Production and Operations Management & Work Study Vocabulary

Flashcards covering core terminology, approaches, formulas, work study methods, process chart symbols, and motion economy principles from the POM lectures.

Production and Operation Management

The process of planning, organizing, and supervising the production of goods and services to ensure quality and customer satisfaction.

Planning

A key function of POM involved in determining what to produce, how to produce, and when to produce.

Organizing

A key function of POM focused on allocating resources such as labor, materials, and equipment.

Controlling

A key function of POM dedicated to monitoring and controlling the production process to ensure quality and efficiency.

Supply Chain Management

Managing the flow of goods, services, and information from raw materials to end customers.

Inventory Management

Managing stock of raw materials, semi-finished goods, and finished goods to ensure adequate supply for production and distribution.

Production Management

A subset of operations management directly concerned with shop floor processes transforming raw materials into finished goods or services.

Operations Management

An overarching discipline with a broad scope encompassing all business activities related to delivering goods and services, including production, supply chain, and customer service.

Operation System

A production system that converts or transforms resource inputs into useful goods and services as outputs.

Traditional Approach to OM

An approach perceiving OM as a transformation system converting inputs into outputs, focusing heavily on cost reduction, input cost control, and Breakeven Point analysis.

5 Ps of Operations Management

The five functions carried out during transformation in the traditional approach: Product, Plant, Process, Program, and People.

Modern Approach to OM

A value-driven approach perceiving OM as a system designed to deliver value through four core business processes, assisting in product design, process development, and supply chain management.

Value Formula

The metric defined as $\text{Value} = \frac{\text{Performance}}{\text{Cost}}$, where performance is a function of functionality, quality, speed, timeliness, and flexibility.

Productivity

A fundamental measure of operational efficiency defined as $\text{Productivity} = \frac{\text{Output}}{\text{Input}}$.

Partial Productivity

A productivity measurement comparing output to a single input, such as $\frac{\text{Output}}{\text{Labour}}$, $\frac{\text{Output}}{\text{Materials}}$, or $\frac{\text{Output}}{\text{Capital}}$.

Multifactor Productivity

A productivity measurement comparing output to a combination of inputs, such as $\frac{\text{Output}}{\text{Labour} + \text{Materials} + \text{Capital}}$.

Total Productivity

The comprehensive measure defined as $\text{Total Productivity} = \frac{\text{Goods and Services Produced}}{\text{All inputs used to produce them}}$.

Work Study

A systematic and analytical technique used to evaluate and optimize processes, workflows, and human activities to ensure the best possible use of resources.

Method Study

The systematic recording, analysis, and critical examination of existing and proposed ways of doing work to simplify tasks and reduce costs.

Work Measurement

The component of work study focused on determining the time required to perform a task using standardized methods to establish performance benchmarks.

Six Steps of Method Study

The sequential procedure for conducting method study: Select, Record, Examine, Develop, Install, and Maintain.

Selection Factors for Method Study

The three main considerations evaluated before initiating method study: Economic Factors, Technical Factors, and Human Factors.

Operation Symbol

A process chart symbol represented by a circle, indicating main steps in a process where a part, material, or product is modified or changed.

Transport Symbol

A process chart symbol represented by an arrow, indicating movement of workers, materials, or equipment from place to place.

Inspection Symbol

A process chart symbol represented by a square, indicating visual scrutiny, quality checking, or quantity measurement.

Delay Symbol

A process chart symbol represented by a semi-circle (D-shape), indicating temporary storage or a wait in the sequence of events.

Storage Symbol

A process chart symbol represented by an inverted triangle, indicating controlled or permanent storage where materials are received or issued under authorization.

Outline Process Chart

A process chart showing only the sequence of operations and inspections involved in an assembly or process.

Flow Process Chart

A detailed process chart showing the full sequence of all activities, classified into Material type, Man type, or Equipment type.

Flow Process Chart Productivity Ratio

The productivity metric calculated as $R = \frac{x}{y}$, where $x$ is the number of operations plus inspections, and $y$ is the total number of activities.

Two-Handed Process Chart

A chart recording the side-by-side sequence of activities performed by an operator's left and right hands during a work cycle.

Multiple Activity Chart

A chart (or man-machines chart) showing simultaneous activities of operators and associated machinery on a common time scale.

Cycle Graph

A photographic technique tracing the motion path of a rapid body movement using a continuous light source attached to an operator and captured by a still camera.

Chronocycle Graph

A modified cycle graph using an interrupted light source that creates pear-shaped dots, showing both movement direction (pointed end) and speed (dot spacing).

Primary Questions

The initial critical examination questions analyzing Purpose (What/Why), Place (Where/Why), Sequence (When/Why), Person (Who/Why), and Means (How/Why).

Principles of Motion Economy

Guidelines used to design workstations categorized into rules for human body usage, workplace arrangement, and design of tools and equipment.

Cumulative Trauma

Excessive wear and tear of tendons, muscles, and sensitive nerve tissue at a workstation, which principles of motion economy seek to minimize.