All operations use some kind of process technology, and the operation will have chosen to use the technology because it hopes to get some kind of advantage from it.
Over the past decade retailers have turned traditional approaches to logistics and product distribution on their head, as there has been a move to embrace total supply chain management. While many companies have implemented new operational systems, leading retailer ASDA has taken the technology step further, implementing a data warehouse that provides the information to drive the operational systems.
What is process technology?
Process technologies are the machines, equipment and devices which help the operation transform materials and information and customers in order to add value and fulfil the operation¡¯s strategic objectives. Some technology is peripheral to the actual creation of goods and services but plays a key role in facilitating the process that create and delivers the goods and services efficiently. For example, the computer systems which run planning and control activities, accounting systems and stock control systems can be used to help managers and operators control and improve processes.
Management information systems (MISs)
Operation s managers make considerable used of MISs, especially in there planning and control activities. System are concerned with inventory management, the timing and scheduling of activities, demand forecasting, order processing, quality management.
Case and analysis
ASDA warehouse operations strategy
ASDA warehouse operations
Today's ASDA¡¯s warehouses function autonomously, but they must also learn to think universally. This can lead to the development of advanced systems built on the idea of distribution at an enterprise level, connecting multiple sites and supply chains together for a network-centric view. Storage is the core activity of warehousing and it identifies the location where the goods are deposited and held