Operations Management

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 Development 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:

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 coordination includes a broad range of activities to ensure that organizational goals are consistently being met in an effective and efficient fashion.
Control Function of Management (includes major activities to ensure goals are being met)
Product and Service Management
As noted above, the major activities involved in product and service