Office Space available

NO: 60 Plantation road, unit 33.

104 Square Metres, fully secured with 24 hour security. Parking available on premises

Rental : R8500 excluding VAT including security and insurance

Rates not included

Contact Ebrahim at 0823914540

Atmospheric Water Generation

BLUE WATER (ATMOSPHERIC WATER GENERATION)

Western Cape and other parts of SA are suffering of serious water shortages and our product is ideal to replace conventional municipal water with Blue Water at your home or small business and have uninterrupted water supply 24/7/365.

Our Blue Water Generator technology harvests moisture from the air by drawing air into the Blue Water generator and cooling it, causing the natural moisture in the air to condense.

1.       Household system generate from 70 litres to 580 litres of water per day and we connect it to

the main supply of your house. Clean drinking water and for ablution facilities

2.        Business/Corporates we can generate from 5 000 litres to 1.5million litres of water “per day”

and connect it to buildings. Clean drinking water and for ablution facilities

  

PRICING – Finance available

Inventory No.	Item Description	Purchase Price
BWG-AWG-C70Lt	Blue Water Generator 70Lt Split Unit	R 29,330.00
BWB-J260Lt	Blue Water Bank 260Lt + Pressure Pump	R 6,244.00
BWB-J500Lt	Blue Water Bank 500Lt + Pressure Pump	R 7,098.00
BWG-AWG-C140Lt	Blue Water Generator 140Lt Split Unit	R 45,920.00
BWB-J500Lt	Blue Water Bank 500Lt + Pressure Pump	R 7,098.00
BWB-J750Lt	Blue Water Bank 750Lt + Pressure Pump	R 8,433.60
BWG-AWG-C280Lt	Blue Water Generator 280Lt Split Unit	R 91,840.00
BWB-J750Lt	Blue Water Bank 750Lt + Pressure Pump	R 8,433.60
BWB-J750Lt	Blue Water Bank 750Lt + Pressure Pump	R 8,433.60
BWB-J1000Lt	Blue Water Bank 1000Lt + Pressure Pump	R 9,076.20
BWG-AWG-C560Lt	Blue Water Generator 560Lt Split Unit	R 183,680.00
BWB-J1000Lt	Blue Water Bank 1000Lt + Pressure Pump	R 9,076.20
BWB-J2500Lt	Blue Water Bank 2500Lt + Pressure Pump	R 9,916.20

 Blue Water will provide the same pressure the municipality provides into the existing water network.

Our Blue Water Generator is SANS241 compliant.

Contact Ebrahim Petersen for free consultation on 082 391 4540 or email ebrahim.petersen@bluewater.biz

Projects need to have an orchestrated approach to co-dependent events

Projects involve a series of related events and one event leads to another. At times multiple events are dependent upon other multiple events overlapping in intricate patterns. If all projects did not involve multiple events, they simply would not be projects. They would be single tasks that are laid out in some sequential pattern.

However, projects are more involved, some may be so complex that the only way to understand a possible pattern of interrelated events is to depict them on a chart or to be assisted by specially developed project management software. This will allow the project manager to determine which tasks need to be executed concurrently instead of sequentially.

Effective project management therefore requires the ability to view the project with a holistic perspective. This will allow the project manager and project team to have a better chance of approaching the project in a coordinated fashion, supporting each other at crucial junctions, recognizing where bottle necks and dead ends may occur and staying focused as a team to ensure effective completion of the project.

Scientific techniques of market research

There are various scientific techniques that could be used in marketing research namely: ethnography and photo ethnography.
Ethnography is a field borrowed from anthropology and strives to study people in their natural habitat going about their daily lives. Natural observation of consumers can be more valuable than the pedantic survey, but could be problematic. Consumers might not know exactly why they are buying an item or perhaps give a false reason. Nobody enjoys being followed around and the intrusiveness of the interview will cause a distraction and make the situation a little less natural.
Photo-ethnography attempts to address the intrusiveness issue of ethography. The subject will be given a camera and take photographs concerning the subject matter.
Ethnography is largely described as a methodology instead of a technique and it should also be noted that there are those who do not consider marketing to be scientific as well.


http://www.bubblews.com/news/624988-scientific-techniques-of-market-research

What is sales forecasting, planning and budgeting?

Sales managers should know what they want to achieve, predict what is likely to happen in the future, try to influence what will be achieved and set final targets for the year.
Forecasting
The sales forecast is the starting point for any business action. It is a projection of what the company’s future sales, profits and market share will be if it continues to do what it is doing right now. The sales forecast predicts that certain financial results will be achieved in the coming year.
Planning
Planning determines what actions need to be taken and who will take the action. These plans are designed to achieve a desired goal or set of objectives. The reason for planning is to make things happen and ensure some control over the results. A plan provides direction taking the company to where management wants it to be.
Budgeting
This is simply the sales plan reduced to financial terms. The specified sales budget is the target that must be achieved during the financial year.

http://www.bubblews.com/news/631080-what-is-sales-forecasting-planning-and-budgeting

The Importance of People Management

The Importance of People Management

The specific timeframe element of a project

Projects are temporary undertakings that are different from ongoing programmes as they have a desired beginning and end. Projects can last years or decades such as feeding the world’s hungry or finding a cure for HIVAIDS. However, most of your everyday projects at work may last a few hours to weeks or possibly months.
A project begins with a person or group in authority authorizes its beginning. The initiating party has the authority, the budget and the resources to enable the project to be fully realized. Once project goals are completed, the project ends and is replaced by another one.
The efforts of the stakeholders and the effective use of funds are directed toward the success of the project and completed as scheduled in an appropriated manner. During the project there may be interim due dates in which “deliverables” must be completed. These deliverables could be a report, provision of a service, a prototype, an actual product, a new procedure or any one of a number of forms. Each one of them will ensure that the overall project will be completed on time and within budget.

What is The Big Picture?

What is The Big Picture?

Qualified Personal Assistant Needed

Quick PMS is inviting candidates between the ages of 20 and 35 with graduate qualifications that are unemployed with good sales experience and telephone etiquette. Duties entail listing company on various corporate and government databases, contacting marketing directors to advertize in our national magazine. Candidates should be well groomed and have a pleasant disposition. Must be punctual and dedicated and should be ultimately prepared to advance in the company. Candidate should be innovative, creative and honest. Send CV to the Human Resource Manager as an attachment to quickpms@gmail.com.

The role of the salesperson

An economy needs to be active and unless goods and services are actively marketed none will reach the consumer.  Unless marketing happens individual consumers and industries will remain stagnant and will fall behind in production and technological development.

Sales personnel ensure that these goods and services reach the marketplace where people can see, test and try these products for themselves.  They also ensure that they know their clients well and able to satisfy the needs.

The product becomes quite meaningless unless someone illustrates how it works and what it can do for a prospective client customer.  This adds value to your product and service.  Furthermore, salespeople do not just sell – they inform, advise, educate and offer solutions.  They should become and remain the experts in their field of specialization.

The salesperson is in a unique position to be able to suggest new ways of manufacturing a product, or simply providing a service thus introducing innovations in various industries.  In fact, people are often enriched by the introduction of new products in their lives and sales personnel  is often directly responsible for an increase in the standard of living.

Why investing in property is so popular?

Property can be less volatile than shares or other investments and is considered a fairly low risk investment. Low risk investments are always popular and housing in metropolitan areas is constantly in demand. The real estate investor has a bit more control over the risks as those renting property in which to live who will continue to rent and without a corresponding decrease in rental amounts. The high purchase price is often offset by substantial income and a possible annual return between 4% and 8%.

Rental income can be earned and buyers can benefit from capital growth once your property increases in value over time. Many people like the idea of an investment that could create a source of income in their retirement. Rental housing is one sector that rarely decreases in price, making it a good potential option for long term investments.

If you take out a loan to purchase an investment property the interest on the loan is tax deductable as your investment is a tangible asset. A number of deductions can be claimed on your tax return, such as repairs and maintenance, rates and taxes, insurance, agent’s fees, travel to and from the property to facilitate repairs and building depreciation. Tax deductions may also be claimed as a result of negative gearing where the cost of keeping the investment property exceeds the income gained from it.

There are many benefits when deciding to take out another loan or invest in something else. A good payment history is highly regarded and the property could prove useful as security when taking out another home, car or personal loan.

Real estate has shown to be an excellent source of profit as value increases over time. Upgrades to the improvement and functionality of the property can significantly increase value. Keeping the property interesting to the potential market will at the very least help you retain value.

Investment properties can be purchased at 80% LVR (loan to valuation ratio) or up to 90% LVR with mortgage insurance. This means that the higher leverage capacity results in a higher return for the investor at a lower risk due to having less personal finances tied up in the property as 80% of the purchase price was provided by mortgage.

Although your fixed mortgage will remain constant, inflation that drives up home construction costs will certainly also drive up rentals. Current population growth rates create housing demand, again driving up rent prices if supply cannot keep pace.

Finally, there are opportunities to buy below market, but the other advantages will probably be what the average investor experiences most of the time. If the opportunity arises to purchase a value-priced property, it becomes an immediate way to increase your net worth and the value of your investment portfolio.

　

Toyota Corolla 160 GL

For Sale: 1995 Toyota Corolla, 160 GL, white, manual. Good Condition with alarm, R/T. Lady owner. R45 000. Financing available as a personal loan. Simple application process.

Sang Yong Korando 4x4

For sale: 1998 Sang Yong Korando 2300 4x4, silver, tow bar, CD, 280 000 km for R39 000. Financing available as a personal loan. Simple application process!

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Target marketing focuses on the customer

The customer remains the focus of all business and marketing activity. We hope to develop unique marketing strategies by finding unsatisfied customers and offering them more attractive marketing mixes. We would want to work in less competitive markets with more inelastic demand curves. Finding these attractive opportunities take real knowledge of potential customers and what they want. This means finding those market dimensions that make a difference - in terms of population, income, needs, attitudes and buying behaviour.

Quick Project Management Services: The importance of new ventures

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Why invest in property?

Property is the only true investment class in which it does not take money to make money. To banks, property acquisitions make financial sense, and they lend purchasers money to the tune of billions every year. Banks know, statistically, property is literally as safe as a house - unlike the temporamental stock exchange or the uncertainty of a new or existing business.

Prime Investment Opportunity in Claremont, Cape Town for international investors

Common uses of crude oil in the world today

In order to extract maximum value from crude, it needs to be refined into petroleum products and hence becomes a primary raw material in industries producing the following products:
* Petrol, diesel fuel, jet fuel, bunker fuel and kerosene (paraffin)
* Fertilizers/pesticides
* Plastics/Waxes
* Tar/sulphuric acid/asphalt/petroleum coke (solid fuel)
* Synthetic rubbers
* Cosmetics and perfumes
* Industrial solvents used to clean machinery
* Butane/propane
Alternatively:
In ancient times Native Americans used it as medicine and for thousands of years it was used to coat the bottoms of boats and to coat skins to make them waterproof.

Projects typically funded by a personal loan

A personal loan is essentially intended for personal, family, or household use and which is neither a business long nor a long-term mortgage loan. This lending service is generally provided at a cost, which is referred to as interest on the debt.
With a personal loan, one can cover your short-term financial needs. Be it any ceremony in the family, a surprise gift or a grand vacation, personal loans provide a helping hand. It helps take care of all kinds of expenses in the short term and usually covers travel expenses, holiday expenses, medical expenses, marriage expenses, honeymoon expenses or any other personal expense.
You may also consolidate your debt into one mothly payment and they may also achieve a lower interest rate, which is a distinct benefit. It also tends to increase one's credit rating!

Simple and effective loan processing

Do you need a personal loan in order to consolidate debt or to purchase your dream car? We deliver real results on the best personal loan deal available! For further inquiries call Brendon on 0769241088 or e-mail quickpms@gmail.com

Benefits of a personal loan

Loans are a relatively fast way to obtain funds for a special purpose or project and even large amounts can be borrowed. They are suitable for expensive purchases that require immediate payment, allowing you to spread the cost and manage your short term finances more easily, especially if your loan has a fixed interest rate.
There is also a high level of competition amongst lenders which usually makes it worth investigating whether there is a specialist lender who can provide loans tailored to your specific purpose. Personal loans are often more popular than other sources of finance such as credit cards and overdrafts, because the amount you can borrow is typically greater.

Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa

If the government focuses on transferring equity from one small group to another, its empowerment strategy remains an abstract concept. However, South Africa has yet to use its most valuable economic resource, its people, to generate a robust economy. In order to compete on a global level, we will have to provide all these human resources with adequate training and opportunity. The reality is that White business is already competing on a high level while Blacks must be shown preference in accessing economic facilities. Yet BEE does not exclude whites from the economy: access will not be denied but preferential treatment of Black role players will need to be pursued. Morally, white business should be willing to include the masses at a preferential level.

Black Economic Empowerment, or Broad-Based Economic Empowerment, in its entirety is not solely affirmative action, although employment equity forms part of it. Nor is it a deliberate transfer of wealth from whites to the masses. It should be understood as a growth strategy, targeting the economy’s weakest point: inequality. The economy cannot grow by excluding any part of its people and if the economy is not growing meaningful integration of our citizens cannot take place. Black economic empowerment is an important policy instrument aimed at broadening the economic base of the country further stimulating economic growth and creating employment.

The strategy is broad-based as the government would attempt to situate black economic growth empowerment within the context of a broader national empowerment strategy focused on historically disadvantaged people and particularly black people, woman, youth, the disabled and rural communities.

The policy aims at empowering more black people to own and manage enterprises. These enterprises will be regarded as black owned if 51% of the enterprise is owned by black people and have substantial management control of the business. A substantial change in the racial composition of ownership and management structures and in the skilled occupations of existing and new enterprises is yet to be achieved. Lack of financing for black economic empowerment persists and should be promoted. Rural and local communities will be empowered enabling their access to economic activities, land, infrastructure, ownership and skills. Human resource development of black people, which is severely lacking, should be facilitated through mentorships, learnerships and internships.

There is obviously, a moral imperative driving this transformation to rectify the imbalance created by apartheid. Black people were prevented from legally participating in economic activities while the privilege granted to whites resulted in most of the country’s natural resources being monopolized by the minority. Inevitably, white business should initiate inclusion of Blacks into the economy at a preferential level to compensate for past economic oppression.

If South Africa is to grow its economy, it must provide for the poor and poverty should no longer be linked to Black people. Probably the most compelling reason for BEE is economic growth by empowering the labour force.

Research and Development

Research attempts to develop new knowledge and ideas in order to solve a particular problem or opportunity. Development is the attempt to try to utilize and operationalize the ideas stemming from research.

Creativity in a company

Creativity is the soul of entrepreneurship and is required in spotting the patterns and trends that define an opportunity.  It subsequently becomes imperative in developing innovative business concepts.  The corporate entrepreneur has to be highly creative in getting a sponsor, building and using a network, obtaining management buy-in for the concept forming a team, gathering resources and overcoming the many obstacles that will be thrown into his/her path.

Much of the work on creativity tends to focus on the ability to relate and connect and to put things together in a novel way.  In a business context, creativity is not mere originality.  It is a pragmatic dimension in that creative approaches or solutions must also be useful and actionable in the context of the company and its competition.

There are three components of successful creativity in organizations: expertise, motivation and creative thinking skills.  Expertise is defined as what you know and can do.  Motivation can be primarily a passion or interest or the desire to achieve company rewards and awards.  The individual is solely driven by the challenge and joy of accomplishment.  Creative thinking can be explained as the ways individuals approach problems differently, seeking insights from other fields of endeavour, challenging assumptions etc

Employees should, however, be provided the freedom and access to resources to practice these components.

Where should quality checks take place?

The key tasks for operations managers is to identify the critical points at which the service or process need to be checked to ensure that it will conform to specifications.  These checks may be carried out at the start of the process, during the process and after the process.

At the start of the process the incoming transformed resources could be inspected to ensure that they are to the correct specification.

During the process checks may take place at any stage but there are a number of particularly critical points in the process where inspection might be important:

• Before a particularly costly part of the process
• Before a series of processes during which checking might be difficult
• Immediately after part of the process with a high defective point
• Before a part of a process that might conceal previous defects or problems
• Before a point is reached, after which rectification and recovery might be impossible
• Before potential damage or distress might be caused
• Before a change in functional responsibility

Checks will take place after the process as well to ensure that the service conforms to its specification or that customers are satisfied with service they have received.

Understanding the project environment

The project environment consists of all the factors which may affect the project during its life.  It also determines the setting and circumstances in which the project is executed.

The environment influences the way a project is executed.  The scale, timing and nature of any other projects being carried out by an organization could affect the plans which are drawn up for a new project.  The history of previous projects carried out for a customer might influence how a current project is managed.

The environment is the main determinant of the uncertainty which will be inherent in it.  For example, the political uncertainty in a country might influence the timing and resourcing of the separate activities of the project.

What is method study?

Method study is the part of scientific management which makes a direct contribution to job design.  It is a systematic approach to job design and not solely a set of techniques to be followed by management.  This method study approach involves systematically  following six steps: select the work to be studied; record all the relevant facts of the present method; examine the facts critically and in sequence; develop the most practical, economic and effective method; install the new method and maintain this method by checking it in use.

Operations usually have many hundreds and possibly thousands of discrete jobs and activities which could be subjected to study.  The specific job selected for method study would give the most return on investment of time spent studying it.  It would be unlikely that it will be worth studying activities which may soon be discontinued or are only performed occasionally.  The type of jobs which should be studied as a matter of priority are those which seem to offer the greatest scope for improvement, or which are causing bottle-necks, delays, or  other problems in the operation.

There are different recording techniques used in method study which include recording the sequence of the activities in the job, the time interrelationship of the activities in the job or the path of movement of some part of the job.Recording the present method can give a far greater insight into the job itself and could lead to new ways of doing it.  It is also a good starting point from which to evaluate critically and improve the method.  It would be easier to improve the method by starting from the current method and then criticizing it in detail rather than starting with a blank sheet.

Examining the facts is probably the most important stage in method study and is often done by using the questioning technique.  This technique exposes the reasons behind existing methods in order to detect weaknesses in the rationale and develop alternative methods.  Typical questions would be:  the purpose of each element; the place in which each element is done; the sequence in which the elements are done; the person who does the element and the means by which each element is done.

The next stage is developing the new method.  This involves taking these ideas further in an attempt to eliminate parts of the activity altogether, change the sequence of events so as to improve the efficiency of the job or simplify the activity to reduce the work content.

Installing the new method concerntrates on project managing the installation process rather than examining the reactions of the staff whose jobs and methods are being affected.  The effectiveness of the job designs after they have been installed will need to be monitored regularly.  Although this cannot be viewed as a “continuous improvement” initiative it can be used as an opportunity to rethink and improve methods on a continuous basis.

The importance of new ventures

For all economies to compete in today’s global marketplace successfully, large firms must become more innovative and entrepreneurial.  The overall health of larger companies is however, affected by the performance of thousands of new ventures started by entrepreneurs.

New ventures consistently create more jobs each year than do large companies and are an excellent source of employment for workers with all types of skills.  Although it is often risky, some people are attracted by the excitement of being a part of a new business.

The efforts of those working in new ventures often result in innovative products which enhances the nation’s ability to compete successfully in the global market place.

New ventures can stimulate competition by giving consumers innovative products that encourage companies to improve the quality and reduce the prices of their offerings.  New ventures accelerate the advance and spread of new technology as well. These would naturally improve the population’s standard of living.

A definition of entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a creative act.  It requires perception, drive, tenacity, dedication and hard work to pursue identified economic opportunities.  There is a general acceptance of entrepreneurial risk regarding time, financial resources and psychological well being. 

Entrepreneurship is a process intended to create wealth and accomplished by gathering and managing human, financial, physical and informational resources to pursue a business opportunity with acceptable levels of risk.

Entrepreneurship is manifested once the introduction of new and innovative goods, services or processes into the marketplace occurs.  This inevitably creates opportunities for additional goods, services and processes.

Entrepreneurship is instrumental in the development of any society, however, entrepreneurship needs a society that encourages and supports individual initiative.  Conditions aiding entrepreneurs include readily available investment capital and a cultural acceptance of business people who tend to operate in unconventional manners.

What is your operation’s contribution to the organization’s goals?

The ability of any operation to play a strategic role within the organization can be judged by considering the organizational aims or aspirations of the operations functions.

A Four-Stage Model was developed, by Professors Hayes and Wheelwright of Harvard University, with later contributions from Professor Chase of the University of California, to evaluate the competitive role and contributions of the operations function of any company.  Particularly, black owned companies in South Africa that are in dire need to breach the private sector.  This model traces the progression of the operations function, of  from a largely negative role of Stage 1 operations to the dynamic element of competitive strategy in Stage 4 operations.

In a Stage 1 organization the operation is considered as a “necessary evil” as other functions regard it as holding them back from competing effectively.  The operations function becomes reactive and inward looking and contributes minimally towards competitive success.  The rest of the organization would inevitably not look to operations as the source of any originality, flair or competitive drive.  The operation becomes “internally neutral”, a position it attempts to achieve not by any positive aspirations but by avoiding the bigger mistakes.

Breaking out of Stage 1 begins by comparing itself with similar companies or organizations.  During this stage of progression, the organization may not yet be particularly creative in the way it manages its operations but is attempting to be appropriate, by adopting best practice from its competitors.  Using the best ideas and norms of performance from the rest of its industry is trying to be externally neutral.

Stage 3 operations aspire to be clearly the very best in the market.  Organizations try to achieve this by understanding the company’s competitive or strategic goals and then organize and develop the operation’s resources to excel in the sector that the company needs to compete effectively.  Operation managers will now develop appropriate resources and assuming the role of implementers of strategy.  The operation will soon become internally supportive by providing a credible operations strategy.

A Stage 4 company views the operations function as providing the foundation for its competitive success by focusing on all long term goals.  Likely changes in markets and supply will be forecast and operations-based strategies will be developed to provide the company with the performance required to compete in future market conditions.  It becomes central to strategy making.  Stage 4 operations are creative and proactive and are likely to organize their resources in ways which are innovative and capable of adaptation as markets change.  After all, market leaders tend to be one step ahead of competitors in the way they create products and services and organize their operations.

This Four-Stage Model assesses the performance of the operation compared to the function’s latent aspirations.  As companies move from Stage 1 to Stage 4 there is a progressive shift from its contribution being negative  through to a paradigm shift of strategic contributions.

The roles of the operations function

Any part of your organization will have their own role to play in achieving its success.  At the simplest level the role of each of these functions is reflected in its name.  In an era when operations are continually being outsource, the operations function will need to justify its continued existence within the business.

One role of the operation is to support business strategy.  It must develop its resources to provide the capabilities which are needed to allow the organization to achieve its strategic goals.  All important elements of the operation, its technology, staff and its systems and procedures, must be appropriate for the company’s competitive strategy.  The better the operation is at maintaining its infrastructure, the more support it is giving to the company’s strategy.  A different business strategy would require the operations function to adopt different objectives.

Companies continue to formulate some kind of strategy during its existence but it is the operation which puts it into practice.  Strategies are by no means tangible and all you can see is how the operation behaves in practice.  In essence, the most original and brilliant strategy can be rendered totally ineffective by an inept operations function.

Another role of the operations part of the business is to drive strategy by giving it a long-term competitive edge.  Different functions within the business have different effects on a company’s ability to prosper.  For example, if the finance function does not control cash flow accurately, the business could run out of cash and all business activity would soon cease or have a serious short term effect on business.  Poor marketing management will hamper the company in the medium term.  No amount of efficient financial and marketing management can compensate for poor operations performance though.  Sloppy service, slow delivery, broken promises, too little choice of services or an operations cost base which is too high will prove detrimental to company long term goals.  Any business which makes its services better, faster, on time, in greater variety and less expensively than its competition has the best long term advantage any company could desire.  All the things which promote long term success stems directly or indirectly from the operations function.  In effect, this function becomes the custodian of the organizaton’s competitiveness.  It ultimate role is to do things better and deliver services better than similar operations.

In conclusion, operations must support strategy by developing appropriate objectives and policies for the resources its manages, make strategy happen by translating strategic decisions into operational reality and provide the means to achieve competitive advantage.

The responsibilities of operations managers

Operations managers are responsible for all activities in the organization which contribute to the effective production of a service.

The responsibility of operations management also explores the possible consequences of the actions of the other functions and their impact on the operation.  This becomes an indirect responsibility of the operations manager, namely, to inform other functions of opportunities and constraints provided by the operation’s capabilities.  They will need to discuss with other functions how both operations’ plans and their own plans might be modified for the benefit of both functions.  Other functions will subsequently be encouraged to suggest ways in which the operations function can improve its service to the rest of the organization.

This approach of mutual responsibility for other functions’ activities seem somewhat idealistic underlying what should be good practice in any organization.  However, internal customer-internal supplier relations yield huge benefits in breaking down some of the traditional organizational barriers.

Regarding the direct responsibilities of operations management, the exact nature of these responsibilities depend on the way the organization has chosen its operation function.

When the operations management team attempts to understand what it is trying to achieve two sets of  decisions are involved.  The first is to develop a clear vision of what role the operation is to play in the organization illustrating the operation’s contribution to the organization achieving its long-term goals.Then determine whether these goals have any implications for the organization’s performance objectives.  These performance objectives include the quality of the service, the speed with which they are delivered to the customers, the dependability with which the operation keeps its delivery promises, the flexibility of the operation to change what it does and the cost of producing the service.

Operations management involves hundreds of minute-by-minute decisions throughout the day as well as week.  It becomes imperative for operations managers to have a set of general principles which can guide decision making towards the organization’s longer-term goals called an operations strategy.  This involves placing operations strategy in the general strategy hierarchy of the organization, connecting functional and business strategies together.  Operations performance objectives will need to be prioritized to positively affect customer needs and competitor behaviour.

The design of the service is crucial to an area which is always under the direct responsibility of the operations function which is the transformation process itself.  This process design means designing the whole network of operations which provide inputs to the operations function and deliver its output to customers.

In order for design activities to work effectively they need to be planned and controlled.  This involves the deciding of what the operation’s resources should be doing, then ensuring that they are really doing it.

The strategy has been formulated, the services and processes designed and the work is being planned and controlled on an ongoing basis. The continuing responsibility of the operations manager is to improve the performance of this operation.  Failure to improve at least as fast as competitors or at the rate of the customers’ rising expectations is to allow the operations function to fall short of organization expectations.  Or simply making operations better is stopping them from going wrong in the first place.