Linking operations management students directly to the real world

Linking business students in operations management (OM) directly to real-world operations improvement experiences in manufacturing and service organizations resulted in 70 OM student field projects during the academic year 1998–1999 at Indiana University South Bend. The projects helped client organizations to identify strategies to improve quality, flexibility, and speed of operations, streamline processes, enhance customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and improve profits. Students gained valuable professional experience. The supervising faculty member and the institution enhanced their professional and community participation. The shared experiences should stimulate business schools and industries to implement this totally integrative experiential approach to OM course instruction.