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Operations and Technology Management
         - developing leaders who create business value

Operations and Technology Management (OTM) is an MBA specialization that provides students with the decision-making skills and comprehensive knowledge of planning, designing, implementing, managing, evaluating, and improving the processes, resources and information an organization uses to create and deliver products and/or services. Our graduates develop a broad foundation that allows them to master complex and integrated business problems of strategic importance, while focusing on customer satisfaction.

OTM is an interdisciplinary degree well suited for those seeking advanced positions as consultants, analysts, product/service managers, project leaders, business developers, or operations, information technology and supply chain managers - while priming themselves for senior leadership roles in service or manufacturing-based organizations. The OTM degree is administered by the Erdman Center for Operations and Technology Management.

Curriculum

OTM’s flexible curriculum takes a strategic and application-oriented view and provides for both depth and breadth. In addition to required courses in operations management, managerial accounting, decision-making using stochastic models, process improvement, and managing change, electives are offered in logistics/supply chain management, service operations, service/product design, lean production, ERP systems, e-business, systems analysis and design, and other topical areas.

 Students can follow one of two recommended tracks:

• Operations Management
• Information Technology Management

The Operations Management track is geared toward those interested in managing people, material, technology and other tangible resources for the purpose of customer and business value generation, while the IT Management track tends to be of interest to those who focus on information systems and technology needed to develop and execute business and IT strategies that fuel the advance of innovative products, processes and services.

Employment

Recent graduates have assumed positions in strategy and business development, consulting, financial analysis and investment, operations planning, supply chain analysis, logistics planning, product management, business analysis, and enrolled in corporate leadership development programs. A recent study of UW Business graduates showed those with OTM degrees were the highest paid alumni category seven years after graduation.

Organizations that have hired Erdman Center graduates belong to a variety of industries, illustrating the versatility of this degree (see our Alumni page for a full listing):

Healthcare & biotechnology sector
Abbott Labs, Guidant, Novartis, Promega, EPIC Systems, GE Healthcare

Consulting
Accenture, Celerant, Deloitte, ZS Associates, Market Rx

Financial services
Capital One, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, SunTrust Banks

Technology sector
Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Intuit, Sony, i2, Intel, Philips Broadband Networks, Samsung, Schlumberger, CDW Berbee, LG Display

Automotive & equipment
Case New Holland, General Motors, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Deere & Co, Delphi, Johnson Controls, Harley-Davidson, Goodyear

Industrial products
Grainger, Eaton, Sonoco, TRW, JohnsonDiversey

Consumer products
Kimberly-Clark, Spectrum Brands, Sorrento Lactalis, Best Buy, Sara Lee, Sears Holdings