Free Management Library

Operations Management

Assembled by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD

Operations management focuses on carefully managing the processes to produce and distribute products and services. Usually, small businesses don't talk about "operations management", but they carry out the activities that management schools typically associate with the phrase "operations management." Major, overall activities often include product creation, development, production and distribution. (These activities are also associated with Product and Service Management. However product management is usually in regard to one or more closely related product -- that is, a product line. Operations management is in regard to all operations within the organization.) Related activities include managing purchases, inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics and evaluations. A great deal of focus is on efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, operations management often includes substantial measurement and analysis of internal processes. Ultimately, the nature of how operations management is carried out in an organization depends very much on the nature of products or services in the organization, for example, retail, manufacturing, wholesale, etc.

Sections of This Topic Include:

Purchasing
Control and Coordinating Function of Management
Product and Service Management
Quality Management
Inventory Management
Logistics and Transportation Management
Facilities Management
Configuration Management
Distribution Channels
General Resources
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Procurement (Purchasing) Practices

This topic reviews guidelines for buying various materials from suppliers and vendors -- materials, including computers, services from lawyers, insurance, etc.
Procurement (Purchasing) Practices

Management Control and Coordinating Function

Management control and