Question 1: Contrast project management with operations management. How do these differences impact the approach required to manage a project successfully? (15 points) Answer 1: Projects are temporary endeavors with a beginning and an end and are initiated to solve a particular need of the organization. Operations, on the other hand, are the activities associated with the ongoing business of the company for as long as the company is in existence. While both activities use the organization 's resources and require planning to achieve the objectives, operations activities are repetitive in nature versus project activities which are unique to the particular endeavor. The approach required to manage each differs due to the nature of the activities. While projects can be similar in some instances, no two projects are ever the same. For this reason, management of projects requires the application of tools and techniques to meet the goals of the temporary endeavor. Project managers apply these tools and techniques to determine what is required for project delivery such as the list of activities to completed, the time required to complete the activities, resources needed and the various risks associated with the deliverable and efforts. A multitude of tools and techniques are employed by the project manager based on the need of the effort to organize, identify and communicate the various aspects of the project. While in contrast, the repetitive nature of operations activities
This is to ensure that the necessary raw materials and physical resources are available at each stage, and that the workforce on site has the right skills for the scheduled work. The project management team will need to produce a series of planning documents that can be accessed throughout the project. Each member of the project management team must know their role and responsibilities, including which sections of the workforce they will be directly managing.
Operations management refers to all levels of an organisation and how best to efficiently convene, fund, maintain and maximise its services and/or operations, both internal and external. The core goal/objective of operations management it to maximise outputs while reducing and minimising the inputs required to achieve the desired results.
‘Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements’ (Project Management Institute, 2009, p12). Once a project has been approved a project manager is assigned to the project, and ‘is expected to integrate all aspects of the project, ensure that the proper knowledge and resources are available when they are needed, and ensure that the results are produced in a timely, cost-effective manner’ (Meredith and Mantel, 2010, p5). In order to allow this to happen there are several key aspects of a project which need to be carefully thought out and controlled.
Operations Management focuses on the design and management of products, processes, services and supply chains (Diemond, 2014). It considers the acquisition, development, and utilization of resources that firms need to deliver the goods and services their clients want (Diemond 2014). Operations Management consists of many topics which are applied on a daily basis at the company I work for. Some of the topics include process control, lean manufacturing, six sigma, and supply chain management. It is the process that controls how inputs (raw materials, labor, and energy) get converted into outputs (finished goods or services).
Operations Management in an organisation is repsonsible for managing and in making decisions concerning the activities that convert inputs into outputs , that is goods and services. This covers both short term actvities as well as longer term activities to meet strategic goals. Inputs can be the raw materaials need to manufacture goods such as furniture or the computers needed to create a service like online shopping site. Operation management’s role is to make decisions to improve how operation activities function, for example, to improve the final quality of the output or to change production methods to be more efficient in terms of cost and in time.
1. Discuss the principal reasons why project management has become such a popular business tool in recent years.
Formulate risk-management plan for project, including work health and safety (WHS), changing roles and responsibilities in project team; negotiating an extension of deadline, or redefining completion or quantity or quality of outcomes; outsourcing some aspects of the project; reducing cost; researching and applying more efficient methods for completing projects tasks; seeking further resources to meet deadline; sharing ideas to gain improvements to work undertaken in the project.
1. It has been said that forecasting using exponential smoothing is like driving a car by looking in the rear-view mirror. What are the conditions that would have to exist for driving a car that are analogous to the assumptions made when using exponential smoothing?
Operations management focuses on managing the processes of producing and distributing products and services. Operations activities often include product creation, development, production and distribution. It deals with all operations within the organization. Related activities include managing purchases, inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics and evaluations. 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.
The Project Manager has some tasks that have to be carried out, he/she is responsible for the full project. The Project Manager has to make the best use of all the resources so the project can be completed successfully. The project Manager sets the boundaries for the project, such as schedules and what is done and when it has to be completed.
People can say that operations management has existed since man start to produced goods and services to meet their needs and necessities. Although, the origin of operations may be come from ancient civilizations, their major evolution in history is practically refers to the last 250 years. Therefore, the story is presented in accordance with the most important contributions or primitive impulses and not strictly chronological terms. There are several important areas that have contributed to the evolution and development of operation management.
This paper intends to define operations management and analyze an ethics decision made by operations managers in the workplace or in a known organization.
It involves planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling all the resources needed to produce a company’s goods and services. Because operations management is a management function, it involves managing people, equipment, technology, information, and all the other resources needed in the production of goods and services . The Transformation Role of Operations Management We say that operations management performs a transformation role in the process of converting inputs such as raw materials into finished goods and services. These inputs include human resources, such as workers, staff, and managers; facilities and processes, such as buildings and equipment; they also include materials, technology, and information. In the traditional transformation model outputs are the goods and services a company
Project management has been defined as the process that involves the application of different processes, methods, knowledge, experience and skills for purposes of achieving the objectives of the project. On the other hand, a project is always defined as a unique and a transient endeavor that is undertaken to achieve an organization’s planned goals that could be defined on the basis of outputs and benefits. The process of managing a project entails the development of an effective project plan, a process that entails the definition as well as the confirmation of the project goals and objectives. The plan also gives a clear outline of how the project objectives will be achieved, identification of the tasks as well as the quantification of all the needed resources. The plan also plays an important role in developing an appropriate budget for the project as well as the most appropriate timeline that will be taken to complete the project being carried out.
In a world growing more dynamic and challenging, individuals and institutions seek new ways to adapt to the changing times. One specific solution in this sense is represented by project management. The concept is often associated with the business community, where the projects are business related, but its application in real life is far wider. Particularly, project management is an integrant part of how we organize our personal and professional actions and it impacts every aspect of our lives.