A team of academics from WMG, at the University of Warwick, have received a highly commended award at prestigious conference EurOMA 2016 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

The accolade was given for their work in applying technology to learning in the delivery of WMG’s Service Management and Design Masters programme.

The European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) is the premier European association for academics in the fields of production management, operations management, and supply chain management.

WMG submitted a paper at the conference showcasing the results of using a simulated virtual experience to aid learning. The team, found that the use of this technique coupled with social media and communications technology enhanced students’ learning and also provided a true reflection of the experience of a professional in a service based organisation or environment.

The premise of their virtual experience is the concept of a parcel delivery company. The fictional company is well-established and is in a stable state of operation. The students are then told of a potentially disruptive event that may affect their operations; in this case it is a major storm. Within a service environment the occurrence of a disruptive event and how it is subsequently handled is important to a company’s success.

The key learning for the students is how they manage the disruption both internally (logistics, supply chain and financially) and externally (customer services, social media and branding) in addition to how they choose to mitigate against future disruption in the long-term.

Sue Parr, Director of Business Development at WMG said:

“We are seeing more and more product oriented businesses, developing servitised business models in order to compete. This course, coupled with the technology enhanced teaching brings to life the reality of running a service focussed business in a digital age.”

Robin Gibbs, Service Business Executive at Rolls-Royce who is a current student on WMG’s Service Management and Design Masters said:

"This new learning development at WMG is a great concept and delivery mechanism. Since starting this course, my team members have commented on the deeper business awareness that I convey to them now."

WMG’s Mairi Macintyre (pictured above), who is course leader, said:

“We are thrilled to be commended for our work in developing a more innovative approach to the learning environment. We will continue to strive forward in using playful and original techniques to improve students’ learning journeys. Our approach is enabling students to use what they learn directly back into their workplaces.”

WMG’s Service Management and Design Masters programme is available on both a full-time and part-time basis. WMG delivers a wide range of professional and executive education programmes to industry, across ten different Masters streams. It also offers customised programmes in business, operations, and technology disciplines for industry upon request.

The EurOMA conference is hosted by a European university in June every year and draws around 500 participants from all over the world.

Notes to Editors

WMG, University of Warwick

WMG was established by Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya in 1980 in order to reinvigorate UK manufacturing through the application of cutting edge research and effective knowledge transfer. WMG is a world leading research and education group and an academic department of the University of Warwick.

WMG has pioneered an international model for working with industry, commerce and public sectors and holds a unique position between academia and industry. The Group’s strength is to provide companies with the opportunity to gain a competitive edge by understanding a company’s strategy and working in partnership with them to create, through multidisciplinary research, ground-breaking products, processes and services.

Every year WMG provides education training to over 1,500 postgraduates, in the UK and through centres in China, India, Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia. Students benefit from its first hand understanding of the issues facing modern industry. All tutors are highly qualified with a background in business or industry.

Videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y2ntNvuA88&index=6&list=PLODCvQhOSwLaBWu9dvxqBBwsYThh-oHSI

For more information, contact: Lisa Barwick, Head of Marketing and Communications, WMG, University of Warwick, 07824 540845, L.Barwick@warwick.ac.uk