Operations Management and Development Trends

Product strategy: product development, product quality. Process strategy: links between operational strategy and overall strategy; operating system; production methods; process types; specialisation; process cycle; capacity; cost-benefit analysis; project evaluation; advanced manufacturing and outsourcing. Integrated planning. Unit location. Unit plan. Production plan. Material requirements planning. Project scheduling and control. Quality management. Maintenance.
Production networks. Technology. New technologies affecting production and different industries.
The regulatory environment for the development of technologies, including data and information exchange in supply chains.
Major trends in economic sectors: agriculture, raw materials, textiles, automotive, logistics and distribution.

NB! This course will take place in spring semester 2025/2026 which starts on 2nd of February and ends on 15th of June (you can find that information under start date section). TalTech's timetables for spring semester 2026 will be published at the beginning of January via tunniplaan.taltech.ee.

After completing this course, the student:

• is able to identify the nature of operations function, planning and management and main competitive objectives and could explain the historical development of OM and proposes futures trends;
• is able to describe and explain the principles of sustainable and coordinated supply chains and value chains;
• understands main principles of Operations planning;
• is able to perform a necessary spreadsheet and software exercises for production planning, analysis exercises;
• describes and analyses dynamic processes in the world economy and in International relations and can relate them to transformations in practical business environments;
• understands and analyses probable directions of significant technology trends and how they transform business models of the future.

Final assessment can consist of one test/assignment or several smaller assignments completed during the whole course. After declaring a course the student can re-sit the exam/assessment once. Assessment can be graded or non-graded. For specific information about the assessment process please get in touch with the contact person of this course. For specific information about grade transfer please contact your home university

• 1. Slack, N.; Brandon-Jones, A. (2019) Operations Management. 9th edition. 
• 2. Heizer, J.; Render, B.; Munson, C. (2017). Principles of Operations Management. Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. 10th edition. 
• 3. Riives, J. (2011) Uuenduslik tootmine.
• 4. Tauno Otto (2022) Nüüdistootmine.
• 5. Christopher, M (2011). Logistics and Supply Chain Management. 
• 6. Dicken, Peter - Global Shift. Mapping The Changing Contours of the World Economy. 7th ed. The Guilford Press, 2017.
• Gartner; McKinsey, PwC aruanded
• Majandus-ja Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumi ja Kliimaministeeriumi tellimusel valminud raportid.

lectures, practices