Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Articles & Books From Geoffrey Parker
The plain language guide to getting things running smoothly in the world of business Operations management is all about efficiency, and Operations Management For Dummies is all about efficiently teaching you what you need to know about this business hot topic. This book tracks typical operations management MBA courses, and it will help you un-muddle concepts like process mapping, bottlenecks, Lean Production, and supply chain management.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-17-2022
In business, operations management is the development, execution, and maintenance of effective processes — whether used continuously for the production and delivery of goods or services or for the one-time execution of a major project. Some mathematical formulas come in handy to keep business operations running as smoothly as possible, from managing inventory to estimating the time and cost of a special project.
Article / Updated 04-10-2017
If, as an operations manager, you’re lucky enough to be in a situation where demand for your product or service exceeds your ability to make the products or deliver the service, then you want to find ways to increase your production so you can sell more. Effective management of your bottleneck, or constraint — resources that limit a process’s output — is a key to productivity and profitability.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
The bullwhip effect exists in all supply chains — it’s the root of the boom and bust cycles that occur in many operations — and it can be devastating if not properly managed. Fortunately, you have ways to manage the bullwhip and minimize its impact. The bullwhip effect is triggered by several different causes.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to building a supply chain. Each company needs to consider its goals and operation management strategy when designing a supply chain. Companies also need to account for the cultural aspects of their suppliers because communication is key to any successful relationship.
Language barriers and the meaning of different phrases can vary across cultures, leading to misunderstandings in directions.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
What skills do you need to be an effective operations manager? Though there’s no single profile for the ideal operations manager, most successful managers do have certain skills and traits. If you’re wondering whether operations management is for you, you may want to ask yourself the following questions. The answers are based on surveying many ops people in many industries.
Article / Updated 09-27-2021
Managing inventory is an important way for a business to manage variations in demand. Inventory can provide a means to manage demand fluctuation so that process capacity and resource utilization are kept steady and used most efficiently.Of course, maintaining an inventory isn't cost-free or risk-free, because inventory represents tied-up cash and storage costs and comes with the risk that the inventory will spoil or become obsolete.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Maintaining inventory is expensive; it diverts resources from other areas of your operations. But not having enough inventory can lead to lost sales and inadequate customer service. Therein lies the rub. Getting too far off the delicate balance of appropriate inventory for your business puts you in dangerous territory.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Creating accurate and useful process maps requires considerable time and resources, but these maps are vital to any meaningful operations management process evaluation and improvement effort. Here’s some advice for creating an accurate process map:
Always ask why. While constructing an initial process map, find out why certain actions are being done.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Inventory management is one of the most difficult tasks in operations because it’s hard to predict actual customer demand. You can approach inventory management in many different ways. The right one for any given situation depends on the specific business environment.
Establishing a cost-efficient inventory management system — a process that determines how much inventory you need and when — requires knowledge of three specific variables:
Customer demand forecast: Because point forecasts (a single estimate for expected demand) are always inaccurate, your forecasts should always include information on expected average demand and a measure of the potential variability in demand.