OPERATIONAL READINESS

I.   DEVELOPING A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE, ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT

1)      Strategic Management: Administrative problems facing typical organizations. Designed to provide analysis and synthesis experience to apply principles of operations management.

2)      Project Analysis and Control:  Introduction to the Critical Path Method and Program Evaluation and Review Technique. Project planning and control methods; activity sequencing; time-cost trade-offs; allocation of manpower and equipment resources; scheduling activities; computer systems.

3)      Principles of Operations Research: This course surveys the mathematical models used to design and analyze operational systems. Contents include linear programming models, waiting line models, computer simulation models, and management science.

4)      Introduction to Operations Management:  An overview of the functional areas of Operations Management. Topics covered include: Productivity; strategy in a global business environment; project management; quality management for goods and services; location and layout strategies; supply chain and inventory management; material requirements planning.

5)      Finance for Operations Managers:  The scope and environment of finance for operations managers, including financial markets, interest rates, financial statements, cash flows, and performance evaluation; valuation of financial assets using time value of money and meaning and measurement of risk and return; capital-budgeting, cost of capital, capital structure, and dividend policy.

6)      Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management:  The class explores the concept of Strategic Human Resource Management with emphasis on how the various Human Resources functions (Compensation, Benefits, ER, Training and Development, etc.) can effectively partner with top management to support the large-scale, long-range goals of achieving success in the organization's chosen markets.

7)      Operations Management in the Service Sector:   Review of the role of operations management in the service sector, e.g., health care systems, banking, municipal services, utilities, postal service and others.  Emphasizes the principles and methodologies applicable to the solution of problems within the service industries.

8)      Health Care Policies and Issues:   Health care management and policy development. Health insurance, Medicare and managed care. Health benefits for employees. The role of government and business in policy formulation. Financing of health care. Legal and ethical considerations in health care. Hospital and outpatient management issues.

9)      Quality Management:  Implementation of modern participative quality management techniques in military and civilian operations. Includes quality control methods and control charts.

10)  Economic Decision-Making:  Principles of economic analysis with emphasis upon discounted cash flow criteria for decision-making. Comparison of criteria such as rate of return, annual cost, and present worth for the evaluation of project alternatives.

11)  Human Behavior Analysis: Psychological and physiological factors to be considered by the operations manager. Human perceptual and work capacities are examined in relation to various task situations, with emphasis on controlling and monitoring tasks. Fundamental design factors are also considered. Human behavioral aspects of management decisions are considered.

12)  Milestone: Developing leaders who operate from a foundation of the highest ethical standards is a strategic key to profitability and long-term sustainability. Milestone allows participants to explore, discover, and affirm their core values and understand how this translates into their leadership style.

13)  Foundations of Leadership: Historical and contemporary leadership theories and concepts with an emphasis on the moral dimensions of leadership and ethics. Competencies and influences of leaders and followers are contrasted. Students gain insights through personal leadership and character assessments.

14)  Mission, Vision, and Values: Study of the critical nature and relationship of mission, vision, and values to individuals and organizations. Identification and development of personal and organizational core purposes and values that direct strategies and define measures of success.

15)  Corporate Governance and Ethics: Criteria and measurement of organizational effectiveness using the decision-making models of (1) an economic cost/benefit analysis, and (2) an organizational ethics audit. Application of these models is used to analyze and identify socially responsible and ethical attitudes and behaviors. Discussion includes a legal framework for standards of compliance.

16)  Building Teams: An experiential approach to application of the skills and attitudes necessary for building and leading effective teams. Topics include communication and motivation theories, group formation and behavior, group decision-making processes, conflict management, negotiation, facilitation and organizational support structures.

17)  Applied Christian Ethics: A study of how decisions and actions incorporate ethical issues. Individuals, organizations, and societies are influenced in significant ways by the ethical principles they use to make decisions. The course examines, from a Christian perspective, the ethical foundations, responsibilities, and consequences of decisions and practices in our society. Study includes the use of case studies illustrating the application of ethical theory in situations that students will likely encounter in their careers.

18)  Leading Change: Recognition of social and economic pressures for change. Adaptation of an ethical change process within diverse organizational settings. Forecasting and designing alternative futures for organizations. Expansion of a conceptual framework for lifelong applied learning and the development of strategic change and implementation plans.

19)  Strategic Analysis and Design: Analysis of internal and external structures and forces of organizations to determine core competencies and strategies. Development of ethical leadership and management processes for increasing quality and innovation.