Operations Management Essay ⋆ Business Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Operations management (OM) is the synergetic group of business activities responsible for developing, implementing, operating, managing, and improving business processes aiming at transforming resources (i.e., inputs) into products and services (outputs). OM is closely related to the process of value creation within a company; therefore, it is essential to success in business. Inputs cover designs, specifications, energy, materials, shop floor workers, management, and more. The transformation is intrinsically related to the nature of the business and can be physical (e.g., manufacturing), the result of an exchange of monetary value (e.g., retail), informational (e.g., an Internet Service Provider), a change in location (e.g., delivery system), and even psychophysiologic (e.g., a movie or healthcare). Naturally, outputs depend on the type of transformation and can vary from goods (e.g., a car) to sensations (e.g., listening to a live concert). Ultimately, OM is about assuring optimum value creation through efficient and effective use of resources to deliver the best products and services.

The roots of OM go as far back as the Industrial Revolution (i.e., the 17th century), when our capacity to produce goods was multiplied by many times, mostly through the introduction of machines. Later, the same machines enabled the so-called scientific management era in the early 20th century to develop. Careful analysis, in-depth study, and precise design made possible the mass production of goods. The large amount of quantitative methods developed to support decision making and problem solving generated a new scientific field—management science. The World War II effort helped make many of these methods more sophisticated and, more importantly, helped create another foundation of modern operations management—computational methods.

The 1980s increased pressure for quality, productivity, and efficiency. Hence, there were large investments in Just-in-Time, Total Quality systems, and reengineering. Environmental issues, globalization of the supply chain and competition, process integration (e.g., enterprise resource planning [ERP]), mass customization, the Basic Research in Computer Science system, and the internet have made OM even more challenging and sophisticated in recent years.

OM covers the core of a firm’s whole value chain from developing products and services to delivering products and services. More specifically, OM incorporates development, production, and delivery of products and services. Operations strategy, forecasting, development of products and services, process management, location and layout, supply chain management, and aggregate planning are all examples of activities under the OM umbrella.

Bibliography:

Christopher W. Craighead and Jack Meredith, “Operations Management Research: Evolution and Alternative Future Paths,” International Journal of Operations and Production Management (v.28/7–8, 2008);
Danreid and N. Sanders, Operations Management: An Integrated Approach (John Wiley & Sons, 2007);
Heizer and C. Render, Operations Management (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008);
P. Ritzman et al., Foundations of Operations Management (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007);
W. Taylor and R. S. Russell, Operations Management: Creating Value Along the Supply Chain (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).

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