Bus Operations T2

For Essay Exam

Operation Influences

·        globalisation, technology, quality expectations, cost-based competition, government policies, legal regulation, environmental sustainability

·        corporate social responsibility

–        the difference between legal compliance and ethical responsibility

–        environmental sustainability and social responsibility

Operation Processes

·        inputs

–        transformed resources (materials, information, customers)

–        transforming resources (human resources, facilities)

·        transformation processes

–        the influence of volume, variety, variation in demand and visibility (customer contact)

–        sequencing and scheduling – Gantt charts, critical path analysis

–        technology, task design and process layout

–        monitoring, control and improvement

·        outputs

–        customer service

–        warranties

Operation Startergies

        performance objectives – quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, customisation, cost

·        new product or service design and development

·        supply chain management – logistics, e-commerce, global sourcing

·        outsourcing – advantages and disadvantages

·        technology – leading edge, established

·        inventory management – advantages and disadvantages of holding stock, LIFO (last‑in‑first-out), FIFO (first-in-first-out), JIT (just-in-time)

·        quality management (control, assurance, improvement)

·        overcoming resistance to change – financial costs, purchasing new equipment, redundancy payments, retraining, reorganising plant layout, inertia

·        global factors – global sourcing, economies of scale, scanning and learning, research and development

Role of operations management

·        strategic role of operations management – cost leadership, good/service differentiation

·        goods and/or services in different industries

·        interdependence with other key business functions