21745 Service Operations Management

Subject level: Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject covers the management of the design, production and delivery of services, and the application of operations concepts and methods to service situations. Topics include: strategic management and marketing, process analysis, and delivery systems; establishing, measuring and control of service levels; location and layout; capacity planning; quality assurance; organisational behaviour and design in services; and managing professional services.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. understand the challenges of managing different types of service operations
2. understand the importance of the people dimension in service operations
3. apply a range of quantitative and qualitative techniques and management concept to solve problems in complex service environments
4. understand the processes involved in designing service operations
5. understand the role of technology in the design and operation of service processes
6. apply concepts of service quality in the design of service operations
7. understand how to apply planning and control techniques to service organisations
8. evaluate capacity plans in a variety of service operation situations
9. understand the relationship between operations decisions and business strategy in a service operation context.

Contribution to graduate profile

In Australia and most other developed areas of the world there has been a significant expansion of service industries both in employment levels and in their contribution to economic activity. Furthermore many non-service organisations, such as manufacturing, include key service oriented operations. Effective design and operation of services is therefore an important issue in management education. This subject will provide participants with skills and understanding that can be applied in complex business environments involving service operations. The subject explains the particular challenges of faced by service operations and covers design, planning, control and quality issues related to service operations.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject will be taught using a combination of lectures, case studies, video material and experiential exercises. These classes will be supplemented with both printed and electronic learning materials. The UTS web-based communication tool UTS Online will be used to facilitate learning.

Content

• Introduction to service operations.
• Frameworks and models of service operations.
• Managing service quality.
• Designing and delivering services.
• Managing capacity and demand management in service operations.
• The human dimension in services management.
• Selection and use of enabling technologies.
• Strategic issues related to service operations.
• Challenges in service operations.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Case Analysis (Group)

Assessment item 2: Essay (Individual)

Assessment item 3: Examination (Individual)

Required text(s)

Fitzsimmons, JA and Fitzsimmons, MJ, 2008, Service Management: Operations, Strategy, Information Technology, 6th edn, McGraw-Hill, New York

Faculty of Business, 2006, Guide to Assignment Writing, University of Technology, Sydney (available from the Co-op Bookshop or at: www.business.uts.edu.au/resources/guide.pdf)

Indicative references

Johnston, R and Clark, G, 2005, Service operations management, 2nd edn, Prentice Hall

Lovelock, C, 1992, Managing Services: Marketing, Operations and Human Resources, 2nd edn, Prentice-Hall International Inc.

Journals

International Journal of Service Industry Management

Managing Service Quality