Business Unit 3 AOS3 - Operations Management

operations management

all activities in which managers engage to produce goods or services.

elements of operations system

inputs —→ processes —→ outputs

efficiency

how well a business uses its resources

effectiveness

the degree to which a business achieves its stated objectives

business competitiveness

the ability of a business to sell goods or services in a market

manufacturing business

produces tangible goods, can be stored for later use, customer not present in production, production and consumption separate, goods are homogenous/standardised, capital intensive, eg. bread, clothing, cars

service business

produces intangible services, cannot be stored, customer involved in production/has to be present, production and consumption typically occur simultaneously, differentiated/tailored to individual customers, labour intensive, eg. haircut, transport, education

Technological Developments

automated production line, robotics, computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), artificial intelligence (AI), online services

inventory

goods and materials held as stock by a business

materials handling

the physical handling of goods in warehouses or distribution points

materials management strategies

forecasting, master production schedule (MPS), materials requirement planning (MRP), inventory control (Just In Time)

quality

the degree of excellence of goods or services and their fitness for a stated purpose

quality management strategies

quality control, quality assurance, total quality management

waste minimisation

reduce, reuse, recycle

lean management strategies

pull, once piece flow, takt, zero defects

corporate social responsibility

a business going above and beyond their legal obligation to the environment and community.

global considerations

global sourcing of outputs, overseas manufacturing, global outsourcing

inputs

resources used in the process of production, including raw materials, machinery, equipment, money and time

processes

involves the conversion of inputs (resources) into outputs (goods/services). At yakult mixing, packaging, quality checking, storing

outputs

the end results of a business’s efforts - the service or product that is delivered or provided to the customer.

automated production line

consists of machinery and equipment arranged in a sequence with components added to the good with each step, this is controlled by a computer

robotics

are a highly specialised form of technology capable of complex tasks, can work for long periods of time, repetitive work, without complaints or demands for higher wages/better working conditions

computer aided design (CAD)

a software tool that allows a business to create product possibilities from a series of input parameters, generates 3D diagrams that can be viewed from multiple angles helping visualise the end product, can design steps taken to make product in shortest amount of time using least material

computer aided manufacturing (CAM)

refers to the use of software and machinery to direct and control the manufacturing/production process, involves machines being programmed by operator and then performing the instructions with speed and precision

artificial intelligence (AI)

refers to the ability of a computer or robot to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, eg. chatbots that conversate and answer questions from customers, facial recognition in airports, grammar and fluency corrections

online services

involves the planned use of digital technologies such as websites, apps and social media to deliver services to customers over the internet. can be use for operations purposes, allows customers to make bookings/appointments, policies information

materials management

manages the use, storage and delivery of materials to ensure the right amount of inputs is available when required in the operations system

forecasting

a materials planning tool that relies on data from the past and present and analysis of trends to attempt to determine future events

master production schedule (MPS)

a plan that describes what is to be produced, in what quantities, how and when. plan is linked to specific delivery dates and contracts for delivery in the future.

materials requirement planning (MRP)

involves developing an itemised list of all materials involved in production to meet the specific orders, completed after the business has a clear understanding of the quantities to be produced and time frame involved

inventory control (Just in Time)

ensures the right amount of material inputs arrive only as they are needed in the operations process, suppliers should be carefully chosen and organised for reliable deliveries, means items don’t remain idle

quality

the degree of excellence of goods or services and their fitness for a stated purpose

quality control (QC)

the use of inspections at various points in the production process to check for problems and defects, a reactive approach detecting faults that have already been produced, product oriented

quality assurance (QA)

involves the use of a system so that a business achieves set standards in production, a proactive approach preventing quality issues before they occur, process oritented

total quality management (TQM)

involves having ongoing, business-wide commitment to excellence that is applied to every aspect of the business’s operation, proactive/holistic process, employee empowerment, customer focus, continuous improvement

employee empowerment

all employees take ownership/responsibility of quality, quality circles -groups of up to 10 meet regularly to solve problems regarding process, design and quality

continuous improvement

an ongoing commitment to achieving perfection, involving constant evaluation and higher standards. Kaizen -japanese for improvement

customer focus

all employees should aim to satisfy internal and external customers. each employee improves product before the next employee in the production process (internal), it is then sold to the customers (external)