Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Discuss the role of the operations manager in today’s context. Do you agree that operations management is a multi-disciplinary function? Discuss.

Discuss the role of the operations manager in today’s context. Do you agree that operations management is a multi-disciplinary function? Discuss.

Answer. Operations managers are required to take a series of decisions in the production function. Some functions of production manager are listed below:

• New product research and development -- Operations managers are involved in decisions about the logistics of producing the new product, the costs, the skills necessary, the equipment, and the staff training to make it happen.
• Manufacturing and production -- It is here that operations managers will often have the most impact (depending on the type of business). Manufacturing and production processes need constant review and continuous improvement.
• Supply Chain -- Purchasing prices and levels, as well as, storage of raw materials, inventory, and other product components is part of the job of the operations manager. From an operations standpoint, these are all processes that must be reviewed frequently and improved.
• Quality Management -- Tying back once again to customer satisfaction is the level of quality that must be maintained in both the product produced and the environment in which it is produced. (i.e. Happy workers produce better products.) Operations plays a big part in analyzing and improving quality in every facet of the business.
• Sales and Marketing -- Market research and feedback from customers is critical to creating successful marketing programs, as well as for development of new products. By working with marketing, operations can help the company better fulfill customer needs.
• Finance -- Budget information is important for every department of the company. The operations manager may need to be able to provide costs for each phase of the operation in order to prepare proper budgets and forecast accurate profit/loss information. Replacement and repair of capital equipment is also an issue here.
• Human Resources -- Identifying the optimum number of employees for each department, as well as the overall organization of staff and reporting structures can also be part of the operations manager's role.
• Facility Management -- Environmental regulations, waste removal (or elimination of waste from processes), site locations, and employee safety and health are all issues the operations manager may be involved in.

Example Case: Operations manager function at Reprise Media
Reprise Media is a full-service Search Engine Marketing agency headquartered in downtown New York City. The company combines cutting edge search marketing techniques with proven tools and processes, all focused on a singular goal: Building our clients' businesses.

Role: The Operations Manager will help coordinate, traffic and implement Search Engine Marketing campaigns across a variety of search engines and web portals. Candidate will work with cross-functional teams and be expected to handle mid-to-high level accounts. The Operations Manager will oversee the launch process and streamline communication between each department. By working directly with in-house and 3rd party technologies, the Operations department is at the core of the Reprise Media team.

Responsibilities
Production
• Develop a strong rapport with search engine account teams and technology vendors
• Maintain daily contact with vendor-side production managers to implement campaign changes
• Trafficking and quality-assurance of new campaigns
• Create and implement campaign tracking tags
• Reconciliation of vendor invoices, to ensure billing accuracy

Cross-Departmental Contact
• Daily interaction with and support for Media and Client Services teams
• Assist in development and execution of testing across campaign variables
• Troubleshoot potential operational issues throughout campaign cycle
• Develop and implement operational processes to improve workflow between the Operations, Client Services and Media divisions.

Reporting and Analysis
• Generation and assembly of weekly reports
• Assist Media team with ongoing optimization to improve campaign performance
• Support Client Services team with weekly updates on status of all campaigns

Operations management is a multi-disciplinary field that focuses on managing all aspects of an organization's operations. The typical organization consists of the integration of many different functions. The two most obvious functions are to provide the product or service and to sell the product or service. Operations management focuses on the function of providing the product or service. It is concerned with the planning and controlling of all activities necessary for the provision of the firm's product or service. Aspects of operations management, then, include products or services to emphasize; facility size and location with respect to customers and suppliers; marketing strategies to attract clients/custmers; techniques and equipment to use to make the goods or to provide the services; work force management and training; and measurements of quality assurance. Operations managers apply ideas and technologies to increase productivity and reduce costs, improve flexibility to meet rapidly changing customer needs, enhance product quality, and improve customer service.

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