Week 9:  Operations Management and Supply Chain

1) Define the term operations management 
Operations management is the management of systems or processes that converts or transforms resources into goods and services. 

2) Explain operations management’s role in business 
answers.com states that the roles of operations management is to co-ordinate the activities of all the factors of production namely; labour, land, capital, technology and equipments.

3) Describe the correlation between operations management and information technology
Managers use IT to heavily influence OM decisions, including
- What: What resources will be needed and in what amounts?
- When: when should work be scheduled?- Where: where will the work be performed?- How: How will the work be done?
- Who: who will perform the work?

4) Explain supply chain management and its role in a business 
Supply chain; a network of organisations and facilities that transforms raw materials into the products that are delivered to customers. 

This video may be helpful to understand Supply Chain Management.

5) List and describe the five components of a typical supply chain 

6) Define the relationship between information technology and the supply chain. 
All data is related to demand, shipments, orders, returns and schedules as well as changes in any of these data. I.T's primary role is to create integrations or tight process and information linkages between functions within an organisation. Integrated Systems provide companies with greater visibility over the supply chain inventory levels. Technology advances and significantly improves companies' forecasting and business operations.