2008 Handbooks

This unit examines the key issues currently facing all service and manufacturing organisations when creating the products and services. A primary aim of the unit is to illustrate the principles involved in effectively creating a value proposition and how the value transformation process is managed in the organisation and across the value chain. The unit will also examine the strategic contribution that operations management can make to the organisation's long term success. After placing the activities required of the operations manager into a conceptual framework, the practical issues and difficulties in making operations decisions are examined. Included are the areas of product design conversion processes for making goods and services, planning and control, quality management, the impact of e-commerce on operations, supply chain management, benchmarking processes and improvement activities.