Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operations Management - Essay Example The paper throws light on operations management as â€Å"the conversion of inputs into outputs, using physical resources, so as to provide the desired utility/utilities of form, place, possession or state of a combination thereof to the customer, while meeting the other organizational objectives of effectiveness, efficiency and adaptability†. Production and operations management is also described as providing physical goods or services. Production and operations are often taken interchangeably; in fact all productive activities are classifiable as operations. Operations management mainly â€Å"consists of activities which are concerned with the acquisition of raw materials, their conversion into finished product, and the supply of that finished product to the customer. In the offshore oil exploration industry, Woll noted that the term â€Å"operations management† is used in different ways at all levels of the organization, citing enterprise operations management, offsi te (tank farm) operations management, and remote operations management. While they differ in scope, they all have a common purpose, which is â€Å"to coordinate a predefined set of resources to achieve predefined results†. Specific responsibilities of the operations manager include strategic operation planning, policy setting, budgeting, management of other managers or of the operations department staff, and the control of the operations function. The core responsibilities of operations managers are circumscribed within the activities, tasks and decisions they are required to make. (Slack, et al., 2010). A figure useful for envisioning the production functions in terms of levels of responsibilities of operations management is provided by Roy (2007) in the following diagram: The Production Function: specific responsibilities of the operation manager Source: Roy, 2007, p. 7 In the pre-planning stage, the bulk of the conceptualization concerning the product, the process, the qua ntity to be produced and the particulars of the productions facilities, is accomplished. The planning of the specifics in terms of the logistics, personnel, equipment, and techniques or methods follows, after which the actualization takes place. The execution of the plans requires the control of the processes to assure that the parameters set during the planning process are abided by, or adjusted if warranted. Finally, feedback generated from the control stage provides input to the pre-planning stage for the next cycle, and the series of activities begins anew. Traditionally, production and operations management referred solely to manufacturing concerns, thus the emphasis on physical resources in many definitions. However, in time the conventional definition had taken cognizance of the fact that many service industries employ the same techniques and activities used in production management in manufacturing of tangible goods. Thus, the term had gradually taken on a broader and more c omprehensive meaning, being equally applied to the manufacture of goods as well as the delivery of services. Other than the general responsibilities of operations management, there have recently come to fore some specialized

Brazil Business Process Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Brazil Business Process - Research Paper Example The close relationship is one of the crucial success elements in doing business in Brazil. This paper explores business practices in Brazil, negotiation process and how business etiquette is influenced by the Brazilian culture. Business Practices in Brazil Personal relationships define how Brazilians do business. For someone to do business successfully in Brazil, he or she must first develop the close relationship with a Brazilian within the industry in which he or she wants to operate. The Brazilian contact will then create a link with other important people for the prosperity of the business. Brazilians strongly value family relationships. As such, many Brazilians have the tendency of working for one company. This is because Brazilians prefer to engage in business with those whom they know and trust. Therefore, one must be dedicated to allocating long-term resources, like time and money, in building strong relationships in Brazil in order to create a successful business. Also, in m any cities in Brazil, work begins at 8:30 am and runs up to 5:00 pm. In between, there is usually an hour or two for lunch break. Businesses usually open at 9:00 am to 7:00 pm from Monday to Friday. On Saturday, businesses open at 9:00 am and close at 1:00 pm. However, giant business enterprises may remain open for relatively long hours. In most cases, it is crucial to plan business arrangements two or three weeks prior and authenticate the appointments before and on arrival in Brazil. When scheduling time for the appointments, it is usually advisable to have time allowance between the appointments in case they last longer than expected. Brazilians embrace socializing and passing time with one another. This usually happens during mid-morning tea or coffee breaks and lunch periods. Coffee is usually served before or as meetings progress. Brazilians are usually concerned about dressing, which demands that a person must dress smartly and in a conservative manner (Lee 319). In many case s, Brazilian companies tend to have tall organizational structures. Top executives of the companies make most organizational decisions. Top managerial positions tend to be male-dominated. However, women are currently gaining access to executive roles in some companies. Brazilian business is also influenced by class differences, which is prevalent in both Brazilian societal and business cultures. Economic status and salaries paid to individuals determine the class to which an individual belongs. There are legislations against discrimination and existing class differences in business are faint. Negotiation Process Attitudes and Styles Relationships form a crucial part of negotiation processes in Brazil. Brazilians frequently use distributive as well as contingency bargaining. The buyer is usually perceived to be in a superior position in the negotiation, but both parties (buyer and seller) have the duty to reach a consensus. The main focus is usually on commitments of business partner s and long-term benefits (Jain 420). Competitive negotiation style is a common characteristic of Brazilian negotiations and Brazilians are often insistent negotiators. Proposals should reflect benefits to both parties to a negotiation and none of the negotiating members should manifest intent to win over the other in a negative approach.

Case Study: Boeing Corporation

Case Study: Boeing Corporation Boeing Corporation is one of the largest aircraft companies in the world that supplies its products to customers globally. It supplies top of the line commercial aircraft as well as high technology military aeroplanes to various organisations. The products are the passenger, cargo and military aircraft which have strict safety and performance regulations binding them. The operations of the company are complex and at a huge scale which make management planning an absolute necessity for the company to carry out business in an efficient manner. Management planning comes into play at every level in the companys hierarchy and has a pivotal role in the success that the company has attained. Management Planning is the procedure of earmarking goals and objectives for an organisation to accomplish over a specified period of time. All actions and tasks requiring completion in order to attain the final goal are encompassed in a plan. Plans must have enough flexibility to cater for account variables and unexpected events and avoid the confusion that may arise in a case of unforeseen challenges or troubles. The Boeing Corporation has a number of departments; mechanical department, engineering department, quality checking department and sales department being the major ones. The aspect of planning is of paramount importance in all these departments. In each of these departments, efficiency is achieved by setting goals and outlining the methods to be followed to achieve the set goal. This includes explaining the steps that need to be followed by addressing issues of resources, management etc., finally aimed at achieving the best levels of efficiency The process of management planning undergoes five basic steps. Initially, a situational analysis is carried out. This involves deciding on the various factors and the manner in which they are likely to affect goal attainment and the manner in which these factors will affect the attainment of the goal. This assists the management to understand which steps are vital for goal accomplishment. In the next step alternative goals and plans for it are thought of. Formulation of multiple plans and then comparing them against one another is extremely beneficial, giving the management an insight into the pros and cons of each plan. Subsequently, all alternative plans and goals will be amalgamated into a single plan. The third step involves evaluation of the goals and plans created, and arrive at the benefits and drawbacks of each goal in the overall plan. Simultaneously, the most important steps in the plan can be prioritised, and roles assigned to the staff who the manager thinks are best suited for the job. In the fourth step, on the basis of the input of the first three steps, the management is required to shortlist the final plan to be used. This calls for acute judgment and analysis on the part of the manager to finally decide which plan is to be implemented. The actual implementation of the final plan by the manager is the last step. The manager has an important role in explaining the salient aspects of the plan to all staff involved in its execution, to ensure that all members are aware of the overall plan, and success is assured. In Boeing Corporation, since a large number of departments are involved, the plan of each department needs to be coordinated and synchronised with other departments. In this manner, the entire company is able to function as a well coordinated and oiled machine. Legal issues assume great importance in Boeing Corporation as the products can get the company involved in legal tangles, as human lives and safety aspects are involved. The company, therefore, has to ensure that all legislations and regulations are adhered to in the process of aircraft manufacture. For example, for every aircraft manufactured, an operating manual has to be created for both mechanics and pilots, so that safety aspects are taken care of. The requirement of the manuals has to be kept in mind during planning so that plans are made for dealing with any malfunction or repair issues that may arise in the future (Pritchard MacPherson, 2004). The management planning is influenced by many ethical issues also. When the company is bidding products to the United States Army, the company has the largest ethical issue concern, because they follow the guidelines (Pritchard MacPherson, 2004). The laws have been formulated and followed rigorously to avert the company authorities from unlawfully beguiling the concerned armed forces personnel with pecuniary offerings. So the responsibility lies with the sales and accounts department to consider theses factors while making their bidding plans and sales plans for the company. An individual or an organisations actions that benefit the society more than oneself or the organisation is known as social responsibility. As a corporation, Boeing is also concerned about its corporate social responsibility. As an airlines company, one of the major social responsibility that the company carries out is Research and Development to increase costumers choices and to be able to provide safe and effective service for its costumers. This can be seen in the high safety standards that the company has been maintained by constant research and improvement. Another example of corporate social responsibility was shown by Boeing when a national effort was made to raise finances for funding medical research to find cures for leukaemia affecting children under the leadership of the CEO of Boeing (Besser, 2002). Though this was under the overall stewardship of the CEO, the initiative of a member of the organisation does reflect on the entire organisation itself. Boeing being a large corporation is more focused on its strategic planning, which results in establishing the objectives broad enough for the operation of the company. The strategic planning devised by the company is used while doing business with the Airlines Industry, Community and the Military. An airline manufacturer is always concerned about the reliability and performance of his products (Prichard 2004). So when a company formulates its strategic planning, it helps him to look at the wider range of objects resulting in his production of products which are high in reliability as well as give peak performance. In recent years even the customers have started to demand more environment-friendly products, which could be because of the environment changes, one of the reasons being Globalization. For a large corporation as the Boeing, the main broad objective set by the organisation is the strategic planning. This is the tactical move; the company makes use of while doing business with the Airline Industry, Community or the Military. According to Prichard 2004, for an airline manufacturer, two aspects are the most important; they are the Reliability and the Performance. So to create products of high reliability and to achieve peak performance from it, the most helpful device is the strategic planning. This helps the company to have a broader vision of the environment while helping to formulate strategies. Recently, the customers are more inclined towards the products which are environment-friendly, which may be due to the changes affecting them due to Globalization. So the company had to rework on its strategic plans to satisfy the growing needs of its customers (Gonzalez 2007). Not only this, the company uses tactical planning in each of its departments. Through tactical planning, the company is able to achieve the highest order of efficiency in all its departments. For example, the manufacturing department formulates tactical planning of producing assembly stations within the plant, which facilitates the workers to assemble the aircraft parts efficiently and swiftly. The tactical planning is similar to the operational planning but only differs in dealing with managers at the lowest end of the hierarchical chain. These managers ensure that the non-managerial staff is performing their duties properly. These managers are also concerned with the quality control of the physical operations being done by the company.

Homosexuality in Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde :: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essays

References to Homosexuality in Stevenson's Jekl and Hyde Stevenson's choice of certain words in the novel is extremely pertinent to a homoerotic reading of the text. In some Victorian circles (and most certainly not in others), certain words had very explicit homosexual connotations. The word "homosexual" seems to have come into the English language around 1869, introduced by a Hungarian named Benkert but not generally used by the British until the 1880s. Yet, according to Theo Aronson, there were other words used at that time to identify the love between the same gender. "Homogenic love," "similisexualism," and "Uranism" were apparently among the more common references to homosexuality. Within the novel, however, the word "homosexual" is never used. If it were, perhaps, then such a homoerotic interpretation as this would be redundant. There are, however, certain, rather ambiguous, words that Stevenson uses that have Victorian homosexual connotations. During their walk together, Utterson and Enfield come across the home of Edward Hyde. After relating his story about Hyde, Enfield refers to the place as "Black Mail House" (8). When asked if he ever inquired about the man who lived therein, Enfield replies, "No sir, I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask" (9). Both of these references to Hyde's home are more direct references to Hyde himself, made by a man who, at least publicly, must acknowledge the distinction between himself and the man who lives in Soho. Poole also makes a reference to Hyde's homosexuality: "Then you must know as well as the rest of us that there was something queer about that gentleman - something that gave a man a turn. . . " (57). During the 19th century, of course, homosexuality was acknowledged by heterosexuals (particularly of the upper classes) as an existing activity among the lower classes - an activity that thrived in London's own East End. Those who were thought to be homosexuals were often blackmailed. With the Labouchere Amendment in 1885, homosexuals faced a greater threat of exposure through blackmail. In fact, "the threat of exposure as a sodomite is the basis of more than half of the prosecutions throughout the eighteenth century" ("Jekyll & Hyde," par. 8). Other Victorian writers, like Oscar Wilde, faced this threat, which often damaged their reputations if the affair ever made it to a court. Enfield's reference to "Queer Street" also denotes a homosexual connotation.

Gender Inequality in Workplace Essay

Gender inequality and discrimination in organizations will damage the individual quality of life in relation to Maslow’s analysis of human needs. Especially for higher order need which are needs for social, esteem and self-actualization. Women experience gender inequality in workplace. Although there are many women who earn more than men, the average women earn is still lower than men’s. A study has found that in 1992, the median earnings of a year-round, full-time woman worker was $21,440 and for a man worker it was $30,358. Thus women, on average, make about 71 percent of what men make. Women age 45 or over, on average, have a net worth of 64%of men’s asserts, $282,826 compare to $430,650. On the other hand, when organizations hiring people, many executives have a subconscious that men can do better than women for some particular job. Many women feel that â€Å"if we try to climb the corporate ladder, we bump our heads on a glass ceiling, beyond which we cannot climb. The glass ceiling metaphor for subtle gender discrimination in the corporate world.† In fact, in many people’s pespectives, some jobs are designed as the jobs men should do but women, such as actuary, financial analyst, fin ancial engineer, administrator, professional specialist and so on. It is gender inequality which is unfair. While women are moving into the professions, they are stalled in the lower-paying positions. Because this phenomenon has existed for a very long time, there appeared occupational segregation meaning that women sometimes been considered as somebody who do not fit for any particular jobs. This kind of discrimination has leading an earning gap between men and women. For every dollar a man earned, a women earned, on average, 71 cents according to the Womens Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor. It has been estimated that one-half of the earning gap is due to direct discrimination in the labor market. Thus, women desire more for the need of self-actualization because they believe it will be more harder for them to develop their creativity and problem solving skills, also, harder to reach their goals. What people lack is usually what they need. Women eventually have more need than men for self actualization. Women experience gender inequality in social life as well. Many people still consider women is that group of people who should be in the lower class of  the society. Gender discrimination is still a serious problem. An on-line consultation has ask a question that whether you agree gender inequality should be a highly priority or not. The answer show that 85.6% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that gender inequality should be a priority. Another question was considering the issue if government should increase funding support for women’s organizations working for equality and bring women’s equality into attention of policy maker. The result can be translated into an average of 4.19 (5 in total), which indicates that the respondents generally agreed. For education, on the other hand, is more obvious. In many parents’ subconscious, born a boy is much better than a girl, because they believe boys can be more successful than girls in the future. Depending on those thoughts, parents will let boys to go to school and been educated but leave girls at home to do some bacis housework. For instance, in China, in primary school, girls constitute only 44 percent of primary school enrollment. In secondary school, girls make up 39 percent. At college level and higher, women account for only 26 percent of enrollment. Thus, for the esteem need and social need, women have more on those than men. Women want to have more respect from other people, they want to be identified by their success. On the other hand, because of women’s nature characteristics, they will have more need on sex intimacy as well.

Low-Wage Workers

It is not easy being a low-wage worker. In my case, I am a family man. I have a wife who just stays at home without any source of income and two kids who go to school. Sad to say, I am among the 30 million workers who earn less than $9 an hour. The truth is I do not want to be a low-wage worker but I do not have a choice. I never went to college. What kind of jobs is in store for high-school graduates only? If you want to know the answer, just look at me now. I was hired because I was referred by a friend who used to work for the company I am working for at present. Not that I did not have the qualifications for the job, but nowadays, referrals help a lot. After filling out the standardized bio-data, I was called for interview directly. Drug tests were not required. My employer is Chinese and runs a family business, so most of the higher positions are held by family members except for some employees who have worked their all their lives. The one who interviewed me was the Executive Vice-President of the company who happens to be the wife of the President. She was kind. Not the type I expected to be. She was very calm in asking questions, as if I have known her for a long time. I did not feel very uncomfortable. She encouraged me to speak my thoughts, which was good because I need not worry too much about what to say. Our relationship at present is fairly good. But still my sentiments of a low-paying job with almost no benefits remain to cause me more difficulties in life. I keep on asking myself, â€Å"When will I get out of this dead-end job?† My fellow employees come in two categories: the well-paid workers with benefits and those who are like me with minimal benefits. I am not counting the employed family members because of course, the get good pay. Those who have higher positions usually have graduated from college with good to excellent scholastic record. These are the employees who possess innate, learned, and transferable skills. There was some who just finished high-school but they have special skills which are indispensable in the company. The ones like me are graduates of high-school only, with limited skills and abilities except for some. This is the reason why after working for 10 years in this company, I hardly get a raise. If I or any of my family members get sick, we simply incur debts to be able to attend to our medications. In terms of the working conditions, it is quite disappointing. The warehouses where I work are not well-equipped. They do not even have a decent comfort room. We share lockers, too. Our break room is close to dilapidation so rest periods can be hardly called rest at all. As to breaks, we have 30-minute lunch breaks from 12:00-12:30 then 2 bathroom privileges, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. My employer, I think, is a large corporation because it has seven branches in the country though each establishment is not really as big as other large companies. It has hundreds of employees so maybe it is indeed a big investment. During working hours, we rarely talk with my co-workers. However, we get to discuss some topics while taking our breaks such as our family lives. Usually they are family problems and we can only share them to the people at work to at least ease out a bit. We also chat about current events, latest happenings inside and outside the workplace, entertainment, and just about anything under the sun. Labor unions have declined over the past few years. But at times we talk about it. Generally, my co-workers especially those who have worked for a long time in the company, have always wanted to form a union where we could express our sentiments to our employers. Maybe, this would have improved our status in this company. Nevertheless, no one has really had the guts to lead us. Inasmuch as I wanted to help, I chose to have a job rather than not having one at all. I am scared of being jobless. I am still thankful even if I am only a low-wage worker. Works Cited Hansen, Randall. â€Å"Surviving and Moving Beyond Low-Wage Jobs: Solutions for an Invisible Workforce in America.† Quintessential Careers. 28 June 2007 . Low-Wage Workers It is not easy being a low-wage worker. In my case, I am a family man. I have a wife who just stays at home without any source of income and two kids who go to school. Sad to say, I am among the 30 million workers who earn less than $9 an hour. The truth is I do not want to be a low-wage worker but I do not have a choice. I never went to college. What kind of jobs is in store for high-school graduates only? If you want to know the answer, just look at me now. I was hired because I was referred by a friend who used to work for the company I am working for at present. Not that I did not have the qualifications for the job, but nowadays, referrals help a lot. After filling out the standardized bio-data, I was called for interview directly. Drug tests were not required. My employer is Chinese and runs a family business, so most of the higher positions are held by family members except for some employees who have worked their all their lives. The one who interviewed me was the Executive Vice-President of the company who happens to be the wife of the President. She was kind. Not the type I expected to be. She was very calm in asking questions, as if I have known her for a long time. I did not feel very uncomfortable. She encouraged me to speak my thoughts, which was good because I need not worry too much about what to say. Our relationship at present is fairly good. But still my sentiments of a low-paying job with almost no benefits remain to cause me more difficulties in life. I keep on asking myself, â€Å"When will I get out of this dead-end job?† My fellow employees come in two categories: the well-paid workers with benefits and those who are like me with minimal benefits. I am not counting the employed family members because of course, the get good pay. Those who have higher positions usually have graduated from college with good to excellent scholastic record. These are the employees who possess innate, learned, and transferable skills. There was some who just finished high-school but they have special skills which are indispensable in the company. The ones like me are graduates of high-school only, with limited skills and abilities except for some. This is the reason why after working for 10 years in this company, I hardly get a raise. If I or any of my family members get sick, we simply incur debts to be able to attend to our medications. In terms of the working conditions, it is quite disappointing. The warehouses where I work are not well-equipped. They do not even have a decent comfort room. We share lockers, too. Our break room is close to dilapidation so rest periods can be hardly called rest at all. As to breaks, we have 30-minute lunch breaks from 12:00-12:30 then 2 bathroom privileges, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. My employer, I think, is a large corporation because it has seven branches in the country though each establishment is not really as big as other large companies. It has hundreds of employees so maybe it is indeed a big investment. During working hours, we rarely talk with my co-workers. However, we get to discuss some topics while taking our breaks such as our family lives. Usually they are family problems and we can only share them to the people at work to at least ease out a bit. We also chat about current events, latest happenings inside and outside the workplace, entertainment, and just about anything under the sun. Labor unions have declined over the past few years. But at times we talk about it. Generally, my co-workers especially those who have worked for a long time in the company, have always wanted to form a union where we could express our sentiments to our employers. Maybe, this would have improved our status in this company. Nevertheless, no one has really had the guts to lead us. Inasmuch as I wanted to help, I chose to have a job rather than not having one at all. I am scared of being jobless. I am still thankful even if I am only a low-wage worker. Works Cited Hansen, Randall. â€Å"Surviving and Moving Beyond Low-Wage Jobs: Solutions for an Invisible Workforce in America.† Quintessential Careers. 28 June 2007 .