Logistics and Supply Chains The Tasks of Operation Management
Create a process map of an operations system of your choice. You do not need to use, in fact you are discouraged from using, process mapping software. Presentation software such as PowerPoint or Keynote is perfectly adequate. Your process map must be contained within a single side of A4 – landscape formatted. Use the process mapping concepts taught in the course.
Use the concepts, tools, techniques from the course, and apply these to analyse your subject.
Your analysis should identify the main operations problems in your subject.
You should rank the problems in order of importance.
You are to focus on one or two operational problems and make recommendations for
improvement.
Your analysis is expected to focus on material covered in the 2nd half of the course, i.e.
sessions 5, 6, 7 & 8. If you must reapply any material that you used previously in the group work, then the 'bar' is raised. You will have to carry out substantively deeper analysis.
You may use material from other Operations Management subjects (for example from textbook chapters not covered in the course).
Critically, you should search for further reading in the Operations Management journals that enhances your knowledge of the concepts you will apply. If you apply course content thoroughly, then you will likely get a pass. If you can show application of further reading in the peer-reviewed Operations Management journals then you are likely to earn high marks.
There is nothing wrong with common sense, but if all you do in this assignment is apply common sense you will fail. You really need to demonstrate by application that you understand Operations Management.
I will repeat this message- if you submit a generic business management analysis with little to do with Operations Management theories/methods, you will fail.
The typeface to be used for body text is 11 point sans serif, e.g. Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, etc. Use any typeface you like for headings.
Insert additional diagrams, photos, etc. as you see fit. It is up to you to decide on the balance of content.
Your submission is to be limited to 2,500 words. This word limit does not include the process map or references.
The process map should appear early in your document; ideally just after the cover sheet and introduction. The process map should be in landscape format. The remainder of the document should be in portrait format.
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the Professor
Date
Operations Management
Introduction
Operations management is a department of a firm which focuses on controlling as well as designing the production process in addition to redesigning the operations of the company in its production process. In simple words, it involves the process of ensuring that the available resources are used efficiently in order to meet the set goals. It is first and foremost apprehensive with supervising, controlling and planning the process of manufacturing or production in order to meet the requirements of the clients. Also, operations management addresses the whole process of production which is in the system that converts inputs (in energy, labor as well as raw materials form) into outputs( either goods or services) in order to meet the main goals of the enterprise. The department has a role in managing service deliveries as well as ensuring that the products are of satisfying quality. This paper aims at examining how the department of operations management is fruitful for the customers as well as all stakeholders of the firm.
Operations management is concerned with areas such as technology, clients, suppliers, companies, hospitals as well as banking systems in order to ensure that the goals of the company are met. The department is among the major functions in a firm together with human resources, finance, marketing as well as supplying chains. The department requires proper management of daily production of goods as well as services. In managing the productivity of an organization, some decisions have to be made. The decisions include inventory control, planning of production, facilities planning, capacity, quality management, process design, and product design in addition to operations strategy.
The Tasks of Operation Management
The department of operations department can be misunderstood because of its nature of multidisciplinary. On the other hand, its function forms the lynchpin of the organization as well as its success that rests squarely on the shoulders of the company. It is mainly concerned with supervising, organizing and planning in the context of the production of goods or services. As such, the department is well focused in delivering of services, thus ensuring that the organization meets the requirements of its customers. Also, the firms profitably turn inputs into outputs through the efforts of this department. The inputs represent all the raw materials, labor as well as the technology that is invested in the organization.
Logistics and Supply Chains
In answering the queries of what is involved in the operations management department, there are two big terms that we can use: logistics as well as the management of the supply chain. The department has firm foundations in the above two sectors. For instance, in understanding the global trends in managing the supply chain is often critical in order to meet the demands of the customers. Also, the logistics sector is increasingly becoming more important in a period which resources can be in undersized quantity.
Additionally, the expectations of the clients have skyrocketed. An important function of the department relates to how the managers in this department manage stock. Operation management appreciates global and local trends, client’s demands as well as the available resources to be used in the production. It approaches the use of labor as well as the acquisition of resources in a cost-effective manner in order to meet the expectations of the clients. The movement of inventory has to be monitored effectively to ensure that the excess stock is on hand.
Since firms have become more multifaceted in addition to more multinational regarding scope, the premeditated process by which information, goods, and material flow between clients, businesses and suppliers have turned out to be an industry by itself. It is the interest of all stakeholders of the organization to keep the supply chain moving and healthy — however, there many things that can make the activities of the supply chain to slow down or to come to a halt rather. Compared to many aspects in the department of operations management, the term is not well known to many scholars as well as researchers. The management of the supply chain oversees every viewpoint of the services or products of an organization. This is from the production to the sale. Also, this makes a significant aspect in managing as well as knowing how it affects profits, costs, as well as efficiency.
The department has the responsibility of finding vendors who will in turn supply goods at pocket-friendly prices and can deliver the same in time. Operations management is simply the administration of the practices of the company to generate the uppermost level possible within the firm. It addresses the issues of converting all the raw materials into outputs that fit the demand of the clients. The managers in this department try to balance the costs of the production in order to meet the expected profit for the survival of the organization. Operations management is concerned with utilizing resources from the employees, technology, equipment as well as materials. The managers acquire, create as well as supply goods to the customers based on the requirements of the clients and the ability of their organizations.
Responsibilities of Operations Managers
Operations managers have the responsibilities of handling some tactical issues such as determining the size of the production plant, methods of managing the product and employing the arrangement of info know how systems. Other process matters include managing the levels of inventory, including the acquisition of raw materials as well as the levels of work in the progress. The department must also address the issue of maintenance policies, handling of materials as well as controlling the quality levels of their products. Also, the managers have to study how raw materials are being used and ensure that minimal wastage is witnessed. They utilize some formulas like the formula of the quantity of economic order to determine how and when there is a large order to process and the level of the stock on hand in the organization.
Delivery Management
An additional large facet that is involved in the department of operations management is delivering of the goods to clients. This entails ensuring that the goods are delivered to the customers within the time that has been agreed. Additionally, the department typically follows up with the clients to ensure that the products meet functionality as well as quality requirements. As a final point, the department collects feedback from the customers and distributes the received information to every department in order to improve on service delivery to the consumers.
All managers working in the department of operations management are required to understand the various processes that are involved in the production. They are involved in developing as well as coordinating the various processes while at the same time reevaluating the present structures in the company. Productivity, as well as an organiza...