General Information
Target Audience
Operations Management Strategy (OMS) equips future leaders with the skills to navigate uncertainty, make sound decisions with limited information, and drive execution that delivers real results. In today’s complex and fast-changing world, the ability to design operations that are strategically aligned — whether built for speed, resilience, scale, or precision — is a critical leadership capability.
This course focuses on how a well-designed operations strategy enables the successful execution of a company’s broader business strategy. OMS integrates the core concepts, tools, and practices of operations with the imperatives of competitive strategy, customer focus, innovation, change management, and sustainability — aligning day-to-day capabilities with long-term strategic goals. Students will explore how organizations translate strategic intent into operational excellence, turning execution into a source of enduring competitive advantage.
Through case studies and discussion — including lessons from organizations that adapted and thrived during the Pandemic — students will analyze how different operational choices support different strategic goals. The course also emphasizes the critical role that measurement and performance management play in adapting and executing strategy under evolving conditions.
Course Format
The course is conducted in six sessions on consecutive Friday mornings. Interactive discussion is a key component of the course and the Class Participation score will reflect each student’s individual contribution to the class.
Course Mission
Operations Management Strategy’s mission is for the course to be a powerful learning experience, one that enables students to achieve major gains in their ability to recognize, understand and make decisions about operations-critical issues and opportunities.
Course Scope
The course builds on the concepts, terminology and tools in the Core Operations course, focusing on the trade-offs involved in strategic issues that play a defining role in how a firm competes.
Classes involve discussion of operations’ role in specific businesses and the challenges faced by the firms being studied, including underlying factors, the pros and cons of available options and implementation considerations.
Evaluation and Grade Breakdown
| Component | Due Date | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | Ongoing | 15% |
| Group Case Write-Ups | 3 Submissions | 15% |
| Group Case Presentation | 1 Evaluation | 10% |
| Final (Take-Home Case) | 1 Week After Course Ends | 60% |
Required Resources
Course materials will be available through Quercus links.