This free course, Introduction to operations management, will introduce you to the role of operations management in organisations, and gives you the opportunity to understand what an operations manager does. It looks at how the role might influence the short- and long-term success of the organisation. It is important to develop a clear understanding of the impact of good and bad operations management practice on the performance of an organisation as a whole.

Syllabus

Introduction
Learning outcomes
1 What is the role of operations management?
1 What is the role of operations management?
2 The input–process–output model
2 The input–process–output model
2.1 Extensions to the input–process–output model
2.2 Transformation processes
3 What do operations managers really do?
3 What do operations managers really do?
4 Why is operations management important?
4 Why is operations management important?
4.1 The Hayes and Wheelwright four-stage model
4.2 When operations are not managed well
5 Are you an operations manager?
5 Are you an operations manager?
Conclusion
References
Acknowledgements

Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.8 rating at OpenLearn based on 26 ratings

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Enrique Enriquez @EEnriquez
17

OpenLearn’s Introduction to Operations Management is a concise, high-impact course that delivers exactly what it promises. It introduces core concepts like the input–process–output model, transformation processes, and strategic operations frameworks…

OpenLearn’s Introduction to Operations Management is a concise, high-impact course that delivers exactly what it promises. It introduces core concepts like the input–process–output model, transformation processes, and strategic operations frameworks with clarity and relevance. The Hayes and Wheelwright model is especially useful in showing how operations evolve from basic support to strategic advantage.
The course balances theory with practical examples—from bakeries and libraries to major case studies like Deepwater Horizon—making abstract ideas tangible. It also encourages personal reflection, helping learners recognize their own roles in operations, even outside traditional production environments.
In my opinion, OpenLearn is the best platform for free, quality education. It consistently delivers well-structured content that’s academically sound and professionally applicable. This course fully achieves its stated outcomes: defining OM roles, applying frameworks, analyzing strategy, and highlighting the risks and rewards of operational decisions. Highly recommended for anyone seeking foundational knowledge in business operations.

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