Engineering & Global Operations Management
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Course Descriptions
Core Courses
ES505 Design of Experiments
This course emphasizes methods of designing experiments so
that statistical analysis of the resulting data will yield
the maximum amount of useful information. The emphasis
will be on practical methods, rather than on statistical
theory. Topics covered include: fundamentals of experiment
design, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, factorial
designs, fractional factorial designs, and Taguchi methods.
Students are required to apply the class concepts and tools
to conduct a project. A statistical computer package will
be used.
ES530 Environmental Sustainability and Risk Analysis
This course will consider the general principles and practices
of human health and ecological risk assessment in industrial
environments. Understanding the key elements of risk assessment,
risk management and risk communication allow one to consider
a systems approach to addressing complex environmental
issues. Concepts of sustainability, life-cycle assessment
and environmental management strategies will be examined
in the context of an organization's long-term goals. To set sustainability as a goal for
our industrial society we must identify targets and metrics
to measure our progress. Using case studies we will examine
liabilities and risk management approaches in manufacturing
and service organizations.
ES540 Engineering Economics
This course focuses upon management problem-solving and decision-making
approaches application in a manufacturing environment.
Specifically the course will apply techniques covering
economic analysis of investment and replacement decisions,
problem identification and formulation analysis, decision
matrices and trees, multivariate criteria, benefit-cost
analysis and systems concepts. Cases and exercises will
be assigned on an individual and on a team basis.
ES555 Global Supply Chain Systems Modeling
This course considers management of supply chains in a global
environment. Topics covered include: supply chain design
and operations, global logistic strategies, inventory and
information management, warehousing and materials handling
systems, and distribution and transportation systems. The
enterprise resource planning concept and software will
be utilized to illustrate the critical role of information
technology to integrate the supply chain.
ES572 Quality Management and Process Control
This course will introduce students to both managerial
and technical aspects of quality improvement techniques.
The discussion of the statistical topics will be tied to
Dr. W. Edwards Deming's philosophy for the improvement
of quality, productivity, and competitive position. Topics
include different quality philosophies, total quality management,
Deming's managerial methods and the 14 points, statistical
control charts, out-of-control patterns, diagnosing a process,
process capability studies, and Taguchi methods and strategies.
ME504 Design Methodology
Focusing on the process of engineering design, this course
covers the techniques needed to progress from abstract
product definition to final detailed design. Topics covered
include: quality function deployment; concurrent design;
robust design; design for manufacturing; functional mapping;
Pugh's method; technology assessment; function driven embodiment;
force flow; form refinement; liaison diagram. Students
are assigned open-ended design problems to apply the methodology
covered.
OS657 Leading Organizational Change
This course examines the processes of organizational change
in dynamic technological and global business environments
to enhance organizational quality, productivity, and overall
operation. The course focuses on leadership approaches that
facilitate stakeholder acceptance of change and employee
contribution to the management of change. Topics include:
change models and theories, the various types of organizational
change, resistance to change, the role of change management
consultants and human resource management practices that
facilitate change. The types of change considered range from
minor change interventions to transformational change, including
technological, cultural, and work design changes. The course
utilizes case studies, skill development exercises, and group
projects in the study of organizational change.
SB696 Global Business Strategies
The goal of this course is to familiarize and sensitize students
to current issues and practices relating to the globalization
of markets. Topics include global manufacturing and international
competitiveness, international marketing, international finance,
and international management strategies. The case study approach
is used to introduce a diversity of perspectives into the
classroom. This course is team-taught by faculty from the
Production/Operations Management, Marketing, Finance and
Organizational Studies areas.
Typical Elective Courses
AC527 Managerial Accounting
This course is intended for the user of accounting information within an
industrial environment. After introducing the general framework
used to accumulate and report financial information, emphasis
is placed on the proper use of financial information for
internal planning, control and special decisions. Product
costing, project costing, quality costs, and other appropriate
cost accumulation and cost allocation topics are also considered.
CM551 Manufacturing Implications of Advanced Materials
Processing
The processing of materials into manufactured goods requires an
understanding of the chemical composition of the starting substrates
and of the physical nature of the intermediates. This seminar/directed
study course includes discussion on (1) the synthesis, characterization
and processing of inorganic and organic polymers, (2) the modification
of polymers and other materials using high-energy ultraviolet and
plasma radiation, (3) the preparation, analysis and use of fine
particles of crystal growth and linear optical devices. Lectures
will introduce students to the various subjects. Directed study
reading will prepare them for term paper assignments. Some exposure
to laboratory apparatus and procedures can be expected.
CS612 Topics in Applied Computer Science (Java Programming)
This course covers concepts and skills required for real-life,
modern programming. Topics will include basic object-oriented
programming design, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), exception
handling, multithreading and synchronization, networking,
and client/server applications. The programming language
JAVA with its companion OOP/GUI libraries will be used
to illustrate these topics. This course will emphasize
team programming on a large-scale project with a realistic
deadline. Prerequisites: Knowledge of Object-Oriented Programming.
EE557 Fundamentals of Robotics
An introduction to the fundamentals of robotic manipulation.
Characterization and classification of robotic manipulators.
Homogeneous coordinate transformations. Direct and inverse
kinematics. Work space analysis. Trajectory planning. Pick-and-place
operations. Differential motion techniques. Static analysis.
Graphics simulation. Laboratory project experiences will
be provided. Elements supporting robotic application to
manufacturing processes will be examined.
EE562 Knowledge-Based Systems
Topics include expert system architectures, inference engine
structures, and example systems. Characteristics of suitable
domains are discussed, as are topics associated with knowledge
engineering and prototyping an expert system. Students
are expected to build a small expert system as an integral
part of the course.
ES508 Manufacturing Planning and Control
The focus of this course is the study of the systems and techniques required to plan
and control the follow of material through a manufacturing
facility. The emphasis is on tactical planning using state-of-the-art
procedures. Topics include: advanced concepts of forecasting,
inventory planning, production capacity planning, material
requirements planning, just-in-time systems, and shop scheduling
and control.
ES509 Management of Technology
This course focuses on the process of managing technology
development, implementation, and diffusion in new products,
in manufacturing processes, and in other operations. Topics
treated include the relationship between corporate and
technology strategies, technology forecasting, product
development cycle, sources of innovation, the R & D
function, product life cycles, project selection and evaluation,
project management, and technology dissemination and transfer.
Lectures, readings and case studies highlight these topics.
ES510 Strategic Project Management
Many organizations use project management as a means to achieve
their objectives. In this course, the important phases
of project management from project initiation to implementation
to termination will be addressed. Topics covered include
project selection, organization, planning, conflict resolution,
budgeting, scheduling (Pert and CPM), resource allocation,
information systems, control, auditing and termination
procedures. Computer applications, case studies and student
project teams will be an integral part of the course.
FN608 Financial Management
The course covers the application of the tools and models that produce better
short- and long-term decisions for the firm. Asset selection,
risk management, inventory management, credit and capital
acquisition, and overall value enhancement are covered.
Emphasis is put on the quantitative tools, the practices
of existing corporations, and the international environment.
An additional integrative and comprehensive project is
required.
IS606
Information Systems (Web-Based Course Only)
This course introduces the concepts and tools necessary to design and
use information systems applications and utilities which
assist managerial decision making. Students should be able
to: recall and use appropriate IS terminology; understand,
recall and use the systems approach, data flow diagrams,
micro-mainframe hardware and software, database management
systems and data communications applications; understand
and use concepts and standard industry software used in information
systems and decision support systems, as applied in the functional
areas (accounting, finance, manufacturing and marketing);
and communicate their knowledge effectively.
IS613
Knowledge-Based Systems Development
The development of knowledge-based systems for business applications
is covered in this course. How to develop KB systems is covered,
including: methods, tools and techniques to analyze and decompose
decision systems and reformulate to put on the computer.
Techniques and issues related to knowledge acquisition, knowledge
representation, and inferential reasoning are also included.
Students participate in a semester-long development of prototype
KB systems using expert system shells in a microcomputer
and/or RISC workstation environment.
IS628
Management of e-Business Information Systems
The purpose of this course is to expose students to concepts,
issues, strategies and technologies involved in enabling
business-to-business (B-2-B) transactions. The course will
focus on the redesign and management of core supply chain
processes including designing, planning, procuring, producing
and distributing products and services over the Internet.
Technologies for integrating internal business processes
with systems for joint planning and execution of supply
chain operations will be covered in the context of inter-enterprise
systems. Course material will comprise of text material,
cases and journal articles, as well as project work.
IS637 Business Applications Development with Visual Basic
This course shows how human factors engineering principles are applied to development
of human/computer interfaces for management support systems.
Computerized tools for human/computer interface development
are used in experiments and design projects.
IS641
Web-Based Information Systems Development (Web-Based Course
Only)
This course focuses on using Web-based technology to design systems
applications which assist managerial decision making. Students will
master the concepts and tools necessary to access Internet and WWW
Internet resources, create interactive tools for gathering and distributing
information, establish and maintain information databases via Web
technology, and administer Web sites.
LP580 Professional Ethics Within and Across Cultures
This course will view the everyday decisions of professional
life, from engineering design questions to testing and
marketing, risk analysis, legal and ethical responsibility,
as the interplay between personal decision making and the
influences within and across cultures. These cultures include
our technical cultures (engineering, operations, accounting,
etc.), our corporate cultures, our family and community
cultures, and the myriad of international cultures in which
our businesses operate. Utilizing case studies, readings,
and personal experiences, the course will explore the influence
of these cultural norms, and the often conflicting assumptions
they make about the world, on ethical decision making.
ME544
Advanced CAD (Compute- Aided Design)
This course deals with the use of commercially available
CAD hardware and software for product development and design.
Lectures cover the underlying theories upon which such
software is based, the ways in which these theories are
implemented and software limitations. Hands-on experience
is emphasized. Students entering the course are assumed
to have some knowledge of general computer usage and computer
graphics.
ME546 Design and Control of Industrial Robots
A review of manipulator kinematics and inverse kinematics
formulated in terms of homogeneous transformations, dual-number
formulations and Jacobians is presented. The dynamic equations
of motion, actuation technology, position and force sensors,
control strategies and robot-computer interfacing are discussed.
Problems related to the design of manipulators and some
hand-on experiments are involved.
ME596 Automated Manufacturing Systems
The building blocks of automation to form integrated
manufacturing systems is presented. Topics include an introduction to
automation, numerical control and programming, sensors,
networks, industrial robots, logic programming and programmable
logic controllers, and microprocessors. The emphasis of
the course will focus on the integration of these functions
to form flexible manufacturing systems, work cells, automated
assembly lines, etc.
MK694 Global Supply Chain Distribution Management
Effective management of the distributive networks that constitute
a key component of supply chain networks is increasingly
being recognized as a critical corporate activity. This
is especially true in contemporary supply chain networks
as firms strive to survive in today's competitive marketplace
that demands quality product and service offerings at minimal
transaction costs. Moreover, technological advances like
the Internet have significantly altered the rules of the
game, and hence the practices associated with distribution
management. This course will identify the chief decision
areas associated with supply chain distribution management,
and subsequently examine the latest distribution network
design models and activities based on the principles of
agency theory, transaction cost economics, and relational
exchange theory. Other topics to be covered include crafting
and coordinating strategic alliances with distributive
intermediaries, conflict management, role of customer service
audits in channel design decisions, performance appraisal
systems, strategic sourcing, and benchmarking.
MK697 Business-to-Business (B2B) Marketing
This course focuses on management activities that enable
a supplier firm to understand, create and deliver value
to other businesses, governments and/or institutional
customers as distinguished from lay consumers. Contemporary
B2B principles provide practical frameworks, concepts,
and tools for organizations as diverse as management consulting
firms, investment banks, software solutions providers,
integrated supply management operations, and genetic engineering
firms. Some core topics to be addressed include buyer behavior
in B2B space, supplier selection and supplier evaluation
processes, the role of contemporary information technology
on the B2B functions, linkages between B2B marketing and
supply chain management, the role of relationship management
in the conduct of B2B activities and processes, and the
increasingly global scope of B2B marketing.
OM650 Operations Strategy & International
Competitiveness
This course seeks an understanding of the impact of the globalization
of markets and the role of operational strategies on the
success or failure of companies in various industries. The course
begins by examining several manufacturing and service industry
case studies (i.e., airlines, automobiles, banking, machine
tools, semiconductors) to develop an understanding of international
competitive issues. The work of several scholars is reviewed
to provide frameworks for analysis. Cases of leading international
companies are analyzed to identify the role of manufacturing
and operations strategies in creating and sustaining competitive
advantage. Finally the course examines a framework for dealing
with the concept of focused improvement efforts and the strategic
management improvement efforts.
OS652 Strategic Human Resource Management
This course emphasizes the potential for strategic human
resource management (HRM) to enhance organizational effectiveness.
In the course, students should gain an understanding of
how to manage people, including the recruitment and selection
of employees, training and development, performance appraisal,
employee motivation, compensation and benefits, and employee
and labor-management relations. These topics should be
understood in the context of business strategy, pressures
external to organizations, and relevant theories of human
and organizational behavior.
OS658 Advanced Organizational Behavior
As business has become more competitive, the need to maximize the
use of human resources has become a critical factor for success,
and effective managers need to be able to separate the facts from
the fads. This course involves an in-depth study of special topics
in organizational behavior, with topics selected by both the instructor
and students. Focus will be on current issues and recent developments
in the management of human resources, such as downsizing, participative
management, decision making, ethics, productivity enhancement, and
the move from a national to a global marketplace. Emphasis will
be on analysis of research and "real life" case studies
in order to determine what we actually understand about the processes
underlying these issues, their implication for organizational effectiveness,
and strategies for effective management.
OS665 Industrial Relations
This course emphasizes everyday problems a manager encounters
in dealing with the human element in business. Topics covered
in the course include: grievance procedures, labor unions
and managers, motivating employees, turnover and absenteeism
problems, the poorly performing employee, appraising performance,
merit and incentive systems, and work design. The course
is meant to give managers a broad appreciation of the problems
the human component introduces into the running of an organization.
OS666 Negotiations and Relationship Management
This course examines the complex problems associated with
the management of stakeholder relationships under conditions
of rapid economic change and intense global competition.
The course emphasis is on the establishing, negotiating,
building, sustaining and repairing of both workplace and
external relationships, including relationships with employees,
management, customers, suppliers, manufacturers, shareholders,
society and other key stakeholders. This course provides
an in-depth understanding of the theories of negotiation,
conflict, complaint handling, and norms and ethics of fairness.
The course also provides a foundation on labor relations,
collective bargaining, and U.S. labor and employment laws,
with an emphasis on the corresponding implications for
union and nonunion workplaces. The course is intended to
be applicable to a broad spectrum of work- or business-related
relationship issues faced by managers and professionals.
