Operations Management
Question 1
DEFINE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND DISCUSS ITS ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND THE IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS OF OPERATION PRIORITIES
Introduction:
Every organization is in business because it has products, services and in some cases a combination of the two (i.e. product and service), that it offers customers as a solution to a particular need or want they have. This implies that, the very core business of every organization is to get these products and services readily available to customers, through its operations.
We can therefore conclude that, every single activity that is directly associated with the manufacturing of products or services, from the Input stage of raw materials like (cocoa beans, coffee beans etc) through the Transformational processing stage of decision making and planning using available client information, human resource activity, equipment, facilities and available technology to the finished stage of Output (ie the product/services) is classified as its Operations.
Definition of Operations Management;
Operations Management is defined by (Davis, Aguilano and Chase, 1999, p5 as “Management of the conversion process which transforms inputs such as raw materials and labour into outputs in the forms of finished goods and services” However, this definition focuses on the Operations function which is concerned with the conversion of input into output (e.g. Scanner or Photocopier operations).
In my perspective however, I consider Operations Management as the oversight responsibility towards all the activities that differently affect a manufacturing or transformation process. It involves ensuring that everything is done right every step of the way, from the input or raw material stage; through the transformation or processing stage to the output or finished product/service stage and that the final output is a match and not a mismatch of customer needs and product expectations as well as organizational goals.
DEFINE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND DISCUSS ITS ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND THE IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS OF OPERATION PRIORITIES
Introduction:
Every organization is in business because it has products, services and in some cases a combination of the two (i.e. product and service), that it offers customers as a solution to a particular need or want they have. This implies that, the very core business of every organization is to get these products and services readily available to customers, through its operations.
We can therefore conclude that, every single activity that is directly associated with the manufacturing of products or services, from the Input stage of raw materials like (cocoa beans, coffee beans etc) through the Transformational processing stage of decision making and planning using available client information, human resource activity, equipment, facilities and available technology to the finished stage of Output (ie the product/services) is classified as its Operations.
Definition of Operations Management;
Operations Management is defined by (Davis, Aguilano and Chase, 1999, p5 as “Management of the conversion process which transforms inputs such as raw materials and labour into outputs in the forms of finished goods and services” However, this definition focuses on the Operations function which is concerned with the conversion of input into output (e.g. Scanner or Photocopier operations).
In my perspective however, I consider Operations Management as the oversight responsibility towards all the activities that differently affect a manufacturing or transformation process. It involves ensuring that everything is done right every step of the way, from the input or raw material stage; through the transformation or processing stage to the output or finished product/service stage and that the final output is a match and not a mismatch of customer needs and product expectations as well as organizational goals.