Essential Tools for Operations Management: Tools, Models and Approaches for Managers and Consultants

This book has been driven from an interest in the use of management tools and models published in January 2008 in The Essential Management Toolbox: Tools, Models and Notes for Managers and Consultants. This supplementary book describes a number of examples and shares the author’s practical experience in deploying appropriate management tools and models taken from the Toolbox with a focus on operational management and its activities including related consultancy activities. As an introduction this book comprises fi ve broad and inter -related chapters to the extent that each is a natural progression from the subsequent chapter and yet these too influence the earlier steps. It commences with an examination of the major management topics of strategy, quality and business continuity; all necessary for business performance. Each of the topics of these chapters has been chosen to provide a logical framework to these inter -related management topics within operations management commencing at the strategic level of the organization and moving through to present a tactical focus from managing suppliers and the organization ’s own staff.