B. Understanding details. Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text.

1. Increased productivity is an important growth objective.

2. Businesses must accept their social responsibilities.

3. Business profit is the revenue received for selling a product or service.

4. The business should not take risk by entering a new market.

5. To earn a profit, goods and services must meet customer’s demands.

6. Improper management may cause business failure.

7. Calculating opportunity costs is difficult.

Vocabulary tasks

A. Match these words with their definitions:

B. Match the verbs with nouns as they are used in the text:

C. Choose the correct linking word to complete each sentence:

1. Growth is an obvious objective (however / because) business does not stand still.

2. The profit objective plays the major role in business (however / although) survival, growth and social responsibility are important objectives.

3. Business earn a profit (however / because) their goods and services meet customers’ needs and demands.

4. No previous training is required for the job (however / on the contrary) we prefer someone who we can train ourselves.

5. She has the right experience for the job (on the contrary / on the other hand), she does not have the education that would like someone in this position to have.

Talking points

Choose one of these topics and develop it into an essay:

1. Social responsibility.

2. Risk taking.

3. Evaluation of demand.

4. Efficient management.

Unit 3

Definition of Operations Management

Before you read

Discuss the question:

How do you define operations management?

Read the text. What does it say about the question above?

There are three points in the definition which deserve emphasis:

1. Function. Operations managers are responsible for managing those department or functions that produce goods and services. These departments, however, often have different name in different industries. In manufacturing companies, the operations function may be called the manufacturing, production, or operations department. In service organizations, the operations function might be called the operations departments, or it may be given some other name peculiar to the particular industry. In general, the generic term “operations” is used to refer to the function which produces goods or services in any organization. Treating operations management in this manner, as an organizational function, puts it on a similar footing with other business functions such as marketing and finance.

2. System. The above definition refers to transformation systems which produce goods and services. The systems view provides not only a common ground for defining service and manufacturing operations as transformation system but also a powerful basis for design and analysis of operations. Using the system view we consider operations managers as managers of the conversion process in the firm.

The systems view of operations also provides insights for the design and management of productive systems in functional areas outside the operations function. For example, a sales office within a marketing function may be viewed as a productive system with inputs, transformation, and outputs. The same is true for an accounts payable office and for data entry operations within a data processing center. In terms of the systems view, operations management concepts have applicability beyond the functional area of operations.

3. Decisions. Finally, the above definition refers to decision making as an important element of operations management. Since all managers make decisions, it is natural to focus on decision making as a central theme in operations. This decision focus provides a basis for dividing operations into parts based on major decision types. We identify the five major decision responsibilities of operations management as quality, process, capacity, inventory, and work force.

Reading tasks

A. Understanding main points. Answer these questions:

1. What is the function of operations management?

2. How does the system view consider operations managers?

3. What does the systems view provide?

4. Why is it important to focus on decision making?

5. What are the major decision responsibilities of operations managers?

Vocabulary tasks

A. Match the adjectives in column A to the nouns in column B as they occur in the text:

B. Complete these sentences with a preposition from the box:

1. They are responsible _________ producing the supply of products in a manufacturing business.

2. This term refers _________ the function which produces goods or services.

3. The effective use __________ computers is an essential part of the operations management field.

4. Management will focus _________ creating a positive work environment.

5. This definition is still accepted _________ many people today.

6. Some people disagree __________ this definition of the role of management.

7. Good managers need not be geniuses but must bring character _______ the job.

Role play

1. Choose a company or business organization.

2. Introduce yourself; say who you work for, what your position is in the organization and how long you have worked for it.

3. Give the following information:

a) what kind of business organization it is;

b) its main business activities;

c) location of its head office;

d) turnover, profits, size of work-force.

Unit 4

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 1164