Operations management is an area of business concerned with the production of goods and services and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of using as little resource as needed and effective in terms of meeting customer requirements. It is concerned with managing the process that converts inputs (in the forms of materials, labour and energy) into outputs (in the form of goods and services).

To perform this function effectively, Operations Managers have a number of responsibilities, for examples:

• Aligning the operation’s strategy to the company strategy – developing a clear vision of how the operations should support the company’s long-term objectives; it also means translating goals into implications for performance objectives in terms of quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost
• Deploying the operations strategy – operations management is often characterised by the need to make decisions both frequently and quickly, so it is necessary to have a framework to guide decision making; that is the role of operations strategy
• Designing the company’s services and processes – in the service sector the product is often a process, the design of which, often, falls into the domain of operations management. In manufacturing sectors processes are designed to prepare a product for market
• Planning and controlling the operation – is the activity of deciding what the operation’s resources should be doing, then making sure they do it and as efficiently as possible
• Improving the performance of operations – continuous improvement is the responsibility of all operations managers with a focus on improving quality and reducing costs

The overall aim of this course is to provide delegates with insights into the role of an operations manager, allow delegates to explore key aspects of operations management and help them improve their impact as an operations manager.