Understanding Competitiveness, Strategy, and Productivity

Competitiveness

Effectiveness in meeting customer needs versus competitors.

Process Design

consists of configuring inputs and resources in a way that provides value, enhances quality, and is aligned to the product development.

Marketing Functions

Activities that influence consumer wants and needs.

Operations Strategy

Guiding approach for the operations function.

Mission

Organization's reason for existence and goals.

Goals

provide detail and scope of mission and must elevate what is the next step

Strategies

Plans for achieving organizational goals.

Tactics

Methods to accomplish strategies.

Distinctive Competencies

Unique attributes giving competitive advantage.

Environmental Scanning

Analysis of external threats and opportunities.

external environment scanning

Economic conditions
Market and competitive trends
New or revised laws
Social concerns (health care, childcare, educational priorities)
Technological changes
Demographic trends

Internal environment scanning

is conducted to determine the possible target market and the business competency (employees) in taking advantage of available opportunities.

Order Qualifiers

Minimum standards for product/service acceptability.

Order Winners

Attributes making a product/service superior.

Quality-based Strategies

Focus on maintaining/improving product/service quality.

Time-based Strategies

Emphasis on reducing task completion time.

Productivity

Effective resource use ratio: output to input.

Partial Productivity Measures

Output per single input measure.

Multi-factor Productivity

Output relative to multiple input factors.

Total Productivity Measure

Output compared to all inputs used.

Productivity Growth

Change in productivity over time.

Current Period Production - Previous Period Production / Previous Period Production

formula of Product Growth