The very essence of any business is to cater needs of customer by providing services and goods, and in process create value for customers and solve their problems. Production and operations management talks about applying business organization and management concepts in creation of goods and services.
1.1. PRODUCT
Though many authors define the product with Consumer orientation, it is better for us to deal with different angles, because it will be helpful for us to understand the subject of production and Operation Management.
(i) For a Consumer: The product is a combination of or optimal mix of potential utilities. This is because every consumer expects some use or uses from the product. Hence he/she always identifies the product in terms of the uses. Say for example-Soap can be identified by complexion, cleanliness of body, freshness, fragrance or health.... etc. Because of this, many producers advertise that they are selling health, or they are selling Cine star Complexion or they are selling freshness and so on.
(ii) For a Production Manager: Product is the combination of various surfaces and processes (or operations). This is because the production Manager is solely responsible for producing the product. He has to think of the various surfaces by which the product is made of, so that he can plan for processes by which a particular surface can be made and plan for required capacity of the facility by which the surface is produced. While planning he has to see that the required surface is produced by the best and cheapest method (optimally), so as to make the product to face competition in the market.
(iii) For a Financial Manager: For him the product is a mix of various cost elements as he is responsible for the profitability of the product.
(iv) For a Personnel Manager: For him the product is a mix of various skills, as he is the person who selects and trains the personnel to meet the demand of the skill to produce the product.
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