The main targeted thematic area Operations Management, is concerned with the way organisations produce goods and services, and in particular the tasks, issues and decisions of those operations managers who deliver the services or make the products on which everyone depends. Common topics studies in this field include Operations Strategy, Product & Process design and development, Quality, MRP/ERP, Just-In-Time, Process Management and Inventory Systems, among many others. During the last 20 years the increasing need for companies to sharpen their competitiveness in international markets has converted the Operations function, and productivity in general, into a key competitive weapon. During this period, Operations Management (OM) has assumed a greater focus in business and academic communities, and the role of the OM function in achieving business success has continued to grow. It is acknowledged as a key to success of many manufacturing and service companies.

Individual companies need to be studied using a cross functional approach, which has to take into account the interconnections between the different business areas/functions. Besides, the evolution of new Information and Communications Technology, and the rapidly expanding globalisation is facilitating the development of multiple networks of companies with many varied specialities. Increasingly both company strengths and competitiveness is residing in networks /Supply Chains with strong interconnections. Adequate training in the development and management of supply chains is also a necessity, both in the academic and business environment, and in particular the Small and Medium Enterprises environment.

Given that effective Operations Management (OM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) is very important for building a competitive advantage, it follows that the level and quality of training in these areas has a critical influence on this. Academics play a key role in this situation, as future graduates will be the main source of management skills and capabilities needed by companies to maintain and increase their competitiveness. Institutions and academics need to be aware that the supply of well-trained graduates in OM and SCM should match, in quantity, quality and time, the growing needs of companies.

Currently there is a need to bring academics together to cross-fertilise ideas on OM and SCM, because within European institutions there is a lack of knowledge regarding individual country understanding of OM and SCM and its sub-disciplines. In addition, given that people with knowledge in OM and SCM must satisfy the needs of a vast number of companies in many geographical locations, the usefulness of this type of information will increase if comparative data between countries/regions is generated to give a wider perspective of this subject.

The current situation with regard to OM and SCM teaching in European Universities is also unclear. Teaching is undertaken in Polytechnics, Universities, Engineering Schools, Management Departments, Business Schools, etc. The classification of work done in these environments as OM and SCM is based on the nature of the topics addressed and on the background/profile of the person doing the work. A review of the characteristics of journals where academics publish their work and the list of required readings in doctoral programs shows the same diversity. A similar broad scope occurs in courses, research methodologies and teaching techniques used at different levels. An extensive review of the bibliography by the University of Seville has highlighted very few studies of these topics. Many of those found refer to the USA and only touch on some aspects of OM teaching. This in-depth study of OM teaching needs to be undertaken at the European level. There is thus an urgent need for such studies to discover whether there is adequate capacity at the European level to meet an increasing demand for well-trained professionals in the field.

The Thematic Network OM and SCM will undertake in-depth studies, in order to build a true picture of the situation of OM and SCM education in Europe. It will use this Information to study collaborative means of improvement, and begin the process of achieving global excellence in the field at European universities. The creation of this network to map and share this varied knowledge can serve teachers and researchers to better understand their positions, discover areas where work is done which could complement theirs and create new international teaching and research networks in the field. Only with adequate data can it be determined whether European universities are responding adequately to companies’ training needs in this important management field. Only in this way can possible deficiencies in the educational systems be highlighted, which should facilitate the implementation of the necessary corrective measures. For this reason links with companies will be searched and future surveys will try to map their needs in OM and SCM fields.

This Network proposes to build a preliminary upon work undertaken in Spain, which shows the OM situation in this country by 1997 (Machuca and Alfalla (2003) and Alfalla and Machuca(2003)), which in 1997-1998 conducted a survey of OM faculties and identified almost 250 academics actively teaching a total of almost 300 OM courses. Analysis of the census identified a geographical imbalance with almost 70% of academics located in 6 autonomous regions (from a total of 17). Aspects of this research will be replicated by the Network at the European level.

References

• Domínguez Machuca, J.A. y Alfalla Luque, R. (2003): An empirical study of POM teaching in Spanish universities (I): Content of POM courses. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, vol. 23, nº 1, pp. 15-43.

• Alfalla Luque, R. y Domínguez Machuca, J.A. (2003): An empirical study of POM teaching in Spanish universities (II): Faculty profile, teaching and assessment methods. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, vol. 23, nº 4, pp. 375-400.

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