Chair, C.H. Sandage School of Business
Professor of Business Administration
Sam Walton Fellow
Graceland University, 1 University Place, Lamoni, IA 50140
Jeffery W. McElroy, Ed.D.
Operations Management
Course Purpose
This course provides a state-of-the-art overview of the activities of the operations function. The most basic objectives of the course are to provide students with a broad introduction to the field of operations in a realistic, practical manner. Students will be exposed to key operations areas including planning, organizing, staffing & controlling of the business operation in both the class room & through on-site visits.
Reflective Statement Interpreting Course Evaluations
Overall the student evaluations are quite positive (see course evaluation summaries). Students noted that real-life experiential learning including trips to tour companies, real world applications, Kaizen and simulation games were key to learning. They also noted that Group projects and interactive classes helped diversify the learning process.
The students would like to see more field trips to companies to observe real operations and be able to relate class material to the real world. I am working to increase the field trip budget.
Learning Outcomes
Students should have a solid understanding of the major decision areas under operations responsibility, the basic interrelationships of those decision areas, and an appreciation of how to apply key frameworks and tools for analyzing strengths & weaknesses of goods & services operations. In combination, then, the course should enable students to recognize, during on-site visits; areas of opportunity as well as best practices and be able to develop executive level reporting on their findings/suggestions.