Aim
The goal of the course is to integrate and deepen the previous courses Managerial Economics, Management Organization and Production and Inventory Control. Those courses gave an introduction to problems, techniques and methods, especially suited for producing companies.

The course in Production Management is aimed at the study of production from a production economics aspect, especially focusing on the strategic role of the production system and the infrastructure in the companies performance. The aim of the course is to deepen the understanding of production and strengthen the ability to do deep analysis of production strategies.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to describe, formulate and interpret a company’s production system in relation to market strategies by applying the models in the course.

• be able to describe and explain the consequences of a chosen market strategy for the production system.

• be able to describe and understand different characteristics for order-winning and qualifying criteria.

• be able to describe and understand different generic production processes (project, jobbing, batch, line and continuous processing) and their characteristics from a production strategic point of view.

• be able to describe and understand different infrastructure systems and their impact from a production strategic point of view.

• be able to describe and understand different analytical methods and how they can be used.

• be able to describe and understand the concept and principles that are the foundation for the Lean Production concept and the possibilities and limitations this gives.

• be able to describe and understand the concept and principles that are the foundation for the Agile Supply Chain concept and the possibilities and limitations this gives.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

• be able to analyse and explain a market strategy from a production strategic perspective.

• be able to analyse and explain a production system from a production strategic perspective.

• be able to apply the models in the course correctly in the above context.

Contents
The success of a company is to a high degree depending on the ability to make the production system interact with the chosen market strategy. Within this course, models for Production Strategy that explains the connection between the production system and the market strategy are studied. Concepts as “Lean Production” and Agile Supply Chain” are also studied and explained within this course.

As an introduction an overview of the Production Strategic Model of Terry Hill is given. This model serves as the conceptual basis throughout the course. In the start, the concept of order-winning and qualifying criteria as a mean of describing market demands are focused.

Next the choice of production processes is in focus. Different generic production processes are studied and the possibilities and limitations of different production processes are explained. This is linked to market characteristics.

The company’s infrastructure (for example reward-systems, MPC-systems, ERP-systems) is discussed from a production strategic point of view. Especially how the infrastructure can enable or stop a company from achieving its goals.

Methods for Product Profiling and other methods for analysis are studied in order to strengthen the analytical ability of the students. The course is based on lectures. Five cases based on existing companies, are used to illustrate the different models of the course. The students are in these cases expected to individually be able to apply the models in the course.

In order to further strengthen the student’s ability to do independent analyses, two larger mandatory assignments are solved in small groups. They result in a written report and an oral presentation. These assignments are graded.

Furthermore, the concept of Lean Production and Agile Supply Chain is illustrated using the models of the course. The aim is that the students will understand the principles, limitations and applicability of the concepts.

Concurrent research within Production Strategy is also discussed in order to make the students able to deepen there knowledge within this area if necessary.

Two guest lecturers with practical experience of the concepts are also a part of the course. They talk about experiencies from their own company.

The course is integrative and models from previous courses are applied in a production strategic context.

Literature
Hill, T. Operation Management, Palgrave, 2000.
”Kompendium i Produktionsledning”, avd för Produktionsekonomi, 2007. (Compendium)

Code: 0106. Name: Production Management.
Higher education credits: 4,5. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: The exam has questions covering all parts of the course, as defined by the literature. There are normally questions on theory and application of the theory covering 2/3 of the credits. 1/3 of the credits are normally a case that should be solved. Contents: The exam is in writing and 60 are the maximum credits. In order to pass, 30 credits are required. For higher grading the extra credits from the assignments are added (only the first exam) and to achieve grade 4, 40 credits are required and for grade 5, 50 credits are required. The mandatory assignments must be done in order to participate in the exam.

Code: 0206. Name: Cases.
Higher education credits: 1,5. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: As a part of the course there are mandatory lectures and assignments. There are five mandatory classroom cases. The student must attend at least four of them. There are two mandatory guest lectures. Finally, there are two mandatory case assignments, solved in groups of four students. Contents: The mandatory lectures and cases approved.