The role of operations management

Posted by Winnie Melda on November 19th, 2018

Operations efficiency

Operational efficiency refers to the capability of an enterprise to deliver services and products to its customers in the most cost-effective manner while ensuring high quality of its services and products. It focuses on getting the maximum output with the minimum input. Efficiency involves attaining the production objectives and goals with the least cost or the least amount of resources utilized (Longoni, 2014).

Operational effectiveness

Operational effectiveness involves achieving the production goals and target regarding volume and also regarding meeting the standards of quality and the production duration (Jacobs & Chase 2013). Operational effectiveness normally focuses on the output and achieving the goal.

Operations strategy

Operations strategy is a plan of the company of how the business will operate so as to achieve a set of goals. The company strategizes how its operations will produce the maximum output for the best results needed. The operational strategy tends to be a functional policy overseen by decisions taken at the top of the organizational hierarchy (Longoni, 2014). The operations manager normally plan for ways and means of achieving the goals and for a project to be complete, there are several strategies involved including the acquisition of raw materials, inventory management, product development, and distribution strategies.

Operations sustainability

Operation sustainability is evaluating whether the business can maintain the existing practices without putting potential future resources at risk (Jacobs & Chase 2013). It can mean the maintenance of the overall effectiveness and efficiency of operations. It is necessary for the company to be able to continue with filling up the demand for services and goods with the least possible resources.

Concept of quality

Quality refers to the totality of the features and characteristics of a service or product that bear the ability to satisfy the stated or implied needs. In my organization, we ensure quality through meeting the needs of the customers in a manner that exceeds the customer’s expectations. Customers usually want products that do not have any defects; thus, the organization normally focuses on producing defect-free products and services, which means high-quality products. The high-quality of the company focuses on improving the customer satisfaction through the incremental and continuous improvement to processes (Jacobs & Chase 2013). In my organization, the company tends to train all the workers at all levels to look for ways of improving quality and ameliorating problems. There is a training program in the company that normally focuses on the quality issues for employees in their first day on the job. During the training, the workers have to learn the history of the company through the lens of quality. Workers learn what the quality goals of the company are and how to ensure quality. In my organization, quality involves a look at the business from the customer’s perspective and not our perspective (Jacobs & Chase 2013). Thus, employees should look at the organization processes from the outside-in. by understanding the lifecycle of the customer’s processes and needs, it is possible for us to discover what they are feeling and seeing. Thus, using the knowledge, it is possible for employees to identify areas to add significant value or improvement from the customer’s perspective.

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a measure of quality that tends to strive for near perfection. It is a data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating the defects in any process from manufacturing to the transaction and from product to service (Bhote, 2002). Six Sigma is a method useful in improving the business processes through utilizing statistical analysis instead of guesswork. Organizations tend to implement this approach so as to achieve soft and hard money saving while also increasing customer satisfaction.

The key objective of six sigma method is the implementation of a measurement-based strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction by applying six sigma improvement projects. There are two six sigma processes that include Six Sigma DMAIC and Six Sigma DMADV. The Six Sigma DMAIC is a process that, defines, measure, analyze, improve, and control the existing process falling below the six sigma specifications (Bhote, 2002). The Six Sigma DMADV defines, measures analyzes, designs, and verifies the new products or processes that try to achieve Six Sigma quality.

Six Sigma normally offer the ability to look at data and interpreting it analytically. It helps in the maximization of the workforce and the minimization of waste (Bhote, 2002). The benefits of Six Sigma include cycle-time improvement, 50% process cost reduction, fewer waste materials, more reliable services and products, increased customer satisfaction, and a better understanding of the customer requirements.

Defects are a cause for variations in the outcomes of processes. The objective of Six Sigma is using the business improvement methodology to make the process as constant as possible.  In my organization, the staff embraces Six Sigma customer-focused, data-driven philosophy and tend to apply it to everything that we do (Bhote, 2002). When we are pitching out a new product, the company normally implement tools used to drive own defects, improve the quality and profits; thus, profitability and morale.

Reference

Bhote, K (2002). The Ultimate Six Sigma. AMACOM

Jacobs, R & Chase, B. (2013). Operations and supply management: the core, 3e. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Longoni, A (2014). Sustainable operations strategies. Springer Publishing

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in research paper writing help 24 hours if you need a similar paper you can place your order for essay writing services.