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Managing Services (BBA40007)

General information

Type:

OP

Curs:

3

Period:

S semester

ECTS Credits:

4 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group Teacher Department Language
Miguel Angel Heras Forcada Operaciones, Innovación y Data Sciences ENG
Juan Ignacio Moreu Hasson Operaciones, Innovación y Data Sciences ENG

Previous Knowledge

Basic knowledge of strategy on operations.

Workload distribution

Sessions/lectures: 30 hrs
Reading on and analysis of case studies: 24 hrs
Reading of set texts: 15 hrs
Company presentations: 4 hrs
Exercises: 10 hrs

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM

The service sector represents the largest segment of most industrial economies. As a result, issues of operating efficiency and competitiveness are becoming increasingly more critical for success in service industries.

To succeed as managers in this environment, you must understand how to effectively organize work, analyze and improve operating practices, optimally allocate resources and guide the application of new delivery technologies.

This course considers both traditional and new approaches used to achieve operational competitiveness in service companies, thereby preparing you to make decisions about products, employees, processes and customers. The course will examine different service scenarios in healthcare, financial services, tourism and professional services amongst other sectors.

Course Learning Objectives

1. Understand and be able to distinguish between managing service companies and industrial firms.

2. Be capable of designing and applying a strategy for a service firm.

3. Understand the procedural, human resources and client-related dynamics involved in providing a service.

4. Identify the idiosyncrasies of different service contexts.

5. Identify the keys to operating a successful service firm.

6. Know how to design a service firm and its operations.

CONTENT

1. Introduction: The role of services.

2. Service Strategy

3. Service Design and Innovation

4. Business Process Management and Improvement

5. Indicators & Performance Measurement Systems

6. Customer Satisfaction Measurement and Improvement

7. Service Recovery & Customer Relationship Management

Methodology

The primary teaching tool is a collection of cases along with several lecture/discussions on important concepts.

A case is a rather comprehensive exposition of a real managerial situation describing a set of problems and requiring a plan of action. This method provides a pragmatic framework of the learning process. Its success depends heavily on student preparation before class and active participation in class discussions.

The discussion of case studies will follow different structures (individual presentation, role playing, group debate...) so the individual members of groups should come well prepared.

A collection of articles and other practical exercises provide the necessary background for analysis. As an element of discussion and of conceptual reinforcement, specific movies will be used during the Course.

Also, presentations of companies will take place throughout the course.

Not only content is important. Every session should be seen as a management meeting where you will be able to improve your communication skills. Come well prepared and learn from each other.

Consistent and quality class participation is expected. Participants will have the opportunity to express their ideas during the lectures and during the discussion about cases, debates and readings. Having read the compulsory readings before the session is therefore, crucial.

This course is highly integrative, interdisciplinary, and requires you to use ideas and tools from many different functional areas, especially from general operations, marketing and human resource management.

Assessment criteria

50% Case Studies Reports (in groups) and Practical exercises. (1)

20% Class participation. Participation comprises class attendance, oral presentations from case studies, individual contributions during the sessions and individual exercises. (2)

30% Final Exam.

All three criteria must be approved separately in order to pass the course.

(1) If any member of a group is a mere 'passenger' and does not contribute to team work, he/she should not be allowed to sign the work. In order to detect this, a peer evaluation can be requested. A peer grade below average means a failing grade of the course.

(2) Participation comprises class attendance, oral presentations from case studies, individual contributions during the sessions and individual exercises. Minimum attendance is 80% of sessions.

Bibliography

Basic Textbook:
- Fitzsimmons, J.A. y Fitzsimmons, M.J. (2008): "Service Management. Operations, Strategy, Information Technology?. New York, McGraw-Hill.

Other Complementary Material
- Frei, F. & Morris, A. (2012): "Uncommon Services: How to win by putting costumers as the core of your business?. Harvard Business Review Press, Boston.
- Haksever, C, Render, B, Russell, R & Murdick, Robert G.: "Service Management and Operations?.
- Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E. y Schlesinger, L.A. (1997), The Service Profit Chain, The Free Press, New York .
- Heskett, J. L., Sasser, W. E. y Schlesinger, L.A. (2003), The Value Profit Chain, The Free Press, New York .
- Johnston, R., and Clark, G. (2005), Service Operations Management, Prentice Hall, London.
- Metters, R., Pullman, M. and Walton, S. (2006), Successful Service Operations Management. Thomson, London.
- Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry, "SERVQUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Measuring Customer Perceptions of Service Quality". Journal of Retailing, 1988.
-Schmenner, R.W (1995): "Service Operations Management"; Prentice Hall.
- Van Looy, B., Gemmel, P. and Van Dierdonck, R. (2003), Service management. An Integrated Approach, Prentice Hall, London.

Timetable and sections

Group Teacher Department
Miguel Angel Heras Forcada Operaciones, Innovación y Data Sciences
Juan Ignacio Moreu Hasson Operaciones, Innovación y Data Sciences

Timetable

From 2018/2/8 to 2018/3/15:
Each Thursday from 11:00 to 14:00.

From 2018/4/12 to 2018/5/3:
Each Thursday from 11:00 to 14:00.