Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 6

Operations Management - Essay Example Operations management is defined by Metters and Maruacheck (2007, p. 210) as the conversion of inputs into outputs, using physical resources in order to provide the desired utility of place, form, state or possession or a combination to the customer while still fulfilling the other organizational goals of efficiency, effectiveness and adaptability. Pilkington, and Meredith (2009, p. 190) further explain that operations management is basically concerned with conversion of inputs using physical resources. Nigel, Chambers and Johnston (2010, p. 3) defined operations management as a process of planning, organizing, controlling and directing the activities of the production function. Pilkington, and Meredith (2009, p. 190) argued that operations management is different from other functions of management such as personnel and marketing. He argued that there are several situations that marketing, personnel or other functions can be classified as operations. He holds that when other managers are involved in the physical distribution of products and services to customers, collection of marketing information or are involved in actual recruitment process qualifies them to be classified under operations management. The exclusion of marketing, human resource and other organization functions from the being classified as operations management is disputed by (Introduction to Operations Management) who offers a definition of operations.

Service quality assessing and profiling of KPMG's organisation Essay

Service quality assessing and profiling of KPMG's organisation - Essay Example Specifically the two models are Lovelock and Wirtz’s Flower of Services Model, and the Molecular Model developed by Shostack. KPMG’s attributes as service company KPMG is a service company. It possesses the characteristics as detailed by Ronen and Pass (2010, p. 845) which are herein applied and discussed. (1) Its products are not physical in nature. KPMG specializes in audit, tax and advisory services as its principal products. It also provides â€Å"industry insight† – that is, the Company guides its clients in addressing the market challenges of their businesses. The services may be physically represented by the audit reports and advisories, but the content and substance, which comprise the service itself, are not physically tangible. (2) There is a large variance among KPMG and its competitors, in terms of customers, service types, service providers and service procedures. Often, audit and advisory providers specialize in a particular industry or busin ess. Furthermore accounting standards allow the accountant some discretion in their choice of accounting procedures, such as depreciation methods (Needles, Powers, & Crosson, 2010). Coupled with these small differences are the larger differences between businesses even in the same industry, which would justify the tailoring of services to that specific customer. (3) Compliance and control are not trivial. The services which KPMG extends to its clientele are of a highly specialized nature. The audit and tax procedures are strictly regulated by law and by the principles laid down by the accounting industry. Persons who serve in these capacities must be accountants duly... The firm that is analyzed in the paper is KPMG, a service company. It possesses the characteristics as detailed by Ronen and Pass which are herein applied and discussed. KPMG specializes in audit, tax and advisory services as its principal products. It also provides â€Å"industry insight† – that is, the Company guides its clients in addressing the market challenges of their businesses. The services may be physically represented by the audit reports and advisories, but the content and substance, which comprise the service itself, are not physically tangible. Often, audit and advisory providers specialize in a particular industry or business. Furthermore accounting standards allow the accountant some discretion in their choice of accounting procedures, such as depreciation methods. Coupled with these small differences are the larger differences between businesses even in the same industry, which would justify the tailoring of services to that specific customer. The servi ces which KPMG extends to its clientele are of a highly specialized nature. The audit and tax procedures are strictly regulated by law and by the principles laid down by the accounting industry. Persons who serve in these capacities must be accountants duly certified by the government, who are sworn to meet the high standards of their profession, failure in which may be penalized by disbarment. Furthermore, the professionals who provide advisory services and industry insights to clients are highly skilled and possess the mandatory qualifications in the technical, market, and business fields.