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Operation Management Challenges

Asked on Aug 21 2006 3:50:34:000PM

Q

Hi. I had a question relating to operations management. As the operations manager of a company, what are some of the key challenges you would expect to face and how would you deal with them?

Ali Alkan, Melbourne, Australia
AThis is a very open-ended question and it would be helpful to know what kind of company and what area of "operations".

Operational issues could be design focused (resource and skills availability, number of product/program in process at a time, technology trends, in-house tools, technology and methodology, design partners and outsourced processes, IT infrastructure and environment, etc.).

It could also be production focused (plant facilities such number type location, tooling and machinery types and numbers, capacity, run rates, logistics supply, planning tools and methods, Q/A methods, production yields, etc.)

Too wide a range to just give an off the cuff answer.

Meet the expert

Kenneth B. Amann

Director of Research, CIMdata Inc

A graduate of Georgia Tech, Mr. Amann has 35 years of experience researching and working with Product Lifecycle Management and Product Data Management architectures, as well as developing computer-based engineering applications and document / information management systems. Mr. Amann has held senior positions in PLM marketing, development, and consulting. His experience includes evaluating corporate engineering and manufacturing operations, managing PLM programs, recommending collaborative and concurrent engineering and product information management solutions, implementing PLM solutions, and developing and evaluating requests for proposals. Prior to joining CIMdata, Mr. Amann was the managing director for PricewaterhouseCoopers' Technology Leadership Group, where he conducted research into and evaluated emerging PLM technologies and vendor products based on these technologies.
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