Report 2002: Department of Operations Management (OM)
Solbjerg Plads 3, B. 5.
DK-2000 Frederiksberg
Head of Department: Jan Mouritsen
Telefon: +45 3815 3400
Fax: +45 3815 2440
E-mail: heb.om@cbs.dk
DK-2000 Frederiksberg
Head of Department: Jan Mouritsen
Telefon: +45 3815 3400
Fax: +45 3815 2440
E-mail: heb.om@cbs.dk
Production is not just about pallets, oil, noise and locker room mentality. At PEØ, the focus is on product, process and service development mobilised through management and quality control in the networks and supply chains in which the enterprise performs. The Department is concerned with the knowledge-based scope for action of both private and public enterprises and institutions.
The Department strategy centres around performance management and interorganisational relations, research is typically based on empirical methods, often in cooperation with enterprises and institutions, and the courses are built around the basic academic topics of: business economics, supply chain management, management control and operations management.
Highlights of 2002
- The research production of the Department was on the rise, especially in the national category whereas the number of international publications declined slightly.
- Knowledge Accounts Conference: A presentation of Department efforts to develop guidelines for the design and interpretation of knowledge accounts was given to 400 enterprises. The Minister opened the conference and pointed out that this project was a very good example of cooperation between central government, the business community and the research community.
- The Department received four paper awards from conferences and journals.
- The Department hosted the annual European Operations Management Conference with approx. 300 participants.
- In 2002, the Department was subjected to an international research evaluation performed by professors Chris Voss from the London Business School and Christer Karlsson from the Stockholm Business School. They expressed satisfaction with many things, but also raised a number of critical in-depth questions regarding the Department profile which it will take some time to sort out and answer sensibly.
Academic profile
The Department of Operations Management covers production management, distribution, product and process development in general as well as information and communication in and about modern industrial and service enterprises based in particular on interorganisational relations and performance management - often called operations management.
The Department has four academic focus areas: Business economics, management control, supply chain management and operations management. Business economics is about cost and price theory focusing on decision-making concerning pricing, scope of production and resource allocation based on modelling of the activities of the enterprise. Management control is about setting up and using various types of information, planning and reporting systems as well as budgeting and follow-up. Supply chain management concerns the management of the flow of services, products, product development and information through enterprises in chains and networks. Finally, operations management concerns management and organisation of production issues, often with a view to developing products and processes.
Research strategy
Overall strategic research focus areas are: (1) interorganisational relations and (2) performance management. Both research and teaching priorities are based on those considerations and often combinations thereof. Interorganisational relations are centred around supply chain management, working relations between enterprises, networks, e-business and e-commerce as well as interorganisational knowledge sharing, and the Department explores ways of managing such interorganisational relations. Performance management is about effects and values, often based on information, representation, reporting, incentives and communication. The emphasis is often on 'new' management objects such as knowledge, quality, environmental and social responsibility as well as a wide range of modern management techniques such as balanced scorecard, ERP systems, modern financial calculation methods and knowledge accounts.
Overall strategic research focus areas are: (1) interorganisational relations and (2) performance management. Both research and teaching priorities are based on those considerations and often combinations thereof. Interorganisational relations are centred around supply chain management, working relations between enterprises, networks, e-business and e-commerce as well as interorganisational knowledge sharing, and the Department explores ways of managing such interorganisational relations. Performance management is about effects and values, often based on information, representation, reporting, incentives and communication. The emphasis is often on 'new' management objects such as knowledge, quality, environmental and social responsibility as well as a wide range of modern management techniques such as balanced scorecard, ERP systems, modern financial calculation methods and knowledge accounts.
The Centre for Business Development and Management Technology is affiliated to the Department as a business research unit. Its activities are financed by business enterprises, and projects are developed in close cooperation with them. This way, the Centre financed a number of PhD projects conducting research in a wide variety of fields related to the other research activities of the Department. Its significant interplay with public and private enterprises and institutions covers a large number of networking activities and seminars in relation to research projects.
Research results
One expression of the research production of the Department is its publications. This object may not be the only relevant research dimension, but it is currently one of the most important Department goals as it is an expression of its visibility. Since its foundation in 1998, a main focus of the Department has been to increase the number of publications and to increase internationalisation. This development is illustrated in Figure 1.
One expression of the research production of the Department is its publications. This object may not be the only relevant research dimension, but it is currently one of the most important Department goals as it is an expression of its visibility. Since its foundation in 1998, a main focus of the Department has been to increase the number of publications and to increase internationalisation. This development is illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Types of Department publications 1998-2002
The Figure shows that the number of international Department publications has increased substantially since its foundation in 1998. Before that, the publications profile was not particularly international. However, this changed significantly in the last couple of years, culminating in the 2001 production, whereas production declined slightly in 2002. The overall trend of international production seems to be positive, alternating between slight increases and slight reductions every other year. This indicates an accumulation of publications. The commitment to increase international publication for a number of years put a damper on the number of Nordic-language publications. In 2002, this trend was reversed. Thus, communication with local communities was given priority in 2002. This is good, but the long-term objective of increasing the quantity and quality of international publication still applies.
Research relations to practice
The Department has widespread working relationships with the business community and public institutions. Naturally, the Centre for Business Development and Management Technology plays a central role with its long list of PhD projects financed by the business community. The Department has over 20 PhD students and a contact network of 120 companies.
The Department has widespread working relationships with the business community and public institutions. Naturally, the Centre for Business Development and Management Technology plays a central role with its long list of PhD projects financed by the business community. The Department has over 20 PhD students and a contact network of 120 companies.
The Knowledge Accounts project is also financed by the business community and central government. A staff of 12 are attached to the Department and the Aarhus School of Business. Approx. 115 enterprises are participating in the project to test guidelines for the development of knowledge accounts and knowledge management. About 400 enterprises were present at the presentation of the revised guidelines.
A number of our supply chain management-oriented projects attracts a lot of attention in the business community, and the working relationship between the Confederation of Danish Industries, the Center for Industrial Production (Aalborg University) and the Department involves cooperation with the 25 leading production enterprises in Denmark.
There is no doubt that cooperation with the business community and public authorities is close to the Department's heart. However, reason should always exceed the individual arrangement. Research conclusions should be worth publishing.
As an indication of the Department's efforts to create partnerships and to acquire external research funding, Figure 2 shows an increasing level of activity in this area.
Figure 2: Department research funding in 1998-2002, DKK mill. (In 1998, external funds were not divided into funds from partnerships, the European Union and Research Councils.)
Last updated by Anders Krag 09/02/2005
