Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 9

Operations Management - Essay Example The manner of creating these goods and services is the purview of operations management. As a field of endeavour, operations management â€Å"deals with the design and management of products, processes, services, and supply chains. It considers the acquisition, development, and utilization of resources that firms need to deliver the goods and services their clients want.† (MIT Sloan School of Management, 2009) It may be said that the operations function is the heart and soul of business. It is that organizational activity which actually gives birth to the good or service which is the reason for the firm’s existence. The operations manager stands at the helm of the operations department, and plans, organizes, directs and controls its performance. He determines, in line with the organization’s overall goals, the strategic, tactical, and operational activities undertaken. Strategic issues involve the implementation of long-term goals of the corporation, and are usually decided upon by the corporation’s board of directors, or the owner or proprietor of the small firm. Issues decided by the operations manager that are within the scope of strategic management are those that yield decisions of a relatively permanent nature, and usually require substantial capital outlay. They include determining the size of the manufacturing plants or the capacity of the equipment, as well as their location, deciding which telecommunications networks to have installed, and designing technology supply chains. Should the operations manager make a mistake in planning and implementing strategic issues, it would profoundly compromise the company’s survival. The operations manager also deals with tactical issues the operations manager. These decisions involve the relatively medium-term prospects of the business, and while not as far-ranging as strategic issues, could also entail a substantial loss for the