Course syllabus
Course-PM
TEK965 TEK965 Manufacturing strategy lp4 VT24 (7.5 hp)
Course is offered by the department of Technology Management and Economics
Contact details
Examiner:
Mirka Kans. Phone: 031-772 1352. E-mail: mirka.kans at chalmers.se
Teachers:
Mirka Kans. Phone: 031-772 1352. E-mail: mirka.kans at chalmers.se
Chami Hetti. Email: chami.hetti@chalmers.se
Dan Paulin. Phone: 031-772 8413. E-mail: dan.paulin at chalmers.se
Peter Almström. Phone: 031-772 1283. E-mail: peter.almstrom at chalmers.se
Course purpose and learning objectives
Manufacturing strategy is about how firms can use their productive resources to compete in their markets. It takes an internal, resource-based, view on strategy. The course in Manufacturing Strategy is designed to equip students with practical frameworks and models for implementing and analyzing manufacturing strategies. The main aim of the course is to improve students’ ability to develop and analyze develop and analyze manufacturing strategies.
Apart from the main aim of the course, the course is also intended to give students an opportunity to practice and develop a number of important skills: report writing, presentation technique, teamwork, and the ability to communicate ideas clearly, logically, and enthusiastically.
Learning objectives:
- Use manufacturing strategy as a guidance for the organization's operational activities and business strategy improvement.
- Analyze an organization’s current manufacturing strategy and propose means to improve the operations performance and strategic alignment.
- Evaluate the impact of manufacturing on sustainability and how sustainability impacts operations strategy formulation.
- Assess how digitalization, in the context of Industry 4.0, may influence the operations strategy and processes.
- Communicate with various stakeholders and develop their own and others' knowledge, abilities, and attitudes.
Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.
Schedule
The schedule will be available in the course calendar, and under Modules / Schedule. Any changes made to the schedule will appear here (especially if there are any last minute changes). Please note that changes will not appear in TimeEdit!
Course literature
The course literature consists of a textbook (to be used throughout this course), articles and case descriptions.
Additional literature may be used and will be announced at Canvas in due time.
Textbook
The main course book is available at Cremona/Store:
- Slack, Nigel & Lewis, Michael (2024), Operations Strategy 7thed, Pearson Education, UK, ISBN: 978-1-292-45927-1
Seminar articles (available through Chalmers Library)
Literature Seminar 1: Operations Strategy
- Boyer, K.K., Lewis, M.W. (2002). Competitive priorities: investigating the need for trade-offs in operations strategy. Production and Operations Management, 11 (1) (2002), pp. 9-20.
- Sull, D., Sull, C., Yoder, J. (2018). No one knows your strategy - not even your top leaders. MITSloan Management Review, Research Highlight, February.
Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/no-one-knows-your-strategy-not-even-your-top-leadersLinks to an external site.
- Trevor, J., Varcoe, B. (2017) How aligned is your organization? Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, pp. 2-6.
Available at: https://hbr.org/2017/02/how-aligned-is-your-organizationLinks to an external site.
Literature Seminar 2: Operations’ Systems Improvement
- Langstrand, J., Drotz, E. (2016). The rhetoric and reality of Lean: a multiple case study. Total Quality Management, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp. 398 –412.
Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2015.1004307Links to an external site.
- Netland, T. H., & Aspelund, A. (2013). Company-specific production systems and competitive advantage: A resource-based view on the Volvo production system. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 33, No. 11/12, 1511–1531.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-07-2010-0171 Links to an external site.
Literature Seminar 3: Business Process Outsourcing
- Boffelli, A., Fratocchi, L., Kalchschmidt, M., & Silva, S. C. L. da C. e. (2021). Doing the right thing or doing things right: what is better for a successful manufacturing reshoring? Operations Management Research, 14(1/2), 1–16.
Available at: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12063-021-00183-2.pdfLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.
- Lacity, M. C. Willcocks, L. P. (2013). Outsourcing Business Processes for Innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, Research feature, March
Literature Seminar 4: Servitization
- Landscheidt, S., Kans, M., Winroth, M., Wester, H. (2018). The future of industrial robot business: Product or performance based?. Procedia Manufacturing, p. 495-502.
Available at: DOI 10.1016/j.promfg.2018.06.125
- Tukker, A. (2004). EIGHT TYPES OF PRODUCT–SERVICE SYSTEM: EIGHT WAYS TO SUSTAINABILITY? EXPERIENCES FROM SUSPRONET. Business Strategy and the Environment, Vol. 13, pp. 246–260.
Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/bse.414Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
Case Seminar 1: CoolIT
The case description will be made available under Modules / Case Seminars
Case Seminar 2: IKEA Goes Online
The case description will be made available under Modules / Case Seminars
Student representatives
Ari Ahmad
Victor Infante Adrian
Carl Ingemarsson
Amanda Kristensson
Hasanka Maduwantha
Meeting 1: After Lecture 1, in Vasa B
Meeting 2: Tuesday 24-04-16 12.00-12.30 in Vasa B
Course design
In this course, several different learning activities are included: Lectures, external guest lecture, exercises, coaching/Q&A-sessions, group preparations, literature seminars, case seminars, study visit/-s, and individual written exam.
Below you will find a description of the learning activities "Lectures", "Exercises", and "Coaching/Q&A-sessions", "Group preparations", and "Study visit/-s".
Descriptions of the compulsory activities (external guest lecture, literature seminars, case seminars, and individual written exam) can be found under "Examination".
Lectures
Lectures are voluntary. They will be organized as a traditional overview of the lecture topic interweaved with group discussions on the topic. It is highly recommended that each participant has studied the material in advance to be able to contribute to the group discussions, and to enhance the opportunity for learning.
Exercises
Exercises are voluntary. Here, shorter case descriptions and/or assignments are analyzed and discussed in groups as opportunities for applying theoretical concepts introduced during lectures. It is highly recommended that each participant has studied the material in advance to be able to contribute to the group discussions, and to enhance the opportunity for learning.
Coaching/Q&A-sessions
Coaching via Zoom is open for the groups responsible for the literature seminar that week. Here, each group leading the literature seminar that week will interact with the teaching team in order to prepare for the literature seminar.
Q&A-sessions via Zoom are open for all students. Here, you will have scheduled opportunities to consult with members of the teaching team on seminar preparation or other topics related to the course.
Group preparations
Group preparations are available for the student groups to prepare before literature and case seminars. Each group decide when and where to meet for preparations and are encouraged to use (at the minimum) the scheduled times.
Study visit
The purpose of the study visit is to include real-life experiences to enhance the students' perceptions of how operations strategy concepts may be applied.
Examination
You can obtain a maximum of 50 points from compulsory examination activities, and 4 points from voluntary activities.
To pass the course:
- A minimum of 20 points obtained from the individual written exam is necessary.
- Approved oral examination
- Active attendance in all compulsory activities is necessary. You may not miss more than two compulsory activities. If you will miss a compulsory activity, you need to contact the examiner in advance stating a valid reason for the non-attendance.
A total score of 20-29 points will result in grade Pass (3).
A total score of 30-39 points will result in grade Pass with credits (4).
A total score of 40 points or more will result in grade Pass with distinction (5).
The following parts are included in the examination:
Individual written exam (max 50 points)
The purpose of the individual written exam is for the examiner to be able to evaluate each individual's fulfilment of the learning objectives.
- The exam will be run as an individual home exam, consisting of essay questions, combined with an oral examination.
- The individual home exam will be available in Canvas / Assignments /Individual written exam from May 22th, 2024 at 8:00.
- The deadline for uploading your individual answer will be May 27th, 2024 at 17.00. Answers will be checked for plagiarism, and all suspicious answers will be reported to Chalmers Disciplinary Board.
- The individual oral examination will take place on May 30-31, 2024 from 09.00 to 17.00 (20 minutes per two students).
Examples of exam questions will be uploaded in Modules / Examination. The oral examination will be based on the home exam, and your written answers. More information about the exam will be provided during the course and in the closing lecture.
Re-exams will also be run as individual home exams and oral examination. Dates for these can be found in the schedule presented in Modules /Schedule.
Literature seminars (participation is compulsory)
The purpose of the literature seminars is two-fold. Firstly, for each student to actively process and reflect over content in more in-depth material. Secondly, for the teaching team to be able to evaluate each individual's fulfilment of the learning objectives.
The course includes four compulsory literature seminars, where relevant research articles are being presented and discussed. Each literature seminar is prepared and led by student groups. They are responsible for formulating and distributing relevant preparatory material for the discussion, e.g., in the form of discussion questions. The preparatory material should be made available via Discussions on the course web page during office hours no less than two working days before the seminar.
The articles and the preparatory material should be studied by everyone in advance to ensure a high quality discussion.
Missing a compulsory seminar needs to be compensated by interviewing classmates, and writing an extended seminar reflection (1000-1200 words) to be handed in via Canvas /Assignments before Friday at 17:00 during the last study week.
Missing a compulsory literature seminar will also result in a lost opportunity to gain a bonus point from that seminar (for more details on bonus points, see the section "Bonus Opportunity").
Case seminars (participation is compulsory)
The purpose of the case seminars is two-fold. Firstly, for each student to apply the course material on real-life situations. Secondly, for the teaching team to be able to evaluate each individual's fulfilment of the learning objectives.
The course includes two compulsory case seminars, where cases are being analysed, solved and discussed. The case material should be read by everyone, and analysed and solved in groups in advance, to ensure a good discussion around the material.
Each case seminar is led by the teaching team.
Missing a compulsory seminar needs to be compensated by interviewing classmates, and writing an extended seminar reflection (1000-1200 words) to be handed in via Canvas /Assignments before Friday at 17:00 during the last study week.
Study visit (participation is compulsory)
The purpose of the study visit is to include industry witnesses with additional real-life experiences to enhance the students' perceptions of how operations strategy concepts may be applied.
Missing the compulsory study visit needs to be compensated by interviewing classmates, and writing an extended lecture reflection (1000-1200 words) to be handed in via Canvas /Assignments before Friday at 17:00 during the last study week.
Bonus opportunity: Literature seminar reflections (max 4 bonus points; max 1 bonus point per seminar)
Following each literature seminar (no later than the following Monday at 17.00, 3 working days), every student can upload individual critical reflections with references on the content on Canvas (400-600 words. excl the word count for references).
The reflections should be critical reflections, and not just summaries. They should demonstrate that you have understood the content in each article, but focus mainly on combined (synthesised) reflections on the articles including own critical thoughts and experiences on the topic! Good reflections, well developed, and clearly providing own critical thoughts will be rewarded with one bonus point (per seminar).
Reflections will be checked for plagiarism, and all suspicious answers will be reported to Chalmers Disciplinary Board.
General notes
The course web page will be used extensively for providing information from the teaching team to you. Most questions will (hopefully) be answered here, so we recommend that you get yourself well acquainted with these pages, and visit them frequently.
We will use the Discussions page for Q&A's. Please look for answers to your questions there. Please pose your questions there (if you cannot find the answer elsewhere), and we will answer them for all to be able to learn.
Changes made since the last occasion
Few changes has been made to the course since last year.
- A new version of the textbook is used
- Individual oral examination to complement the home exam is introduced
- there will be 4 literature seminars instead of 5
Course summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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