Operations management

Table of Contents

1. Topic pack - Operations management - introduction
2. Operations Management (OM) - Introduction
3. 5.1 Production methods notes
   1. Production methods
   2. Job production
   3. Batch production
   4. Flow/mass production
   5. Halo Custom Guitars
   6. Summary of production methods
   7. Advantages and disadvantages of production methods
   8. Continuous production
   9. Cost structure of firms
   10. Cell production and teamwork
   11. Cell production - examples and illustrations
   12. Changing the production system
   13. Selecting the most appropriate method of production
   14. Combining methods of production
4. 5.1 Production methods - questions
5. 5.2 Costs and revenues - notes
6. 5.2 Costs and revenues - questions
7. 5.3 Break-even analysis - notes
8. 5.3 Break-even analysis - questions
9. 5.3 Break-even analysis - simulations and activities
10. 5.4 Quality assurance - notes
11. 5.4 Quality assurance - questions and activities
12. 5.5 Location - notes
13. Innovation - notes (HL only)
14. 5.6 Innovation - questions
15. 5.7 Production planning - notes
16. 5.7 Production planning - questions
17. 5.8 Project management - notes (HL only)
18. 5.8 Project management - questions (HL only)
19. Print View

Production methods

We start this module on operations management by looking at the methods used by firms to produce. Different products require different production techniques. As you work through this section, try to think what impact these different production methods will have on the other areas of the firm's activities - such as marketing, human resource management and finance. Production is part of an integrated system and cannot be considered in isolation; it will impact on other areas of business as well as being influenced by these.

The production techniques used by industry can be divided into three main categories.

1. Job production
2. Batch production
3. Flow production

We look at each of these on the following pages.