Course Catalog

Spring 2007

B9877-001: Operations Consulting (Master Class)

W - Full Term, 05:45PM to 09:00PM

Instructor: peter kolesar; garrett van ryzin


This course is a hands-on laboratory in which firm-sponsored, real-world consulting projects are attacked by student teams under the guidance of experienced professors. Students will bid on a pre-selected portfolio of projects in diverse industries and across varied problem types. The course has been designed and is delivered with substantial participation by major consulting firms. Students learn consulting skills and leading edge practices through guest lectures by senior consultants at these firms. At mid course the teams will also present to and be critiqued by the participating consultants. At term end each team presents their action oriented recommendations to senior management at their client organizations. Throughout the term the teams will interact intensely with the client organization and receive frequent support from the professors. The course has had a high project implementation success rate. This course should be of interest to those with career objectives in entrepreneurialism and general management, as well as in general consulting, and of course in operations.


Peter Kolesar

Peter Kolesar

Special Lecturer

Professor Kolesar studies quality management and statistical quality control as well as applications of operations research and statistics, particularly in relation to the management of production and service systems. His recent research includes building models for the analysis and design of service systems with random cyclic customer demand patterns, accelerating the implementation and effectiveness of total quality management systems and optimizing credit-screening procedures. He was awarded the 1975 Lanchester Prize--the highest award in operations research--for work on the logistics of such emergency services as police and fire departments and for contributions to the design of the New York City Fire Department’s Computerized Control System. Kolesar was twice the examiner for the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, and is an associate editor for Interfaces and the Quality Management Journal, and also a consultant to numerous firms and government agencies.

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Garrett van Ryzin

Garrett van Ryzin

Paul M. Montrone Professor of Private Enterprise

Garrett van Ryzin’s research interests include stochastic optimization, pricing and revenue management and supply chain management. His research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and major corporations and he has served as a consultant to several leading companies in the area of pricing and revenue management. He is currently editor in chief of M&SOM and has served as area editor for Operations Research. He is also an associate editor for Management Science and Transportation Science.

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