More companies are internationalising their global operations by establishing units throughout the world. New trade agreements demand constant re-examination of the firm’s global network. Yesterday’s brilliant innovation is tomorrow’s old idea. It is not just techniques and technologies that are driving the changes. In this context, you are either ahead of the game or you suffer from a strong competitive disadvantage.
Come face to face with the future of global operations networks
You have probably realised that this new international manufacturing environment requires new management skills to design and operate global supply chains and to manage more effectively new product development. Much of the accumulated wisdom in production management, acquired and tested over decades, is now under critical re-examination. Some of that wisdom is being discarded as either obsolete or no longer trustworthy.
All aspects of operations management have been affected by change: the design and organisation of work on the factory floor, the control of inventories, the relationship with suppliers, order processing systems, the interface with development, safety and environment programmes. Perhaps most fundamentally, the very role global operations play in creating a competitive advantage has been pushed right to the forefront. You must learn to recognise obsolete production rules and philosophies and analyse the application of the new trends and concepts in world-class operations. It is also crucial to establish new and relevant roles for factories and logistic systems in order to globally compete.
Over 10 days, the International Manufacturing Programme (IMP) systematically analyses the changing rules and their implications for operations managers and will ultimately show that correctly managed operations can create a formidable competitive weapon. |
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