Operations Management

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Operations Management

Instructors: Anna Saez de Tejada Cuenca

4,863 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

37 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

37 reviews

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Inventory Management System

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Shareable certificate

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Assessments

4 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

Tailored for operational and administrative professionals with a foundational understanding of process management and decision-making in business environments, this course invites you to discover the point where business dreams become operational. It explores how key operational decisions are linked to organizational strategy, teaches you to identify and design critical processes, and helps you master the management of flows, service times, and inventories to turn operations into tangible results. By the end of the course, participants will be able to connect everyday operational tasks to the organization’s goals, ensuring efficient workflows and tangible improvements in day-to-day activities.

Welcome to the introductory operations module! In this module, we will discover aspects of how operations work, what are the key decisions to be made and how they relate to the organization's strategy. By the end of the course, participants will be able to apply a framework for operations management in their own company or department.

What's included

9 videos10 readings1 assignment

9 videos Total 30 minutes

Welcome to IESE Business School: A Remarkable Story 2 minutes
Introduction to What are Operations 1 minute
What are operations and what does their management involve? 3 minutes
The triple promise 6 minutes
Examples of the triple promise 3 minutes
Operations compass 7 minutes
Structure of operations - Part 1 3 minutes
Structure of operations - Part 2 2 minutes
Conclusion of the module Introduction to Operations Management 2 minutes

10 readings Total 46 minutes

Discover the course structure 5 minutes
Meet the professors behind this course 10 minutes
🧠 Remember 2 minutes
🧠 Remember 5 minutes
💡 Consider 3 minutes
The triple promise and the operations compass 3 minutes
💡 Think for a minute 5 minutes
🧠 Remember 5 minutes
🧠 Remember 3 minutes
📌 Take away 5 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Test: The Operations Compass 30 minutes

This module will allow you to identify the critical processes of a company, understand which activities add value, and decide the right sizing of the resources needed to operate.

What's included

5 videos5 readings1 assignment

5 videos Total 16 minutes

Introduction to Process Analysis 1 minute
The elements of a process 7 minutes
Fundamental process variables 2 minutes
Fundamental process variables - Interpretation 5 minutes
Conclusion of the module Process Analysis 1 minute

5 readings Total 24 minutes

💡 Reflect 10 minutes
🧠 Remember 3 minutes
💡 Consider 3 minutes
🧠 Remember 3 minutes
📌 Take away 5 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Test: Key Operational Metrics 30 minutes

In this module, you will understand how capacity, demand patterns and, above all, the priority we give products and customers affect times.

What's included

16 videos17 readings1 assignment

16 videos Total 87 minutes

Introduction to the module Flow and Queue Management 4 minutes
Throughput time 7 minutes
Analysis of throughput time 3 minutes
The seven components of throughput time 5 minutes
Simulation - Situation 0 5 minutes
Simulation - Situation 1 5 minutes
Simulation - Situation 2 5 minutes
Simulation - Situation 3 5 minutes
The Utilization Law 14 minutes
Advantages of aggregation 8 minutes
Hybrid systems 5 minutes
Method 1 - Times 6 minutes
Method 2 - WIP or queues 2 minutes
Method 3 - Build-up curves (Input/Output) 7 minutes
Little's Law 5 minutes
Conclusion of the module Flow and Queue Management 2 minutes

17 readings Total 76 minutes

💡 Consider 10 minutes
The impact of variability - Introduction 2 minutes
Analysis of Situation 0 5 minutes
Analysis of Situation 1 5 minutes
Analysis of Situation 2 5 minutes
Analysis of Situation 3 5 minutes
🧠 Remember! 3 minutes
Queue system design - Introduction 5 minutes
💡 Consider 10 minutes
💡 Consider 3 minutes
🧠 Remember 3 minutes
Addendum: Measurement of waiting times and queues - Introduction 1 minute
Method 1. Conclusions - Times 5 minutes
Method 2. Conclusions - WIP or queues 2 minutes
Method 3 Conclusions - Build-up curves (Input/Output) 5 minutes
🧠 Remember 2 minutes
📌 Take away 5 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Test: Exploring Impacts on Work-in-Progress, Queues, and Working Capital 30 minutes

In this module, you will learn what inventories are, as well as some of the key aspects involved in managing them efficiently.

What's included

9 videos7 readings1 assignment

9 videos Total 38 minutes

Introduction to the module Inventory Management 2 minutes
Queues and inventories: same phenomenon, different solutions 2 minutes
Impact and cost of inventories 2 minutes
Types of inventory 7 minutes
Operating functions of inventories 9 minutes
Key decisions in inventory management 4 minutes
Factors that impact batch size 5 minutes
Factors that affect safety inventory 4 minutes
Conclusion of the module Inventory Management 2 minutes

7 readings Total 20 minutes

🧠 Remember 3 minutes
🧠 Remember 2 minutes
🧠 Remember! 2 minutes
🧠 Remember 5 minutes
🧠 Remember 2 minutes
💡 Reflect 1 minute
📌 Take away 5 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Test: Inventories 30 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(12 ratings)

Anna Saez de Tejada Cuenca

IESE Business School

1 Course 4,863 learners

Offered by

IESE Business School

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Reviewed on Oct 15, 2025

Good general intro. Content needs some tidying up.

Reviewed on Feb 10, 2026

I learned a lot from this subject, and Coursera really helped me gain more knowledge and understand many new things.

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