Management: Operations Flashcards
purpose of production management systems
Production management oversees the entire process of transforming raw materials into finished products. It involves planning, organising, and controlling resources to ensure goods are produced efficiently, meeting quality, quantity, and timing requirements at the lowest cost.
features of product development
Product development is the strategic process of transforming an idea into a marketable product.
It involves a series of stages, from initial concept generation to final launch.
The sequence of events covers:
Generate ideas, Evaluate the ideas, Product concept evaluation, Prototype testing, Market testing
launch
This journey requires significant investment, time, and risk. Hence there is an inherent risk associated with product development as there will always be a level of uncertainty about whether resources invested will pay dividends in terms of sales and customer satisfaction.
Features of quality management
Control
Quality control (QC) is a reactive process focused on identifying and rectifying defects in a finished product before it reaches the market. It involves using specific tools and techniques to pinpoint quality issues and implement solutions to prevent future occurrences. Ultimately, QC aims to ensure that the final product consistently meets customer expectations.
Features of quality management
Assurance
Quality Assurance (QA) is a proactive approach to ensuring product quality by preventing defects rather than correcting them after they occur.It involves establishing and maintaining a quality management system that includes clear guidelines, employee training, and process improvement, guaranteeing a product’s quality to consumers. By focusing on preventing issues from the start, QA aims to enhance product quality, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction. By doing things ‘right the first time’
Features of quality management
Improvement
Quality improvement is a systematic approach to continually enhancing an organisation’s processes and outputs. It involves identifying and eliminating waste, rework, and inefficiencies through a cycle of planning, implementation, monitoring, and adjustment. This process often utilises tools like benchmarking and quality circles to analyse performance, drive innovation, and achieve ongoing improvement.
