Operations and Supply Chain Management
Operations and Supply Chain Management is concerned with the design, planning and management of all facilities, processes and activities required to transform resources into goods and services within and between organisations. It is applicable to all types of organisations including manufacturers, retailers, hospitals, tourism sector, banks and even many clubs and non-profit organisations.
Operations managers control more than 70 per cent of organisational resources – people, money, materials, and buildings – used in manufacturing or in providing services. To be competitive in global markets, it is important that these resources are used efficiently and effectively. The efficient and effective management of these resources requires the kinds of skills and knowledge provided in OSCM courses such as:
- The ability to analyse a complex real-life situation using appropriate operations management techniques.
- The ability to make sound recommendations from this analysis, taking into consideration organisational constraints, underlying assumptions and consequences of proposed solutions.
- The ability to communicate recommendations and solutions effectively to the appropriate people.
Successful operations managers also need knowledge of Marketing, Human Resource Management, and Finance. Students of other disciplines often take courses in this area to broaden their education and enhance the prospect of progress in their subsequent careers.
A relatively new major, Operations and Supply Chain Management was established in response to growing marketplace demand for managers with broader knowledge of how a business works from the factory floor up. An increasing number of CEOs have an operations background.
In first-year, BCom students majoring in OSCM include MGMT 170 Managerial Decision Making. Check out the degree plan
UC Operations and Supply Chain Management courses cover a diverse range of current topics such as Operations Management Processes, Strategic Operations and Supply Chain Management, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Quality Management, Project Management, and more. Explore the full list of courses offered in Management
Operations and Supply Chain Management is a popular choice in a double major, complementing in particular the following majors: Management, Human Resources Management and Accounting. Other majors can also combine with
Double degrees are increasing chosen by students seeking a broader education and a Bachelor of Commerce in Operations and Supply Chain Management can be taken alongside another degree.
- For enquiries about double majors and double degrees talk to our Student Advisors on how to structure your studies.
A feature of UC's BCom is hands-on project-based learning at 300 level that goes beyond text books and lectures. Operations and Supply Chain Management majors participate in a unique online competition as part of the MGMT370 course in which they use a simulator to run a factory for two weeks as part of a team. The experience gives students the opportunity to experience decision making in a manufacturing environment along with the consequences of those decisions.
Teams can adjust their decisions after experiencing the impact of them with the winning team being the one with the best cash position at the end of the exercise. It also offers the opportunity to see how other teams arrange their factory for maximum efficiency.
Regular guest speakers from industry contribute to students' learning. UC Business School has extensive ties with local businesses and those networks give students the advantage of industry insights as they study.
Our staff link with the New Zealand Organisation for Quality, ensuring we remain informed of industry trends and standards.
We also have ties with Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Learn from our students' experiences
For more information on studying Operations and Supply Chain Management
contact a member of staff
