristics

2. Demand management and master planning of resources

• Forecasting
• Customer order management
• Sales and operations planning
• Master production scheduling
• Capacity management

3. Material planning

• Materials planning approaches and methods
• Safety stock methods
• Lot sizing methods
• Materials planning in distribution networks

4. Execution and control of operations

• Execution and control in pull environments
• The production activity control process
• Order release
• Shop floor scheduling and control
• Basic data
• Inventory accounting

The focus on operations planning and control is both conceptual and quantitative. The course includes a mix of practical and theoretical aspects, lectures, guest lectures from industry, case studies and seminars.

Lectures: Each theme of the course is supported by literature and lectures. During the lectures, main content of the respective theme is explained and discussed. Lectures will not cover all relevant content, but they introduce themes and emphasize important issues. It is good to be prepared in advance and skim the chapters and articles presented at the lectures. Lectures will contain a mix of lecturing, discussion and case work.

Case companies and guest lectures: COOP, Parker Hannifin and Volvo Cars Corp. constitute the case companies for the course project. Each of these companies will participate three times in the course. There will also be guest lectures of Lantmännen, AB Volvo, Starke Arvid and Meridion – as part of lectures. Focus of guest lectures is on the design and use of operations planning and control processes and methods at the different companies. Guest lectures are compulsory to attend.

Quantitative planning problem seminars: The course textbook contains several quantitative problems with answers. In the quantitative planning problem seminars the students will have the opportunity to discuss specific issues related to the problems. Each planning problem seminar will start with an introduction to the quantitative problems. Thereafter the students will solve given problems in groups. In the end of the seminar the answers are presented and discussed. The students should prepare for the seminar by calculating the problems in the textbook belonging to the chapters for the session. You may need to look in the textbook during the seminar so bring the textbook to the sessions. You also need to bring a calculator.

Literature seminars: There are four individual literature seminar assignments on the following topics; 1. Demand management, 2. Sales & operations planning, 3. Material planning, 4. Execution and control of operations. Appendices A-D contain detailed instructions for the respective individual assignment, and its hand-in and seminar.

Prior to the respective seminar you should:

• register in a student team for the specific seminar at the course homepage. You are encouraged to join different student teams for the different seminars.
• read the papers / book chapters assigned for the seminar (and for one of seminars you should carry out the assigned Excel based simulation).
• Answer the provided seminar questions and hand in the file individually at the course homepage. Note that all hand-ins will be checked using the “Urkund” Plagiarism Control software.
• Prepare, and hand in, one question on your own, that you like to discuss at the seminar.

During the seminar:

• the allocated time is 50 minutes
• the student group together with the lecturer will discuss the issues the groups considered most important in the literature. These issues will be based on the questions suggested by the students.
• two students will lead the discussion. The students will be chosen, by the teacher, at the seminar.
• At the seminar day you will individually review the answers on the questions handed in by two other course participants.

At the seminar day you will inidivually review the answers on the questions handed in by two other course participants.

After the seminar your seminar paper and reviews will be given the grades pass or rework required. The examination, of the literature seminars, is thus based on participation in seminars, hand in of answers and own questions prior of seminars, peer review and rework if needed.

ERP project: There is one ERP lab/assignment. In this you are solving problems in the ERP system Infor M3. Appendix E contains instructions for this assignment.

Case project: The case project is conducted in groups of four students. It is related to the lectures of COOP, Parker Hannifin and Volvo Cars Group. The instruction of the assignment is presented in Appendix F. Note that all hand-ins will be checked using the “Urkund” Plagiarism Control software.

Examination form

Grading scale:

<40 p:     Fail

40-59p:  Grade 3

60-79p:  Grade 4

>79p:     Grade 5

To pass the course you need to pass the final written exam and all individual and group assignments.

• Final written exam (individual): Maximum 68 p. 27 p (40%) is needed to pass the exam.
• Assignments and seminars: Six assignments/seminars are compulsory. A failed presentation/report has to be revised and resubmitted.
• The four first assignments are individual and graded Pass or Fail. You get 3 points per report that passes. The fifth and sixth assignments are group assignments. The fifth on ERP does not give points but needs to be passed. Assignment six gives Maximum 20 p. 8p (40%) is needed to pass this assignment. A revised report cannot get more than 8 p (40%).
• The points received from assignments are consequently 16-32.