Operations Management

A long-time market leader in this discipline, Slack has set the standards in Operations Management which other textbooks seek to emulate. Expert authorship, an engaging writing style, and an interesting collection of cases combine to communicate the importance of managing operations and processes within a successful organisation. Operations Management provides a strategic perspective, whilst also examining the practical issues which organisations face on a day to day basis. It uses over 120 examples from all over the world, reflecting the balance of economic activity between service (c.75%) and manufacturing (c.25%) operations.

Table of Contents:
Part One INTRODUCTION 1. Operations management Introduction What is operations management? Operations management is important in all types of organization The input–transformation–output process The process hierarchy Operations processes have different characteristics The activities of operations management Summary answers to key questions~ Case study: Design house partnerships at Concept Design Services Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 2. Operations performance Introduction Operations performance is vital for any organization The quality objective The speed objective The dependability objective The flexibility objective The cost objective Trade-offs between performance objectives Summary answers to key questions Case study: Operations objectives at the Penang Mutiara Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 3. Operations strategy Introduction What is strategy and what is operations strategy? The ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ perspectives The market requirements and operations resources perspectives The process of operations strategy Summary answers to key questions Case study: Long Ridge Gliding Club Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Part Two DESIGN 4. Process design Introduction What is process design? What effects should process design have? Process types – the volume–variety effect on process design Detailed process design Summary answers to key questions Case study: The Central Evaluation Unit Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 5. The design of products and services Introduction Why is good design so important? The benefits of interactive design Summary answers to key questions Case study: Chatsworth – the adventure playground decision Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 6. Supply network design Introduction The supply network perspective Configuring the supply network The location of capacity Long-term capacity management Summary answers to key questions Case study: Disneyland Resort Paris (abridged) Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Supplement to Chapter 6 – Forecasting Introduction Forecasting – knowing the options In essence forecasting is simple Approaches to forecasting The performance of forecasting models Notes on chapter Selected further reading 7. Layout and flow Introduction What is layout? The basic layout types What type of layout should an operation choose? Detailed design of the layout Summary answers to key questions Case study: Weldon Hand Tools Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 8. Process technology Introduction What is process technology? Understanding process technologies Evaluating process technologies Implementing process technologies Summary answers to key questions Case study: Rochem Ltd Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 9. People, jobs and organization Introduction People in operations Human resource strategy Job design Summary answers to key questions Case study: Service Adhesives tries again Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Supplement to Chapter 9 – Work study Introduction Method study in job design Work measurement in job design Part Three PLANNING AND CONTROL 10. The nature of planning and control Introduction What is planning and control? Supply and demand affect planning and control Planning and control activities Summary answers to key questions Case study: Air traffic control – a world-class juggling act Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 11. Capacity planning and control Introduction What is capacity management? Measuring demand and capacity The alternative capacity plans Choosing a capacity planning and control approach Capacity planning as a queuing problem Summary answers to key questions Case study: Holly Farm Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Supplement to Chapter 11 – Analytical queuing models Introduction Notation Variability Incorporating Little’s law Types of queuing system 12. Inventory planning and control Introduction What is inventory? Why is inventory necessary? Some disadvantages of holding inventory The volume decision – how much to hold The timing decision – when to place an order Inventory analysis and control systems Summary answers to key questions Case study: Trans-European Plastics Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 13. Supply chain planning and control Introduction What is supply chain management? The activities of supply chain management Types of relationships in supply chains Supply chain behaviour Supply chain improvement Summary answers to key questions Case study: Supplying fast fashion Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 14. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) Introduction What is ERP? How did ERP develop? Implementation of ERP systems Summary answers to key questions Case study: Psycho Sports Ltd Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Supplement to Chapter 14 – Materials requirements planning (MRP) Introduction Master production schedule The bill of materials (BOM) Inventory records The MRP netting process MRP capacity checks Summary 15. Lean synchronization Introduction What is lean synchronization? Eliminate waste Lean synchronization applied throughout the supply network Lean synchronization and other approaches Summary answers to key questions Case study: Boys and Boden (B&B) Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 16. Project planning and control Introduction What is a project? Successful project management The project planning and control process Network planning Summary answers to key questions Case study: United Photonics Malaysia Sdn Bhd Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 17. Quality management Introduction What is quality and why is it so important? Diagnosing quality problems Conformance to specification Total quality management (TQM) Summary answers to key questions Case study: Turnround at the Preston plant Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Supplement to Chapter 17 – Statistical process control (rts for attributes Control chart for variables Process control, learning and knowledge Acceptance sampling Sampling plans Summary of supplement Selected further reading Useful web sites Part Four IMPROVEMENT 18. Operations improvement Introduction Why improvement is so important Elements of improvement Approaches to improvement Improvement techniques Summary answers to key questions Case study: Geneva Construction and Risk Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 19. Risk management Introduction What is risk management? Assess the potential causes of and risks from failure Preventing failure occurring Mitigating the effects of failure Recovering from the effects of failure Summary answers to key questions Case study: The Chernobyl failure Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites 20. Organizing for improvement Introduction Why the improvement effort needs organizing Linking improvements to strategy Information for improvement Improvement priorities – what to start on? Improvement culture Building an improvement capability Improvement as learning Implementing improvement Improvement or quality awards Summary answers to key questions Case study: Re-inventing Singapore’s libraries Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites Part Five CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 21. Operations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) Introduction What is corporate social responsibility? How does the wider view of corporate social responsibility influence operations management? How can operations managers analyse CSR issues? Summary answers to key questions Case study: CSR as it is presented Problems and applications Selected further reading Useful web sites