Objectives and competences
The main purpose of the subject is to make students familiar with production management, with a focus on characteristics of management in production organizations, process approach to organizations, change management, and business process management in production and other organizations. Further, the students will become familiar with the utilization of management tools for supporting the operations of organizations and the management of processes in organizations. An important part of the content is dedicated to the management of production and other processes in the context of Industry 4.0, which brings significant changes into the ways of organizational operations, processes execution, and management of processes in organizations. In that frame, students will become familiar with up-to-date knowledge about the implementation of Industry 4.0 into Slovenian production organizations, at the same time, they will become familiar with the readiness of those organizations for transition into Industry 4.0. Next, students will gain insight into the necessary changes in the execution, design, and management of production processes, due to the implementation of Industry 4.0. Students will also learn about the concept of Industry 5.0 and the changes that the implementation of these principles brings to organizations. In this context, the focus will be on human-robot collaboration. The contribution of Industry 5.0 to sustainable development will also be highlighted. An important goal of the subject is also making students familiar with the practice of business process improvement in organizations.
Key competencies that students will acquire are the following, but not limited to:
- competence for understanding management of production processes in contemporary organizations and identification of challenges related to management in contemporary settings.
- competence for recognizing, modeling, and managing production processes in organizations
- competence for the utilization of management tools in production and other organizations with the aim of improving the operations of the organization
- competence to design and manage process renewal in the context of digitalization
- competence for managing processes in production and other organizations.
Content (Syllabus outline)
Basic areas of the course are:
- Introduction to the management of production organizations
- Change management in organizations
- Business process management
- Tools for supporting an organization’s operations and management of business processes in organizations
- Production management in the frame of Industry 4.0 and 5.0 and in the context of digitalization
- The role of process improvement in the implementation of the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 concept in organizations
- Changes in the management of production due to the implementation of the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 concept
- Industry 5.0's contribution to sustainable development
- Human-robot collaboration in the context of Industry 5.0
- Examples of production processes renovation in organizations
Learning and teaching methods
Lectures, discussion groups, video presentations, active students work on examples from practice and independent study of students.
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Development of Knowledge and Understanding
Students will develop:
- Knowledge base: has great depth and systematic understanding of a substantial body of knowledge. Can work with theoretical / research knowledge at the forefront of the management discipline at peer reviewed standards/ publication quality .
- Ethical issues: can analyze and manage the implications of ethical dilemmas in the field of management of production processes in organization in current economic conditions and work pro-actively with others to formulate solutions .
- Disciplinary methodologies: has a comprehensive understanding of techniques / methodologies applicable to the discipline (theory or research-based).
Cognitive and Intellectual Skills
Students will be able to perform:
- Analysis: with critical awareness, can undertake analysis, managing complexity, incompleteness of data or contradictions in the areas of knowledge in the frame of management of production processes in organizations.
- Synthesis: can synthesize new approaches, in a manner that can contribute to the development of methodology or understanding in that discipline or practice.
- Evaluation: has a level of conceptual understanding and critical capacities that allows independent evaluation of research, advanced scholarship and methodologies. Can argue alternative approaches.
- Application: can act independently and with originality in problem solving, is able to lead in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.
Key / Transferable Skills
Students will be able to/for:
- Group working: can lead /work effectively with group. Can clarify task, managing the capacities of group members, negotiating and handling conflict with confidence.
- Learning resources: is able to use full range of learning resources.
- Self evaluation: is reflective on own and others’ functioning in order to improve practice.
- Management of information: can undertake innovative research tasks competently and independently.
- Autonomy: is independent and self-critical as learner; guides and supports the learning of others and can manage own continuing professional development.
- Communication: can communicate complex or contentious information clearly and effectively to specialists / non-specialists, understands lack of understanding in others. Can act as a recognized and effective consultant.
- Problem solving: can continue own professional study independently, can make use of others professionally within / outside the discipline.
Practical Skills
Students will develop:
- Application of skills: can operate in complex and unpredictable / specialized contexts that may be at the forefront of knowledge. Has overview of the issues governing good practice.
- Autonomy in skill use: can act in a professional capacity for self / others, with responsibility and largely autonomously and with initiative in complex and unpredictable situations.
- Technical expertise: has technical mastery, performs smoothly with precision and effectiveness; can adapt skills and design or develop new skills / procedures for new situations.
Readings
Osnovna literatura / Essential sources:
Potočan, V., Lazányi, K., & Nedelko, Z. (2025). Organizations and Industry 4.0 - Management Solutions Beyond Technology. New York: Routledge.
Jeston, J., and Nelis, J. (2018). Business process management - practical guide to successful implementaions. London: Routledge
Slack, N., Alistair, B. J., & Johnston, R. (2013). Operations Management. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Izbrana poglavja iz/Some Chapters from:
Dabić, M., Maley, J.F., Črešnar, R., and Nedelko, Z. (2023). Unappreciated channel of manufacturing productivity under industry 4.0: Leadership values and capabilities. Journal of Business Research 162, 113900. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113900.
Črešnar, R., Dabić, M., Stojčić, N., and Nedelko, Z. (2022). It takes two to tango: technological and non-technological factors of Industry 4.0 implementation in manufacturing firms. Review of Managerial Science. doi: 10.1007/s11846-022-00543-7.Potocan, V., & Nedelko, Z. (2017). Supply chain management and management tools. Harlow: Pearson Education.
Potočan, V., & Nedelko, Z. (Eds.). (2015). Poslovni procesi v organizacijah. Maribor: Samozaložba.
Harmon, P. (2003). Business Process Change: A Manager's Guide to Improving, Redesigning, and Automating Processes. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Additional information on implementation and assessment - Seminar work 60
- Written examination 40
Student passes the exam, when each part of the examination is evaluated as positive.
