“Operations" also refers to the production of goods and services, the set of value-added activities that transform inputs into many outputs. Fundamentally, these value-adding creative activities should be aligned with market opportunity for optimal enterprise performance.
Operations Management is the application of the guidelines and tasks set by the company to meet the customers’ standards of satisfaction at the same time upholding the company’s administrative standard of excellent performance.
Basically, Operations Management’s main function is to organize and control the foremost business activity which is supplying goods and services to the customers while maintaining quality products and services.
Organizations
A number of professional organizations have been formed to promote the operations management profession.
Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences [INFORMS] has a subdivision called The Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society [MSOM]. Whose objective is to promote the enhancement and dissemination of knowledge, and the efficiency of industrial practice, related to the operations function in manufacturing and service enterprises.
Another organization, Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), is an international professional organization representing the interests of POM professionals from around the world.
A third organization, The Association for Operations Management (APICS - the acronym comes from the original name: American Production and Inventory Control Society) defines operations management as "the field of study that focuses on the effective planning, scheduling, use and control of a manufacturing or service organization through the study of concepts from design engineering, industrial engineering, management information systems, quality management, production management, inventory management, accounting, and other functions as they affect the organization" (APICS Dictionary, 11th edition).
Origins
Historically, the body of knowledge stemming from industrial engineering formed the basis of the first MBA programs, and is central to operations management as used across diverse business sectors, industry, consulting and non-profit organizations
Copyright 2007 Ismael D. Tabije
Production & Operations Management
Operations management, in essence, is the management of production and services with the overall goal of quality performance. Operations managers are constantly thinking about how they can optimize work flow and resource utilization. A better flow of operations means less cost, increased productivity, and more time to focus on customer needs and planning new projects.
There are many operations management articles on the web available to managers to help them improve and refine their business practices. For more details visit www.change-ur-mind.com. Here are some crucial business areas that operations management articles focus on.
Procurement
Choosing your vendors is an important part of the operations management process because if your suppliers are unreliable, this can cause major delays in your supply chain. There are many operations management articles online that can help you choose your vendors properly to ensure that you receive your consignments on time, at right place, and at the right price.
Manpower
Some operations management articles expound on manpower management. Particularly for large operations, this can be a daunting task. Delegating tasks according to skill level and experience, evaluation, compensation, designing safely policies, and composing a good working atmosphere are just some of the responsibilities of the operations manager.
Production
This aspect of operations management involves decisions on how to utilize your resources efficiently. Production strategy can vary depending on market conditions, and your supply chain can be producing more of one product at one point and more of another product at another point.
Operations management quality control
Learn how to ensure that your company makes no compromises on quality of products and services. Researching on up-to-date operations management articles will help you keep up with the latest in quality standards and quality management techniques. This way you can always compare and contrast your own products and services to what else is out in the market.
Inventory
Managing your inventory properly will increase efficiency and ensure that you are optimizing your resources. Many operations management articles have been written on how to decide on what is a proper base stock which can meet fluctuation in demand. Knowing how to build your inventory level optimally as your company grows is also a valuable skill.
Logistics and transportation
Designing an effective logistics and transportation management strategy is critical in order to ensure that your materials are available at the best price and delivered on time and at the right place. Numerous operations management articles have been written solely on this subject.
Facilities management
Operations managers must also be housekeepers. They need to make sure that all equipment is maintained well and working optimally, and that the premises are well lit and well kept. For more details visit www.positive-idea.com. This will help foster a productive and healthy working environment.
By reading up regularly on these important topics and other aspects of operations management, operations managers can always ensure that they are running an up-to-trend working environment and following the latest practices and procedures. More operations management articles on these topics can be readily found on any operations management website.
Both Ismael D. Tabije & Partho Chatterjee are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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