ETLS 674 Managing for Improved Performance

Instructor:

George G. Gleeson

Time:

Section 03, Wednesday 5:30 – 9:30 PM

Location:

St. Paul Campus, OSS LL10

Telephone:

George G. Gleeson

651-962-5757 (Office)
651-962-6419 (Fax)

612-825-8878 (Home)
gggleeson@stthomas.edu (Email)

Required Materials:

Zimmerman, Frederick. The Turnaround Experience. (provided in-class)

One of these 2 books:

Drucker, Peter F. The Essential Drucker. 2001. Collins Business.

Drucker, Peter F. Classic Drucker. 2006. Harvard Business Review.

Course
Description:

This course covers both the strategic and tactical aspects of improved performance by analyzing historical cases and real-world examples of both commercial and public sector success and failure. Successful and unsuccessful strategies and tactics are then contrasted to provide useful insights in strategic and tactical performance management. Measurements are examined to demonstrate how measures related to strategies and critical success factors can be used to improve performance. Techniques such as activity-based management, lean operations, re-engineering, function and process analysis, just-in-time, constraint theory, team management, six-sigma, TQM, flexible manufacturing and capacity planning are studied for applications to performance improvement and cost management situations.  Subject or topic matter experts are used as guest lecturers to point out lessons to be learned in the practical implementation of performance improvement initiatives. Class members are expected to prepare a methodology and plan of implementation for at least one performance improvement initiative.
Prerequisite: ETLS 505 Managerial Accounting and Performance Management

Course Objectives:

The course has several objectives:

• To familiarize the class members with the important concepts pertaining to the management of organizations during difficult times.
• To integrate into a cohesive body of knowledge some concept and ideas that may be useful in today’s challenging global economy.
• To improve our collective knowledge of contemporary issues relating to performance improvement.
• To improve our ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• To familiarize the class members with usable management tools that have been employed in successful organizations.
• To improve our ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
• To incorporate ethical considerations into our analysis of problem situations.

To achieve these ends, we employ a format where the material is drawn from conference proceedings, technical literature, case histories, guest speakers and real world experience.  Class members provide a great deal of material.  Although the topics for the student reports are usually preselected, there is considerable latitude for members of the class to add their own contributions.  Participation in all discussions is strongly encouraged.  Emphasis is on the student making a contribution to his or her own learning and to the learning of others. 

Learning Outcomes:

Students completing the course should be able to:

·        Demonstrate the ability to understand and use theory, skills and techniques necessary to function effectively in operations leadership positions (SE6, MS1, TM2).

·        Demonstrate the ability to function in a multi-disciplinary team-based environment as either a team leader or team member (SE9, MS2, TM2).

·        Demonstrate competitive advantage through planning, strategy and control (SE1, MS7, TM1).

·        Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary issues and their impact on professional and ethical behavior in a global and societal context (SE14, MS8, TM7).

·        Demonstrate the understanding of functional strategies supporting the business strategy and competitive advantage being sought (SE2, MS7, TM5).

·        Demonstrate an awareness of the profound impact of the global economic environment on manufacturing and service operations (SE16, MS9, TM3).

Course Methodology:

During the course, we will use the text material and cases for about 60 percent of the material we cover.  The additional material will come from invited speakers, student’s presentations and reports, discussion and special handouts.

Major
Assignments:

The major assignments for the course will be active participation in the discussions including participation for the topic of the week, one special in-class report, and a presentation and methodology paper of a performance improvement situation due on the last day of class.  The requirement will be discussed further in class.

The performance improvement methodology situation is intended to be a scholarly treatment of the topic.  The paper should be written in a scholarly way with research into literature and case histories relevant to the situation being discussed.  This project will be a team exercise. 

Also each person will be expected to produce at least one performance improvement study or topic for presentation to the people in the class.  Presentations should be formal and should run as long as you want up to 20 minutes.  Presentations are to be accompanied by a typed report of about six pages plus exhibits when included.  Copies of the report presentation and report should be provided in media format.

About two-thirds of the way through the course, there may or may not be an examination involving both objective and subjective questions relating to all of the in-class and reading material covered and assigned as of the date of the test.  Material presented in the individual reports by the class participants may be included on the examination.

Personal
Goals:

We encourage each participant to formulate their own goals and objectives in taking this course and a Personal Goal Statement will be collected early in the course.

The instructor will be helpful when asked to be involved.  The experience of the class members in this course is usually extensive and at this stage in their education, the class participants have experienced several semesters of graduate study.  The instructor will be happy to meet with anyone who has specific questions.

Grading
Policy:

The weighting of student involvement is approximately as follows:

Participation in class                    20%

Presentation and preparation      25%
of in-class reports

*Examination                                25%

Presentation of Performance      30%
Improvement Methodology

*If the formal examination is not deemed appropriate the percentage of grade will be distributed between the individual presentation and report and the team methodology presentation and report.

Readings/
Text Material:

To provide a broader conception of legitimate and lasting profit and to assess its societal impact, reading materials will be drawn from several sources.  The book, The Turnaround Experience: Real World Lessons in Revitalizing Corporations has been chosen because it does contain some useful historical examples of how companies have successfully and unsuccessfully coped with adversity.  The book deals with both sociological and business data and situations.  In this sense, it will serve as a background for the rest of our discussion.

The most prolific and universally acknowledged expert on management is Peter Drucker.  Selections from the synthesized collection of Drucker writing have also been assigned.

Other readings will be drawn from a variety of manuscripts relating more specifically to the management of performance.  Some will be selections and sources under fair use.  These will also be provided to class participants.

Presentation
and Written
Reports:

The class presentation should cover some very specific information relating to the general subject matter of the course.  Among the material that should be included are the following items:

1.      Explanation and exposition how this topic and this information can be applied to performance improvement situations.

2.      Identification of practical lessons learned from this research.

3.      Bibliography of sources and further study.

Professionalism:

It is important that all reports and activities achieve a high level of professionalism.  We encourage dignified presentations, good background research into topics and well written and well delivered presentations.  Investigative reporting is strongly encouraged.  We believe that companies are looking for similar levels of professionalism.   

Participation:

Your participation grade will be based on the following criteria:  a) Attendance:  If you are not in class you cannot participate.  Your presence is necessary but not a sufficient element for a good participation grade.  b) Preparation: Students are expected to read the materials assigned for each class session and be prepared to participate in classroom discussions.  c) Quality:  Well thought out comments backed by information from your readings and research will be required for a good participation grade. 

Academic Integrity:

All students are expected to understand and follow the University of St Thomas policies on Academic Integrity. These are described at:
www.stthomas.edu/engineering/graduate/policies

Exams: Exams are one of the instruments used to evaluate the knowledge gained of the class subject matter, and the progress towards meeting the outcomes of the class and the degree by an individual student.  To this end all exams (in class or take home) are intended to represent the effort of the individual and not a group effort unless specifically stated otherwise.

Students with Disabilities

Qualified students with documented disabilities who may need classroom accommodations should make an appointment with the Enhancement Program – Disability Services office during the first two weeks of the semester.  Appointments can be made by calling 651-962-6315 or in person in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center, room 119.

Attendance
Policy:

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Circumstances which prevent attendance will be honored up to two instances. Absences in excess of two times may result in a lower grade for the course. Contact the instructor when a special situation arises. All absences require that the instructor be informed in advance.

Session #

Topics

Assignment

Session 1

May 24

·        Introduction, orientation and outline of course

·        Concepts and definitions

·        Performance management and performance improvement tools and techniques

·        Zimmerman model

Session 2

May 31

·        Underperforming organizations

·        Bozo division case study

·        Zimmerman
Chps. 1-3

·        HBR - July 2003 - Nohria, Joyce, and Roberson. “What Really Works”

Session 3
June 7

·        Low cost operations

·        Cash flow industries

·        Team case study

·        Zimmerman
Chps. 4-6

·        Classic Drucker
Chps. 1-2

·        Essential Drucker chps. 1-3

Session 4

June 14

·        Product and service differentiation

·        Zimmerman
Chps. 7-9

·        Lanning “Delivering Profitable Value”

·        Classic Drucker
Chp. 6

·        Essential Drucker chps. 12
& 20

Session 5
June 21

·        Management and leadership

·        Guest speaker:
Dr. Fred Zimmerman

·        Zimmerman
Chps. 10-12

·        HBR - Jan 2001 - Collins “Level 5 Leadership”

·        Classic Drucker chps. 3-5

·        Essential Drucker chps.9 & 17-19

Session 6

June 28

·        Performance management systems

·        HBR. Jan-Feb 1996 Kaplan + Norton “Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System”

·        Classic Drucker chps. 7-9

·        Essential Drucker chps. 7-8 & 13

·        Reprints - UST – Winter 1992 Journal of Applied Manufacturing

Session 7

July 5

·        Enterprise strategy

·        HBR – Oct 2004 – Kim and Manborgne “Blue Ocean Strategy”

·        Instructor Materials on Strategy

Session 8
July 12

·        Perspectives for the future

·        Zimmerman
Chps. 13-15

·        Instructor Materials from Freedman – World is Flat

·        Classic Drucker chps. 10-12

·        Essential Drucker chps. 14-16 & 23

Session 9
July 19

·        Individual reports

·        Guest presenter:
Bruce Mallory –
Platinum LLC

·        Turnaround Management Assn.

Session 10
July 26

·        Team methodology reports