Operations management is one of the best options undertaken in the MBA Programs. It is an umbrella term used by professionals in the corporate world to refer to the actual management of the manner in which firms produce goods and services. It involves all the processes of production, packaging, transportation and delivery of such goods or services produced to customers. It also includes the process of procuring raw materials from competent suppliers to ensure the firm experiences no shortages in the same.

Operations management is one of the most vital departments in an organization. It is the key to any long term performances of a company. Without proper management of a firm’s operations it will definitely fail. It requires more employees than any other department. This is why many business schools have incorporated operations management into their MBA Programs.

Without the necessary skills, the manager may find it hard to oversee the sequential and interrelated activities involved here. The transformation of major components of the whole operation such as information, labor, raw materials and clients may be a hard task to accomplish. A good operations manager must be smart in designing, managing and tracking all these operations. The quality of the end product is what matters most.

How should business schools teach operations management?

A good school of business should give priority to operations. In other MBA Degree options depend on operations. Finance, Accounting, Human Resource management, etc all derive their existence from a firm’s operations. Students are expected to come out of this schools fully equipped with the necessary operation skills that will add value to their future firms.

The focus of these MBA Programs should be on the study of performance of business models as well as the measurement systems. This will aid a student in making proper design and management of such business models during their employment. It is all about laying proper strategies. The major areas covered in operations management include but not limited to:

i. Supply Chain Management

This involves the study of the analysis of corporate purchases, manufacturing processes as well as distribution of the finished products or services. This is seen as the heart bit of any company’s processes. The major purpose of this field of study is to ensure the students are equipped with skills relating to the strategic and systematic management of the dissemination of information and material within a firm. It can also be referred to as the supply network management.

ii. Service Operations

Operations management also covers the area of service provision. The service industry too has a systematic manner in which information flow is to be managed, and acquisition of the necessary materials and services to aid in delivery of the same. For example, the company advocate will require the necessary information about the company to aid him in signing some legal documents on behalf of the company.

iii.Innovation

No specific business model works for all firms. It is therefore during these operations management MBA Programs that a student is taught how to come up with new ideas when the need arises. They are required to think outside the box. Modern technology should be adhered to in order to prevent the firm from becoming obsolete.

iv. Business Environment

The adaptation to the ever-changing business environment is one core component of MBA studies.