1.

Instructor

Dr. Howard J. Weiss
Alter Hall, Room 514,

215-204-6829

           Home: 215-572-6388 (not after 9:30 please)

hweiss@temple.edu

I respond best to email. I will respond to emails and voice-mails as quickly as possible. Many times with email, the response will be within 1 hour but I can not promise a response time of less than 12 hours especially on weekends.

When you send any professor email be sure to include the following 3 items.

Subject: The topic about which you are writing. Do NOT include your name.

Your name (you could set up a signature in your email program)

Your class, i.e. MSOM 5001

Any previous email that was sent on the same topic. In particular, if you are replying to an email be sure to include the original email.

If the email refers to a problem you are having with a homework problem then please attach a file with the problem.

Please note that it is generally considered rude to send email that is all CAPS. CAPS IS THE EMAIL VERSION OF SHOUTING.

2.

Course name and number

MSOM 5001: Managing Business Processes (Operations Management)

3.

Prerequisites

Statistics 5001 (402) or equivalent

4.

Disability disclosure statement

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.  (from Policy on Course Syllabi, #02.78.13

5.

Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link:

http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.  (from Policy on Course Syllabi, #02.78.13)

6.

Class Meeting Times

Face-to-face

Saturday, Jan 23, 9:30 – 1:00, Ft. Washington campus (maps and directions)

     Introduction to classmates, course requirements, operations management and software

Saturday, March 20, 11:30 -3:00, Ft. Washington campus

     Review and Midterm examination

Saturday, May 8, 9:30-1:00, Ft. Washington campus

     Review and Final examination

WebX chat

Every 2 weeks - times to be announced

Course Goals

§       To explain operations as an organizational functional area. That is, to present a list of the areas covered by the operations management function, the problems and decisions faced in these areas and the methods and models for approaching these problems.

§       To indicate the importance of operations to all members of the organization including those who are not operations managers. To demonstrate the interconnectedness of an organization.

§       To explain the relevance of operations by presenting real world examples of current operations issues through newspaper and magazine articles and videos.

§       To learn about different types of operations environments and processes (e.g. service vs. production).

§       To learn how to analyze real world operations problems with the use of software.

§       To present models and to show how to use models. To indicate that models are useful approximations to solving real-world problems.

§       To demonstrate the usefulness and applicability of quantitative methods learned in earlier classes to operations analysis and decision making.

§       To improve students’ capabilities to use software that is useful for both education and business (e.g. Excel, listservs and online learning.)

§       To raise students’ awareness of ethics in operations, mainly through the use of newspaper articles.

8.

Learning materials and supplies

Required Text

Operations Management, Custom Version, Heizer & Render, Prentice Hall,  with access code for myomlab. ISBN 0558307140 (I need to double check this.)

http://www.myomlab.com

The textbook will be a paperback "custom" edition of the Heizer/Render Operations Management textbook that sells for under $100. Please note that my department has created the custom edition because the non custom edition sells for roughly $150. The text will include a registration code for access to the associated web product, myomlab. If you purchase the textbook from some place other than our bookstore or get it free from a colleague you will have to pay $65 for access to myomlab. In other words, the bookstore deal is a GREAT deal!

Required Software

POM for Windows (Version 3) and Excel OM (Version 3: are posted at http://astro.temple.edu/~hweiss/pomsoftware/ (password to be provided separately). These two packages are required for both the homework and the two examinations.

It goes without saying that you are required to use a web-browser in order to download the course materials or use myomlab and a web browser or an email client in order to receive the emails regarding this class. All required software packages are available on all Temple University computer networks. The version on the Temple computers may not be the same as the versions provided in the web site above..

Diskettes/CD/Thumb drive

You should bring a thumb-drive to each face-to-face class or use “My Backpack”.

9.

Academic requirements

Homework

Homework from myomlab will be assigned weekly. Aside from the homework grade it is essential that each student understands and solves every problem as the homework problems and questions will reflect the course (and examination) content. I expect ALL of the homework to be done. The POM for Windows or Excel OM software package can be used to solve almost all assigned homework problems. The homework will count 10% towards the final grade.

Discussions

We will use Blackboard for discussion. During several weeks, I will raise some issues or ask some questions about the particular topic. Responses are to be posted to the Blackboard discussion board.. Discussion participation will count towards 10% of the final grade. Both quality and quantity (not too much, not too little) will be considered.

Examinations                 

Two examinations will be given. The first exam will be given on Saturday, March 20. The second examination will be given on Saturday, May 8. The examinations will be open book examinations. The two examinations will be given in the computer lab. Partial credit on exam questions is at the discretion of the instructor. Typically, little or no credit will be given for incorrect work. Each examination will count 30% towards the final grade. Last year’s exams will be posted on our course page. Note: I have been trying to “raise the bar” so I expect the questions on this year’s examinations will be more challenging than the questions on last year’s examination. In addition, I plan on parts of the exam being done in myomlab.

Forecasting Project

You are required to perform a forecasting project whereby you apply forecasting at your place of work. In the event that you do not have a place of work you need to contact me. Project requirements will posted on our file page. The project will count 15% towards the final grade. The project is due by 11:30 a.m. on Saturday March 20.

Linear Programming Interpretation

You are to perform a complete analysis of the results for a linear programming problem that will be assigned. The analysis will count 5% towards your final grade and is due by email no later than Saturday May 1 at 10am.

10.

Attendance

While this is an online class, we will meet face-to-face three times during the semester (see item 5 on this syllabus). It is important, but not mandatory that you attend these meetings. All meetings will be on Saturdays at Temple's Ft. Washington campus.  For the last two meetings we will review first and the exam will follow. If you have any problems with the 3 dates listed above please contact me ASAP in order to make whatever arrangements are necessary.

11.

Grading

Grades

Grades will be given according to the weighted average of the two examinations (30% each) the homework (10%), the forecasting project (15%), the linear programming interpretation (5%) and the discussion participation (10%).

Continuous Improvement

In the spirit of continuous improvement, I will award extra credit to the first student who finds each error/bug in Version 3 of the POM for Windows software, version 3 of the Excel OM software, myomlab or any material that I post to the web or distribute to you by handout. The amount of extra credit will depend on the severity of the error and will be up to my judgment. As a rule of thumb I will give

 5 points for finding an error that hangs the computer

4 points for a computational error (not round off)

3 points for constructive suggestions (including the Help file)

2 points for an error which inconveniences the user

1 point for small irritating things such as typos

Every six points is 1 grade step. For example raising the final course grade from B+ to A-. To document that you have found an error send me an e-mail message. In the event that multiple students find the same error more or less simultaneously then the extra credit will be shared. The limit on the extra credit offer is one full grade. (for example, raising the final grade from B to A). I am the final judge, jury and awarder of extra credit. I will not use extra credit to raise a grade from an F!

Academic Honesty

Any student suspected of cheating will be brought up to the university disciplinary committee. The Code of Conduct site is at http://www.temple.edu/bulletin/Responsibilities_rights/responsibilities/responsibilities.shtm

Cheating includes falsifying data; submitting, without the instructor's approval, work in one course that was done for another; helping others to plagiarize or cheat from one's own or another's work; or actually doing the work of another person.

For more information concerning disciplinary and/or academic grievance procedures, contact the Student Assistance Center, 215-204-8531

Note

You must keep all course materials until after the final grades have been distributed in the event that there is a question about any of the individual grades.

12.

Office hours

Since this is an online course we will rely on e-mail, Blackboard’s discussion board and the telephone for office visits. I am available before and after our face-to-face meetings.