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Module Overview

In this module, you will learn about the processes involved in the production of services, products, and their involved technologies. You will be able to distinguish between the different types of production processes, and to understand the problems in translating a design to a process. An example of translating a design into a process is a construction company converting blueprints into the skeleton of a building. A graphic organizer will be employed to explore process improvement.The planning and control of manufacturing involves the procurement and distribution of resources to production activities. The purpose is to satisfy customers’ demand. Therefore, the goal is to meet those demands at minimum cost, or to maximize profit while fulfilling that demand. Though there are many similarities between organizations, the plan will vary because of differences in each organization’s environment and market conditions. The desire to be more competitive and maximize profits is predictable, and transformation very often becomes computer based and supported.Customer support, improved productivity, lower production costs, risk evaluation, enhanced quality, shorter cycle times, control of bottleneck, and predictability are among the many opportunity areas, and they remain today’s contemporaneous management topics. Improvement in these areas may offer substantial revenue enhancement and economic advantage. To realize these opportunities, production scheduling becomes vital (ISO, 2011).Production scheduling is controlling the allocation of resources, as well as the happenings and practices needed to produce goods and services. The production schedule is adjusted based on resource availability, customer requirements, and system effectiveness. The objective of production scheduling is to operate in the most cost-efficient manner while balancing customer needs with available resources. Typically, and especially in larger operations, resource planning is accomplished through the use of major software packages that coordinate supplies, machines, and the workforce to ensure that production goals are realized and resource constraints are identified and, ideally, minimized. These systems assess customer orders based on urgency, customer significance, and available system capacity. These computer systems can support all aspects of the business, providing information that supports intelligent resource exploitation (Semal, 2005).

International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2011). Manufacturing operations management — Key performance indicators — Part 2: Definitions and descriptions of KPIs. Retrieved from ftp://ftp.nist.gov/pub/mel/michalos/Software/MTConnectCmdSimAgent/doc/ISO-TC184-SC5_N1143_ISO_DIS_22400-2.pdf

Semal, P. (2005). Production and operations management. Retrieved from http://www.poms.ucl.ac.be/etudes/notes/prod2100/cours/Part%201-Intro.pdf

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will meet these learning objectives:

• Assess the types of production systems related to a specific company
• Assess risks related to internal and external stakeholders within an organization

Plan at a Glance

This is the recommended plan for completing the reading assignments and activities within the module. Additional information can be found in the module Reading and Resources section and in the task list.

1. Read the assigned chapter in the textbook and view the assigned videos.
2. Complete the graphic organizer assignment.

Reading and Resources

Required ResourcesTextbook: Operations and Supply Chain Management, Chapter 6

• What is outsourcing, and when is it considered necessary?
• What are the various production processes available, and when should they be used?
• What is the impact of the supplier on production?
• What does the product-process matrix tell us?
• What tools do we have for monitoring production?
• What characteristics should we be monitoring in production processes?

Video: Manufacturing Processes: Hands On to Hands Off (4:56)

• How can the processes in this video be applied to any manufacturing process?
• How do the processes in this video apply to planning?
• What is the most important point related to operations management in this video?

Video: Clothing Manufacturing: U.S. Production Process (6:25)

• How do the processes shown in this video apply to other manufacturing processes?
• What aspects of this video apply to operations management?
• When would planning be an important part of the processes in this video?

For a transcript of the video, click here.Additional Support (Optional)Video: What Type of Graph Do I Choose? (4:41)This video provides an overview of the types of graphs available and the types of data for which they can be used. Different graphs are used depending on the information conveyed. Graphs are used to concisely, accurately, and clearly summarize data. The type of graph to use depends on the type of data being conveyed (such as nominal, discrete, continuous, and ordinal). For a transcript of the video, click here.

4-1 Graphic Organizer: Types of Production Systems

This activity will allow you to create a graphic organizer, which is an important skill in the field of operations management.To complete this assignment, review the Module Four Graphic Organizer Guidelines and Rubric document.

Assignment Guidelines and Rubrics

This is a link to the folder containing the guidelines and grading rubrics for the different assignment types that will be used in this course.