Final project for operations management

Operation management is termed as an organizations’ core function that exists in all organizations regardless of whether they are profit or not for profit and the services or manufacturing. The company that I have selected is the Apple Corporation because it has emerged as one of the best companies around the globe based on the manner in which it conducts its operations. Apple Corporation is the best-suited company for the explanation of concepts of operations management. Operations management is a function that is responsible for coordinating, planning, and controlling the resources that are used in the production process of a company.

The topic of interest will be the applicability of the concepts that are studied in operation management in the Apple Corporation. Some of the research questions that I expect to answer in the course of the project is in regards to the manner in which the company has been able to prosper through the application of crucial concepts of operations management. The other research question that is likely to be of much concern is; How has operation management brought about the transformation the Apple Corporation? The other research question that I expect to answer in the course of the project is; what are the major types of operations that the company has been engaging in? The concepts that would also be of much interest to the research on operations management in the Apple Inc are the process involved in the company, the manner in which inventory management is conducted, quality standards, and operational improvement initiatives.

The sources that will be of great significance in the research are the scholarly articles and the website of the company. On the company’s website, I will be able to obtain annual reports belonging to the company that is detailed. Government sites will also be a reliable source for obtaining authentic information concerning the company. The topic is of much interest to me because it will teach me on how a big firm like the Apple Corporation has applied the concepts of operations management and emerged to be successful. The applicability of the concept will assist me in future in my career in management.

The operation management is entailed decisions, responsibilities, and activities of management that ensure that manufacturing and distribution of products and services have become a success. The application of the operation management has facilitated for changes in technology and contributed to the increase in efficiency in the market. Operations management has also been crucial in catering for the technological changes and world market demands as well as the strengthening of the relationship with the consumers. The processes that are conducted at the Apple Corporation have been in line with the major concepts that are emphasized in the operations management. The company has automated most of its process making sure that there are loopholes that are available in making the company a success.

Apple Corporation has also streamlined the inventory management of the firm to ensure that it has attained global standards. Inventory management at the firm is using the current technology. The system is centralized in a manner that it serves all the branches belonging to the company regardless of their location. The inventory management systems that are used by the Apple Corporation has been installed in the controls of the company to increase efficiency (Anderson, 2013). The management section of the company has put up controls on the section to regulate the usage of material, processing of orders, and accounting for all operations that take place at the inventory management department.

The quality standards that have been implanted by the company are unique and conducted in accordance with global standards. The company has received an ISO certification on the products that it produces. The company has for years been strict on the quality of the products that they manufacture. Finally, the company has been on the forefront in the implementation of the operational improvement initiatives. These initiatives are mostly targeting the staff of the company. The company is funding the training of the employees in their fields of specialization so as to improve the productivity of the company. The department of the human resources has been tasked offering training to its employees and starting of initiates that will, as a result, improve the operations of the company.

These concepts of the operations management are crucial in addressing most of the problem that is associated with the business. The streamlining of the processes in the company has played a vital role in making sure that most of the processes conducted in the company have contributed to the growth of the company as well as building a strong brand. Most of the multinational have not yet reached the standards that are currently applied by the Apple Incorporation in the processes. The company has made it possible for the automation of the processes as well as employing highly qualified and talented employees to handle the operations at the place of work.

The company is known globally for retaining of employees who are talented in different aspects. The company has also ensured that the employees are compensated properly to avoid high rates of people quitting their jobs. Inventory management has reduced the amount of loss that was experienced especially in the usage of materials in the process of production. The company has also ensured that the systems are audited and updated on regular basis to keep track of the usage and avoid losses. The inventory management is a process that in most cases contributes to making of losses in many companies. The problem of wastage has been eliminated completely. The quality standards have been regulated through making sure that the company has been strict on the Intellectual Property rights.

The company has also made sure that the quality has been consistency and efforts are being made to improve the quality to attain the best recorded in the history. The applicability of the quality standards has solved the problem of counterfeits. The implementation of the operational improvement initiatives is one of the activities that has given an opportunity to the company to continue leading in the industry. The employees feel satisfied with these initiatives since they do encourage them to work extra harder to achieve the best. The initiatives have played an important role in enhancing the policy of the company of becoming the best in the world. Most of the companies have been admiring the manner in which the company has been rising to global standards within a short duration.

The concepts are a reflection of the effective management and efficiency within the company. The application of the concepts of the operation management within the company has shown how the operation management could make a difference in an organization. Additionally, the concepts have reflected how their applicability have made the whole difference in the activities conducted by the organization. The digitalization of the processes of the company has served as a show of increased efficiency within the company.

Similarly, the adoption of the quality standards has shown that the company is efficient because it concentrates with not only the profits obtained but also the quality of product that the consumers are receiving. Additionally, the inventory management has made sure that there is a reduction of the cost of production which was a burden to the company thus increasing the bottom line. Finally, the initiatives improve the operational management has been one of the aspects that have revealed the efficiency of the management because the employees have shown improvement in productivity (Lashinsky, 2012).

Apple is a company that appreciates the use of operations management in ensuring that it manufactures and distributes its products in a successful manner. Apple has been using operation management technology to encourage large alterations as well as high technological demands in the world markets. Apple offers products that are highly competitive and innovative and this has made it become the most successful technology company in the world. The company employs a business operation strategy that focuses on expanding its distribution network in the various countries as well as institutions.

There have been operations concerns in global markets for Apple. The company operates in the United States as well as in the international markets and also in the global markets. These markets have different political and economic issues that raise concerns about the business operation of the company.

The political factors that affect the operations of Apple relate to policy compliance in the various countries, for instance, political instability. Apple operates in different countries that have political issues that result in chaos and instability, therefore, affecting business in a negative way. The company has been trying to adjust its business operations so to ensure that its operations run so as to ensure that customers are happy in the various countries it operates. Further, there are economic factors that that affect the operations of the company, and this includes the changing in the value of the US dollar versus the local currency.

The operation concerns in the global market include compliance and regulation issues. Apple is required to comply with the tax laws in the different countries it operates and also needs to abide by the statutory export regulations. Some countries have strict policies regarding the types of business practices that are allowed, and Apple has been forced to adhere to these restrictions and rules.

Culture and language are another operation concern in the global market. It becomes hard for a company to communicate with clients if they are speaking a different language than the one that the company uses. There are various religions as well as cultures that need to be understood by Apple to ensure that it operates in a smooth manner. These differences in cultures and language have made the company to alter its operation management tactics so as to reach to the different communities. The environmental impact is another concern for Apple in the global markets. Many countries require companies to use recyclable materials, fewer natural resources and other restrictions that pose a challenge to multinational corporations. Apple also faces issues communication and technology concerns where technology sometimes fails to keep up in each sector. The company is forced to use standardized systems so as to ensure that communication with foreign subsidiaries is good.

These operation concerns in the global markets have made Apple consider its operation management tactics and modify them so that it suits in the different countries.

Apple is a company that faces corporate social responsibility issues with regards to quality as well as industry standards. Its customers expect that its products to be of high quality and if it produces goods that are substandard then this discourages customers. The company is expected to tailor products for customers in the various countries but still maintain a high quality of their products. The company has the responsibility of creating products that are in agreement with the preference of customers and still maintain the quality needed.

Apple has been able to have a large customer base due to its ability to produce goods that are unique and standardized such that a customer that buys a certain type of apple phone in any country is the same. This technique has helped the company to overcome quality issues as its products are produced by a qualified team who are dedicated to maintaining the quality of its products.

Apple like other multinational corporations has a corporate social responsibility of maintaining quality and adhering to the industry standards. There have been corporate social responsibility issues faced by the company in regards to quality especially wherein the different regions where it operates. The quality standards are different, and this poses a challenge for the company regarding how to adhere to all of these regulations. The industry standards also keep on changing and the company has to comply with them when they are altered, and this is a challenge to the company as it affects its operations.

Corporate social responsibility calls for companies to show a commitment to the industry standards wherever it works including the desire to reduce the greenhouse gasses and to reduce energy consumption. It calls for the company to abide by all laws. Apple has been committed to establishing strategic philanthropic and community relations activities to help in building lasting relations with communities.

Apple has had to deal with many CSR issues in regards to quality and industry standards where it has been accused of not abiding by these standards. The company has been forced to deal with many cases involving such issues, and this has affected the company negatively. The company does its best to avoid these situations by trying to comply with all of the set standards relating to quality and industry standards. Through operations management, the company has been able to streamline its activities so that they can follow the guidelines that are in place in the United States as well as in other countries (O’Grady, 2009).

References Anderson, M. A. (2013). Operations Management For Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley. Lashinsky, A. (2012). Inside Apple: How America’s most admired-and secretive-company really works. New York: Business Plus. O’Grady, J. D. (2009). Apple Inc. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press.