Operations Management (OpMgt) refers to the functional area of management that is concerned with the production of goods and/or services in an organization. The curriculum in Operations Management focuses on the tremendous changes that have occurred during the past 10 years in the way managers think, plan, and operate manufacturing and service facilities. These changes have been driven by: (1) technological developments in computer hardware and software, (2) the impact of foreign success in the world marketplace, and (3) the requirements to adapt to more sophisticated and quality conscious consumers. Overall, these forces have created a fundamental change in market forces and global competition which has, in turn, resulted in an increased importance of the management of production and operations.
The Operations Management curriculum is designed to help students understand how managers can deal with these recent changes in the production of goods and services. OpMgt courses examine (through the use of case studies, quantitative models, and computer "games") the implications of these factors from the corporate strategic level to the shop floor. Major topics discussed in OpMgt courses include supply-chain management, logistics, project management, and quality management.