Operations Management
Manufacturing and logistics are essential activities in business and industry, and constitute a considerable part of today’s value creation. Critical elements in maximising this value creation include continuous efforts to improve the flow of goods and information within companies and across value chains, and ensuring the best fit between market requirements and company business models.
Today, very few companies operate solely on a national scale, and most companies are now more than ever dependent on supply chain solutions that enable them to be competitive in a global marketplace. Companies are realising that logistics and operations management are becoming increasingly important competitive factors. Today’s supply chain solutions need to integrate the entire value chain. Simultaneously, customer requirements must be met throughout the supply chain and an increase in efficiency must be achieved. All these factors call for new types of cooperation in supply chains, and necessitate logistic processes that coordinate technology, people, products and markets.
Competence
The research areas of the department of Operations Management embrace the areas of
- Logistics
- Business development
Knowledge of business models and strategy is an important premise for the development of holistic logistics solutions. Manufacturing logistics is about the transformation (production, assembly etc.) and delivery (inventory, distribution etc.) of products throughout the supply chain, performed according to customer requirements and as efficiently as possible. Business development is about identifying, analysing, evaluating and introducing new business and product ideas.
The department conducts research and development both in individual companies and in entire supply chains, with particular focus on the following areas:
- Design of global supply chains
- Control models for supply chains and manufacturing companies
- Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in logistics
- Business models and strategy development
Our ambition is to be the leading national research group within our area, and to continue to improve our international recognition.
At the beginning of 2006, the department consisted of 11 employees and five associated employees. Of these, 14 have an engineering background while two have degrees in economics. Further, three employees have PhDs and another seven PhD students are involved in the department’s activities.
