BUU22560 Introduction to Operations Management 2025/26

(5 ECTS)

Lecturer(s):

Dr Annika Mies

Email: MIESA@tcd.ie

Office Hours: By appointment

Available to Exchange Students 

Pre-Requisite: 

BUU11570 - Enacting Sustainable Development
BUU11580 - Fundamentals of Management and Organisation

Module Description:

This module introduces students to the fundamental principles of operations management in both service and manufacturing contexts, exploring key operational functions that transform inputs into value-adding outputs. The module highlights the interdependence of operational decision-making and sustainability challenges, equipping students with knowledge critical to responsible business practice.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand and describe the fundamental concepts of operations management and their relevance to organisational performance.
2. Apply key operations management tools and frameworks to analyse real-world business scenarios.
3. Analyse the relationship between operations decisions and wider economic, environmental, and social implications.
4. Evaluate alternative operations strategies in service and manufacturing context using relevant criteria.
5. Develop teamwork and presentation skills.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

The module is delivered through weekly lectorial-and-practice sessions that combine conceptual, theory-led input with practical insights and application to real-world case studies. Weekly lectures will focus on key theories and concepts. Weekly tutorials will focus on exercises and case study discussions.

Students are expected to read and engage with all course materials and attend all sessions.

Relation to Degree

Operations lie at the heart of how organisations create and deliver value. This module supports students in developing a comprehensive understanding of operational processes and the ways in which organisations design and manage systems to deliver value in an effective, responsible, and sustainable manner. It aligns closely with broader themes in business management, including strategic management, product and service design, supply chain management, and sustainability.

Workload

Textbooks and Required Resources:

Required core course textbook: 

Slack, N. Brandon-Jones, A. 2022. Operations Management. Pearson Education Limited.

We will cover selected sections of the textbook. There are some copies of this edition of the textbook, as well as older editions in the college library.

The textbook will be supplemented by other readings and materials that will be assigned throughout the course and will be posted on Blackboard.

Student Preparation for the Module

Access materials on Blackboard weekly and read, listen, and engage as required. Attend weekly lectorial-and-practice sessions.

Course Communication

Please note that all course-related email communication must be sent from your official TCD email address. Emails sent from other addresses will not be attended to.

Assessment:

Assessment for this course will be as follows:

Term Assessment – 20%
Final In-Person Exam – 80%

More detail to follow

Reassessment: Students who fail the module will need to submit a supplemental final assessment.  The supplemental assessment will count for 100% of the grade.

Biographical Note:

Professor Annika Mies is an Assistant Professor in Operations Management and Sustainable Systems at Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin. She holds a PhD in the field of Sustainability and Operations Management and an MSc in Sustainability Management from the University of Kassel (Germany), as well as a BA in Business and Cultural Studies from the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany). Her research focuses on Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management, with particular interest in social sustainability, unintended consequences and systemic interdependences. She has published in leading journals, such as the Journal of Business Ethics, Business Strategy and the Environment, Journal of Cleaner Production and Journal of Business Economics. Annika Mies has taught a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including Sustainability Management, Circular Economy, Sharing Economy, Paradoxes and Unintended Consequences in Operations and Supply Chain Management, Decision Support Tools and Sustainability in the Digital Workplace.