Service Operations Management

Module Title	Service Operations Management
Module Code	25-6054-00L
Semester of Delivery	See Module Information Table
Mandatory/Elective/Option	See Module Information Table
Level	6
Credit Points	20
Assessment Mode Weighting	CWEX100
Pre-requisites	Operations Management (Level five)
Co-requisites	None
Class Contact Hours
Average Weekly	1.5
Directed Learning
Average Weekly	5
Module Leader	Peter Long
	Sheffield Business School
Module Banding	A
Approval Status	Validated

Rationale

The service sector accounts for approximately 70% of employment within the Moduleed Kingdom. Further, the use and development of Operations Management techniques specifically developed to satisfy the particular needs of the Service Sector is also increasing. The course is designed to recognise these facts and to offer students tools and techniques that will support them in their work. Service Operations Management (SOM) has within the past decade become established as a field of study that embraces the whole of the service sector. Recognised as an academic field and as a separate track by the Decision Sciences Institute in 1987. The subject has developed techniques and ideas initially from within Operations Management as viewed by the manufacturing sector and shown how these concepts and techniques apply within the service sector.

Summary of Aims

The module aims to equip students with knowledge and skills which will allow them to analyse and classify service environments, so as to be able to understand and develop them.

Anticipated Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module students should be able to:

1. Analyse a service environment in terms of product and process flows and be able to apply techniques to demonstrate process improvement.
2. Measure the efficiency and effectiveness of service provision using gap analysis and other techniques.
3. Evaluate and discuss the quality of service provision and apply quality improvement techniques in a service environment.

Assessment and Feedback Strategy

Assessment will be 40% coursework and 60% examination. All course work will be individually achieved. There will be opportunity for student to seek informal and formal feedback during the Module.

Module Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcome	Assessment Criterion	Level Descriptors
		Fail	PASS	2.2	2.1	First
Outcome 1	Course work & examination	None or little attempt at analysis - description of 'suitable' techniques without support	An attempt at some of the 'more obvious' elements that the case study describes	Recognising the 'majority' of issues - showing how these may be related. Some supporting examplers	Recognising the 'majority' of issues - showing how these may be related. Supporting discussion using direct and indirect examples	Situational analysis well researched - clear description of relationships - recognition of alternatives with clear argument for and or against.
Outcome 2	Course work & examination	'Leaps in logic' when moving from analysis to solution	A basic use of a 'methodology' in support	A structured approach to the problem(s) and solution(s)	explanation of why analysis methodology is appropriate - possible comparison between ideas.	Comparison between ideas where appropriate. Clear, logical argument. Critique of techniques used - benefits and pitfalls
Outcome 3	Course work & examination	None or very poor 'Audit Trail' to show argument for or against offered solution(s)	Initial attempt at describing relationships between issues, analysis and theory.	Some research - and or evidence of some further reading. development of 'theory - practice' relationship	Good clear links between theory and practice.	Strong links between theory and practice. Clear evidence of extensive further reading - clear identification of ideas (and sources)

 

The assignment will assess that the student has been able to :

• communicate effectively using appropriate skills.
• analyse a service appropriately and been able to offer constructive solutions to presented issues
• evaluate alternative solutions to the task
• draw on a range of information sources

Teaching and Learning Strategy and Methods

Lectures will be used to introduce ideas and techniques within the subject area. In all cases these will be supported by appropriate case studies which will be the subject of discussion and of presentation.

Indicative Content

• Some discussion on services in the economy
• Types and definitions of service operations
• The nature of service
• Measuring services
• Quality in service environments
• Service facility, design and layout
• Quantitative models in service applications with some time spent on subjective, for example cross impact analysis, and causal methods for example, queuing theory.

Indicative Reading List

Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, Service Management for Competitive Advantage. McGraw Hill, 1994.

Lovelock. C., Product Plus, McGraw Hill, 1994.

Murdick, Render and Russel, Service Operations Management, Allyn and Bacon, 1990.

Schmener, Service Operations Management, Prentice Hall, 1995

There will be substantial reliance on research journals and other management journal papers. In particular the Journal for Service Operations Management.