Description
Firms seek to gain and then maintain competitive advantage so that they can maximize the wealth of their stakeholders. Firms use their operations to gain competitive advantage by obtaining cost leadership or parity; consistent quality superiority; shorter time to market; responsiveness and adaptability to customer needs and desires; sufficiency of capacity; utilization of innovative process and product technology; and ensuring environmental neutrality. 

This course touches briefly on all of the above competitive advantage topics while incorporating key strategic, accounting, finance, marketing, human resource, and information processing concepts and consistently stressing a systematic, scientific approach to solving management problems. 

Materials 

We will use the custom textbook, adapted from "Operations Management for Competitive Advantage", 11th edition, by Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano (ISBN: 0-07-298393-0). We will also use Excel and other software. 

Grading 

Class Participation, Attendance  20% 
Written Assignments  40% 
Quizzes 

40%  

Class Participation and Attendance 

It will be difficult to do well in this course unless you engage actively in the class discussions, games, and other course-related activities. Students are expected to make a contribution to the collective learning of everyone. 

Written Assignments  

You will be assigned homework on a class-to-class basis for each topic, as detailed in the syllabus. The assignments are due on the dates (sessions) where the assignments appear in the syllabus. All assignments are to be handed in at the beginning of class. Keep a copy of all homework submitted for reference during class. When discussion questions are involved, please answer briefly (two or three sentences). Homework will be graded, and will not be accepted late. Use the study questions supplied as a guide. Be prepared to be called upon to present your approach to analyzing the case, or your conclusions derived from the case. 

Quizzes 

Instead of exams, there will be a series of quizzes; generally one every two or three weeks. The quizzes will relate to reading assignments (both textbook and supplemental), case assignments, and lecture material.

If you have a qualified disability and will require academic accommodation during this course, please contact the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD, 998-4980) and provide me with a letter from them verifying your registration and outlining the accommodations they recommend. If you will need to take an exam at the CSD, you must submit a completed Exam Accommodations Form to them at least one week prior to the scheduled exam time to be guaranteed accommodation. 

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email: djuran@stern.nyu.edu