Role of operations management  strategic role of operations management – cost leadership, good/service differentiation  goods and/or services in different industries  interdependence with other key business functions Influences  globalisation, technology, quality expectations, cost-based competition, government policies, legal regulation, environmental sustainability  corporate social responsibility – the difference between legal compliance and ethical responsibility – environmental sustainability and social responsibility Operations processes  inputs – transformed resources (materials, information, customers) – transforming resources (human resources, facilities)  transformation processes – the influence of volume, variety, variation in demand and visibility (customer contact) – sequencing and scheduling – Gantt charts, critical path analysis – technology, task design and process layout – monitoring, control and improvement  outputs – customer service – warranties Operations strategies  performance objectives – quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, customisation, cost  new product or service design and development  supply chain management – logistics, e-commerce, global sourcing  outsourcing – advantages and disadvantages  technology – leading edge, established  inventory management – advantages and disadvantages of holding stock, LIFO (last-in-first-out), FIFO (first-in-first-out), JIT (just-in-time)  quality management – control – assurance – improvement  overcoming resistance to change – financial costs, purchasing new equipment, redundancy payments, retraining, reorganising plant layout, inertia  global factors – global sourcing, economies of scale, scanning and learning, research and development