Students should consider the following throughout this section of the specification:
- how developments in technology are affecting decision making and activities in operations (eg more online businesses, better links with customers, suppliers, inventory control, automation and robotics)
- ethical and environmental influences on operations decisions
- market conditions and competition
- how decisions in operations improve the competitiveness of a business
- the interrelationship between operational decisions and other functions.
3.4.1 Setting operational objectives
3.4.2 Analysing operational performance
3.4.3 Making operational decisions to improve performance: increasing efficiency and productivity
3.4.4 Making operational decisions to improve performance: improving quality
3.4.5 Making operational decisions to improve performance: managing inventory and supply chains