Course syllabus
TEK421 Operations planning and control
Examiner: Patricia van Loon, patricia.van.loon@chalmers.se
Teachers: Patricia van Loon (PvL) patricia.van.loon@chalmers.se
Patrik Jonsson (PJ) patrik.jonsson@chalmers.se
Course assistant: Areej Al Sabban (AS) ribhi@chalmers.se
Credit units: 7.5 higher education credits
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 processes, 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.
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, and material planning.
- understand and compare the characteristics of common processes and methods for demand management, sales & operations planning, master production scheduling, capacity planning, material planning and material supply in a firm and a supply chain.
- evaluate and relate operations planning and control 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.
Course content
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:
- 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
- Demand management and master planning of resources
- Forecasting
- Customer order management
- Sales and operations planning
- Master production scheduling
- Capacity management
- Material planning and material supply
- Materials planning approaches and methods
- Safety stock methods
- Lot sizing methods
- Materials planning in multi-echelon networks
- Material supply and collaborative planning
- Planning data and systems
- Basic data
- Information sharing
- ERP and APS systems
Teaching forms
The focus on operations planning and control is both conceptual and quantitative. The course includes a mix of practical and theoretical aspects, lectures, 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 preferred to be prepared in advance and read the chapters and articles presented at the lectures. Lectures will contain a mix of lecturing, discussions and case work.
Guest lectures
There will be guest lectures of AB Volvo, Optilon, Meridion, SKF, and Dagab. The focus of guest lectures is on the design and use of operations planning and control processes and methods at the different companies, and on ERP and APS systems. Guest lectures are compulsory to attend.
Quantitative planning problem seminars
The course textbook contains quantitative problems with answers. In the quantitative planning problem seminars, quantitative methods are presented and you have the opportunity to discuss specific issues related to the problems. The students should prepare for the seminars 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 or computer for calculations.
Demand management and S&OP assignment
The first assignment is a literature seminar on demand management and sales and operations planning (S&OP). This assignment is individual. It is presented and discussed in small groups. See Appendix A.
Material planning assignment
There is a case study on material planning. It is solved and reported in groups of two students. The case solution is then presented and discussed in small groups. Students who have prepared and submitted a common report are not participating in the same seminar. See Appendix B.
ERP and APS system practice assignments and seminars
There are two practical software assignments. In the first on APS, you will work with a supply chain optimisation software and solve a supply chain design problem. This task is introduced and finished during a half-day session. See Appendix C. The second focuses on ERP. Here the task is introduced on the Monday in course week 6. In groups of two students, you then work with it during the week and in a session on Thursday and hand-in and present a report on the Friday session the same week. See Appendix D.
ReCellular Case work
The ReCellular case study is conducted in groups of 4-5 students. The student group gets a task to analyse and propose a solution to. The solution is submitted in a report after which it is discussed in a 90-minute seminar. See Appendix E.
Appendices
As described above, there are two hand-ins conducted in groups of two students, and one hand-in in groups of 4-5 students; 1. Materials planning, 2. ERP case study, 3. ReCellular case work. There is also an APS system laboratory with a compulsory seminar but without hand-in, and a literature seminar on Demand management and S&OP without hand-in. Appendices A-E contain detailed instructions for the respective assignment, hand-in, and seminar. All seminars are compulsory.
Course literature
The main textbook is provided here below. In addition, various journal papers and book chapter will be provided as additional mandatory reading:
- JM: Jonsson, P. and Mattsson, S-A. (2009), Manufacturing planning and control, McGraw-Hill, London.
Examination
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 100 p. A minimum of 40 p is required to pass.
- Assignments and seminars: Five assignments are compulsory. A failed presentation/report has to be revised and resubmitted. A missed seminar/lecture will require an additional task to hand in. Absence from several compulsory seminars/lectures is compensated by participating in the missed parts the next time the course takes place.
- Assignment A is individual. Assignments B has a hand-in in groups of two students. Assignments C-D are conducted in groups of two students. Assignment E is conducted in groups of four students. Assignments A-E are graded Fail/Pass.
Continuous course and programme development
Course and programme development will be discussed continuously throughout the programme by a group of students (representing the class) and teachers (representing the programme as a whole and the individual courses). There will be a meeting during the first week of the course in order to decide about a proper development process.
Schedule
Preliminary schedule, small changes might occur.
Course summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|