Operations management ?

(1)Operations management is an area of business concerned with the production of goods and services, and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of using as little resource as needed, and effective in terms of meeting customer requirements. It is concerned with managing the process that converts inputs (in the forms of materials, lab our and energy) into outputs (in the form of goods and services).

Operations traditionally refers to the production of goods and services separately, although the distinction between these two main types of operations is increasingly difficult to make as manufacturers tend to merge product and service offerings. More generally, Operations Management aims to increase the content of value-added activities in any given process. Fundamentally, these value-adding creative activities should be aligned with market opportunity (see Marketing) for optimal enterprise performance.


(2)Operations management focuses on carefully managing the processes to produce and distribute products and services. Usually, small businesses don't talk about "operations management", but they carry out the activities that management schools typically associate with the phrase "operations management." Major, overall activities often include product creation, development, production and distribution. (These activities are also associated with Product and Service Management. However product management is usually in regard to one or more closely related product -- that is, a product line. Operations management is in regard to all operations within the organization.) Related activities include managing purchases, inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics and evaluations. A great deal of focus is on efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, operations management often includes substantial measurement and analysis of internal processes. Ultimately, the nature of how operations management is carried out in an organization depends very much on the nature of products or services in the organization, for example, retail, manufacturing, wholesale, etc.

This page introduces operational management (including administration, catering, estates, facilities, hotel, linen, medical records and sterile services management).

The work
Managers working in this area have responsibility for the day-to-day organising and coordinating of services and resources, liaising with clinical staff and other professionals, dealing with the public and managing complaints; anticipating and resolving service delivery issues. Operational managers are also required to plan and implement change.

This area of management will include a number of different roles, including:

* administration management
* catering management
* estates management
* facilities management
* hotel management
* linen services and laundry management
* medical records management
* sterile services management