Whether it be good, bad or indifferent, operations are primarily judged upon how they perform.
Operations is responsible for efficiently managing tasks and seeking ways to make improvements throughout processes to better meet the objectives and targets set by both the business itself and the needs of its customers.
Managing Operations
Hill (2005) states that “the contribution and value-adding role of operations management is at the heart of most organisations.” In order to successfully manage operations within a business, two distinct but complimentary aspects, Content and Style, should be taken into account. Each of these aspects comprise of two dimensions.
Content
This relates to the tasks and responsibilities that the operations manager is involved in. These may be the internal, day-to-day or operational roles that involve managing a set of tasks and responsibilities within an operation necessary to provide the services or products to be sold i.e. managing capacity or controlling costs. Externally, or in the strategic role, these tasks would involve meeting competitive drivers within the company’s markets for which operations is responsible.
Style
This involves people tasks and how they are handled by the operations manager. Within the internal role, it concerns the management of people within the operations function as well as the people interface between the areas of operations and other functions within the organisation. This is in order to meet staff’s personal needs, the needs of the operations functions and the overall business. Externally, this involves managing the people interface outside of the business at both the supplier and customer ends of the supply chain.
The scope of tasks and the range of managerial skills involved within operational management make it a demanding yet varied and exciting role.
Operations management links strategy to action, requires coordination of functions, and involves managing the largest part of an organisation or business. The majority of assets, costs and resources that are necessary to produce services and goods to be sold come under the remit of operations management.