Contents 1
1 Managing operations 1
The role of operations management 2
The mix of manufactured items and services 2
Misunderstandings of the operations management task 6
Key points review 7
2 Strategic context 9
Functions dominate strategic outcomes 9
Functional strategies vis-a-vis a corporate strategy 9
The reactive role of operations management 11
Markets are inherently different and dynamic whilst operations management is inherently fixed 13
Linking marketing and operations 13
Technical and business specifications 15
Differentiating the task 16
Order-winners and qualifiers 17
Achieving the link 18
The reality of strategic debate 23
Benchmarking 24
Market-or marketing-led？ 25
key points review 25
3 OPerations and design 28
Operations and design 28
Operations management’s responses to supporting product/service range 35
key points review 37
Notes 38
4 The delivery system 39
The transformation process 39
Process choice 40
Process alternatives 41
The reality of process choice 44
The fixed nature of process investments 46
Trade-offs of process choice 47
Products/services and markets 49
Operations 49
Organizational implications 52
Hybrid processes 53
Product/service profiling 59
Issues in service delivery systems 63
Capacity decisions 65
Location 70
Layout 70
Bottlenecks 70
Reviewing delivery systems 72
Operational approaches to improving the delivery system 73
key points review 75
NoteS 76
5 Controlling operations 79
Planning and control systems 79
Aggregate planning 81
Operations control 84
Developments in planning and control systems 90
Shoot-term changes to meet demand fkuctuations 96
Inventory control systems 99
The functions provided by inventories 101
Approaches to controlling inventory 102
key points review 105
Notes 106
6 QUality 108
Concept of quality 108
Quality assurance and quality control 109
Developments concerned with quality 109
Service issues 116
Key points review 118
Notes 119
7 The job of work in the 1990s 120
Managerial philosophies of work 120
Outcomes 122
Traditional approaches 123
Operations management alternatives 126
Key points review 137
Notes 138
Index 141