New research shows that when plant employees manufacture vehicles on consistent overtime, they are at a high risk of making manufacturing errors leading to eight additional auto recalls on models manufactured on overtime, costing automakers $167 million.
The Department of Operations and Decision Technologies (ODT) is the home to innovative programs in supply chain and operations management, business analytics, and information systems management. Together, the three areas of study increase efficiencies, improve processes, and deliver goods and services that affect everyone’s daily lives. Our supply chain and operations management curriculum focuses on the operation of the entire supply chain, from suppliers to manufacturers to customers and everything in between. Our business analytics, decision sciences and quantitative analysis curriculum focuses on extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative analysis, explanatory and predictive modeling, and fact-based management to drive decision-making. Finally, our information systems curriculum blends business and technology to apply IT innovatively to better lead enterprises in this digital age.
To see details about all our programs, see our brochure.
Supply Chain and Operations Management
For a firm to deliver its promise to customers, it must be able to utilize its resources to achieve a profitable balance between supply and demand. To reach this goal, supply chain management aligns the firm’s manufacturing and service resources with suppliers, internal partners in finance, accounting, marketing and information systems, distribution channels, and customers. Our undergraduate and graduate majors provide students with knowledge and skills for all facets of supply chain and operations management: supply chain strategy and analytics, sourcing, operations, and logistics. The curriculum supports several synergistic dual majors.
The supply chain management major equips students with organizational and analytical skills to help deliver the right product or service to the right place at the right time. Supply chain managers often work across organizational boundaries and with partners spanning the globe.
The operations management major focuses on improving the internal processes of an organization. The major provides students with skills such as process analysis, project management, and quality assurance, which complements the skill sets of managers in diverse fields such as finance, accounting, or marketing.
The workshop introduces undergraduate students to the business operations client base from a multi-industry perspective and provides an overview of business operations consulting frameworks.
Teams of undergraduate students partner with corporate clients to create value and solve current business issues. Students can expect to enhance their project management skills and analytical tools as well as develop leadership with a variety of activities.
The supply chain and operations major provides MBAs with a system-wide perspective on the flow of material, information, and funds across the supply chain. This major prepares students to apply analytical skills to address supply chain challenges, manage the internal partners with external stakeholders, and effectively work with clients and suppliers across the globe. A minor is also available.
The Supply Chain and Digital Enterprise Academy prepares MBA students for long-term career success in supply chain management by providing personalized pedagogical experiences that complement Kelley’s academic curriculum.
The doctoral program in operations management prepares academic scholars to focus on the strategic and tactical problems faced by organizations that seek to transform resources—such as labor, capital, energy, and materials—into goods and services over the entire supply chain.
SCOMA educates and prepares its members for careers in the field of operations management through in-person exposure, real-world knowledge, and networking opportunities with our corporate sponsorships and professional contacts.
SOMA is a student-run club focused on enhancing student knowledge of operations management, decision sciences, and supply chain management, improving the students’ experience while at Kelley, as well as building a network of professionals interested in operations and supply chain.
Quantitative methods such as business analytics, decision sciences, and operations research are about using data to make better business decisions. For years, companies have collected data about their practices and consumers. Now thanks to inexpensive computing, more and more companies are putting their data to work—using techniques such as predictive analytics, optimization, econometric techniques, and simulation—to make fact-based decisions that improve productivity, increase profits, and create a competitive advantage.
Our undergraduate co-major, the MBA major/minor, and online programs provide knowledge and skills for all facets of business analytics: analytics for business transformation, data analytics, decision and causal modeling, data understanding and preparation, and statistical inference and visualization.
The business analytics co-major provides undergraduate students the opportunity to complement their primary major with advanced business analytics skills, allowing them to better integrate data-driven insights into their analyses and decision-making. This co-major can be paired with any other Kelley School of Business undergraduate major.
In the MBA program, a major or minor in business analytics focuses on data-driven insights that can help enhance customer relationships, improve productivity, and better manage costs and risks in an organization.
An online MS in business analytics equips students with a multitude of analytic techniques that can help generate insights for decision making: inferential statistics and visualization, data analytics, simulation, optimization and econometrics, big data analytics, and data-driven experimentation. It also delves into managerial issues related to aligning, planning, and deploying analytics initiatives.
A 12 credit hour certificate in business analytics provides an introduction to detecting trends, predicting the most likely scenarios, and making optimal decisions about everything from daily operations to high-level strategies.
The doctoral program in decision sciences prepares students for an academic career in the study of mathematical and analytical methods used in decision making.
The Business Analytics Club aims to educate people of all backgrounds on industry trends and the growing need for an analytical mindset. To reach our goal we elect qualified officers who organize tool demonstrations, guest speakers, networking opportunities, and many other events.
Information systems are important for day-to-day operations as well as strategic management of businesses. Information systems management involves analysis, design, implementation, and operation of computer-based information systems, which is becoming increasingly important to leading enterprises in innovative ways.
Our undergraduate major/co-major and graduate programs—with a blended business-technology curriculum—focus on multiple facets of information systems management: IT strategy and management, enterprise process management, enterprise data management, IT infrastructure management, and application development.
The information systems (IS) major focuses on information technology (IT) and process issues for operating and managing large, distributed global businesses: integrating business with systems, designing processes as well as the associated data, managing the IT infrastructure, and developing business applications.
The digital technology management co-major enhances understanding of information systems and the roles they play in areas such as customer relationship management, accounting, and financial systems. It complements skill sets in diverse fields such as finance, accounting, marketing, or management.
The workshop prepares undergraduate students to find and secure internships and full-time jobs in technology consulting and in corporate areas that require creative problem solutions with the use of information technology.
Combining technical, business, and managerial expertise, an MS in information systems equips students to use information technology effectively to address business problems. Its innovative curriculum includes three concentrations: enterprise systems, business intelligence and analytics, and enterprise risk management.
The online MS in information technology management focuses on advancing the careers of information technology professionals who seek to enhance their ability to employ information technology for solving business problems.
The doctoral program in information systems prepares academic scholars who concentrate on how business technologies are designed, developed, and used to enable and empower individuals, teams, processes, organizations, and the society.
The Digital Technology Management Club strives to explore trending technologies, build leadership skills, and develop professional expertise with a variety of activities including guest speaker presentations, networking events, interactive learning seminars, community service events, educational field trips, and social activities.
MSISA is a student-run organization that strives to enhance the Masters of Science in Information Systems program. From industry knowledge shared from guest speakers to professional development during case workshops to networking at student and alumni social events and beyond, the group provides opportunities beyond traditional classroom experiences.
