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Operations Management and Operational decisions

Increase Organization Efficiency, 3 ways to optimize Operations System

Operational Aspects of Operations Management
Operations management is concerned with maintaining a steady workflow, whether for producing your products or administration. It requires operational procedures for each activity of your employees. The basic role of operations management in a company is its transformation role in managing the process of converting raw inputs such as raw materials into finished goods and services. The transformation role of operations makes this function an important part of the whole organization. In its transformation role operations management is directly responsible for many decisions and actions that give rise to design and delivery problems. ​​Operations Management is an area of management which is concerned with the management of the operations function of the organization.

Operations management has strategic and operational aspects. Operationally, operations management involves managing processes, resources such as materials, machines, technology, and people to produce products - goods and services - that the marketplace wants. The whole chain of events must be well managed for a business to be competitive and profitable. For example, operational procedures for making your product cover ordering materials and supplies, scheduling labor and maintaining your equipment. Strategically, operations management is concerned with determining operations approaches and capabilities (operations strategies) needed to achieve the desired competitive position of the company as a whole, and operational goals. ​It is concerned with the design, management and improvement of the systems that create the organization's goods and services. Operations management is concerned with the design and implementation of systems of processes that create the organization's gods and provide services.

Operational management encompasses the management functions of planning, organizing/implementing, leading/supervising and controlling the production of goods  and services. The operational management functions include:

  • Planning - Planning includes scheduling production. Scheduling involves setting beginning and end times for each step in the production process, checking the use of resources such as labor, material and machinery so that production moves smoothly. Scheduling ensures work will be finished on time.
  • Organizing - This encompasses the activities that establish structure of tasks, roles and responsibilities, authority.and the flow of information within the operations function. Operations managers determine the activities required to achieve the goals and assign authority and responsibility for carrying them out.
  • Leading - Leading is stimulating high performance by members of the organization. This function is getting members of the organization on board with your plan. Normally, this means connecting with direct reports or teammates on a personal level.
  • Controlling - This refers to the activities that assure the actual performance is in accordance with planned performance with respect to cost, quality, and efficiency. Operations managers exercise control by measuring actual outputs and comparing them to planned operational output. Operational Control involves control over intermediate-term operations and processes but not business strategies. Operational control systems ensure that activities are consistent with established plans. Mid-level management uses operational controls for intermediate-term decisions. 

Operations management is the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. It is concerned with converting materials and labor into goods and services as efficiently as possible to maximize the profit of an organization. The goal of operations management is to maximize efficiency while producing goods and services that effectively fulfill customer needs.​ Operations management involve decisions that may be long-term (strategic), intermediate-term (Tactical), or short-term (day-to-day operational)..

  • Operations Management Decisions
  • Operational Management Decisions
  • Administrative Decisions 
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Operations Management Decisions
Operations management decisions of strategic relevance are concerned with shaping the long-term capabilities of any type of operations and their contribution to the organization's overall strategy. Operations management decisions of strategic relevance can be guided by the following operations'  strategic decision areas:

  1. Location - A company's objective in this strategic decision area is the selection of a location to allow for example, optimum transportation of its products to distribution channels; optimum transportation of material an parts to manufacturing facilities, etc. , Operations management decision makers must give due consideration to the supply chain and how the facility location will receive supplies, the movement of goods and services to customers, and the role of marketing and public relations in the location choice. These decisions involve huge investments, made by the firm, in acquiring building(s), arranging and installing plant and machinery, etc.  
  2. Layout Design and Strategy - This decision area of operations management is concerned with the company's design of its workflows and facilities. Decision makers must give due consideration to, for example, the placement of desks, workstations, and how materials are delivered and used.
  3. Process and Capacity Design - This decision area in operations management is concerned with design strategies which support production goals including technology nd resources. Decision makers must give due consideration to strategies to flexibly increase capacity if the organization has to scale production to match increase in demand. Process technology decisions on how to structure the conversion processes and methods used in execution. A  company's main objective in this area is on how to maintain optimum production process. 
  4. ​Design of Goods and services - This decision area of operations management is applied based on market research, trends and forecasting. The company's objective in this strategic decision as it relates to Operations Management is to support the  strategic positioning of the company's products - goods and services. This includes looking for ways to implement consistency in costs, quality, and resources across business divisions or brands.
  5. Quality Management - Quality management is the systematic control process of keeping an intended level of quality in the goods and services, in which the organization deals. It attempts to prevent defects and make corrective actions (if they find any defects during the quality control process), to ensure that the desired quality is maintained, at reasonable prices. The objective in this area is to maintain Operations Management practices towards the course of maximizing quality of output  and matching the company's brand image with the expectation of consumers. This decision area in Operations management at organizations is applied through quality assurance and control programs. This is the process controlling, measuring and improving the quality of an organization's processes, goods and services.
  6. Human Resources and Job Design -This decision area of operations management is concerned with recruiting good talent and continuous improvement programs and training and institute employee satisfaction programs to achieve success.
  7. Supply Chain Management - This decision area in operations management is concerned with determining the best strategies to streamline be cost effective and to develop trusted partners.
  8. Inventory Management - This decision area of operations management is concerned with planning and strategies for effective inventory control subject to influences of weather, supply shortages, and labor on how an organization maintains its inventory.
  9. Scheduling - This decision area in operations management is concerned with scheduling resources for production and other company activities to ensure efficient and effective achievement of operations goals.
  10. Maintenance -  This strategic operations area guides operations management decisions concerned with maintaining people, machines, processes needed to create and deliver value to customers. These decisions relate to what the organization needs to do to maintain quality and keep resources reliable and stable. Machinery, tools and equipment play a crucial role in the process of production. So, if they are not available at the time of need, due to any reason like downtime or breakage etc. then the entire process will suffer.Hence, it is the responsibility of the operations manager to keep the plant in good condition, as well as keeping the machines and other equipment in the right state, so that the firm can use them in their optimal capacity.

These strategic decisions in operations management can be applied to organizations of any size to guide decisions within important areas related to operations to achieve the general operations strategies. ​



Operational Decisions
Operational management involves the administration of business practices to create the highest level of efficiency possible within an organization. 

Operational management decisions are determinations made in regard to the routine, ongoing activities in the functional areas of an organization. These involve the daily business decisions that are done in high-volume by every business. ​It’s in the nature of operational decisions to be easily repeatable, because one of its primary characteristic is being consistent at following defined rules or guidelines.  Another characteristic is that these decisions should often be made as quickly as possible and sometimes they are made while clients are waiting. While these decisions are often made about customers, they can also involve suppliers, employees and products.

Operational decisions are made within the context of longer-term strategic decisions, so that an organization’s strategy is always supported by its operating decisions. Operational decisions are taken in accordance with strategic and administrative decisions; and are related to the efficient production of goods and services. For example, to reduce cost is a strategic goal which is achieved through operational decision of reducing the number of employees; and how we carry out these reductions will be administrative decision. While these decisions are often made about customers, they can also involve suppliers, employees and products.

Some examples of these decisions include:
​
  1. Which customer orders/jobs to schedule for production - [Production]
  2. Which components and raw materials to buy from suppliers, - [Purchasing]
  3. Which production equipment to schedule for use, [Production Scheduling]
  4. The nature of a marketing campaign - [Marketing]
  5. Where to invest excess funds - [Finance]
  6. Determining how much inventory to keep on hand. [Operations]

In operational decision making, the decision makers have to consider factors such as volume, latency, variability, managing risk, self service and personalized. It’s in the nature of operational decisions to be easily repeatable, because one of its primary characteristic, is being consistent at following defined rules or guidelines. Another characteristic is that these decisions is, they should often be made as quickly as possible and sometimes they are made while clients are waiting. Good operational decisions help eliminate wasteful activities and costly reports. They reduce fraud and prevent fines. They help people in your organization be more productive, and spend their time where it really matters.

Administrative Decisions
Administrative decisions are taken in accordance with strategic and operational decisions; and are related to workings of employees in the organization. Administrative decisions and thinking fleshes out top-level strategic plans and breaks them up actionable chunks for operational decision makers. Administrative decision making is contextual both in terms of the type of decisions a position holder must make as well as how they should be made (style). The type of administrative decision is a function of administrative level, and the style is a function of organizational culture. Administrative decisions are routine decisions which help or facilitate strategic decisions or operational decisions.Administrative decisions may be as mundane as refilling the water cooler, to as stressful as fulfilling a customers order within minutes. 
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