Unit 4 · Revision notes
Operations — NCFE Business & Enterprise revision notes
Content area 4 covers operations management. You need to understand the factors behind a decision to outsource — quality, cost, speed and flexibility — and the lean production methods just-in-time, cell production and Kaizen, together with their impact on a business. It also covers quality control and quality assurance, the four production methods (job, batch, flow and mass customisation), and how good customer service is measured, from satisfaction scores and repeat business data to mystery shoppers.
Content area 4: Operations management
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of a business delegating business tasks to another company. For example, Apple outsources production of the iPhone to Foxconn or a…
~1 min readLean production
Lean production is the idea of changing a process to remove inefficiencies (making the best use of time and resources). This means reducing waste while…
~5 min readMaintaining and improving quality
Quality in business is the theory of creating a standard product that at minimum, meets consumer needs. A high quality product will exceed them and a poor…
~2 min readProduction methods
Production is the process involved in making or manufacturing products. A business will add value to raw materials with the aim of making a profit. Job…
~1 min readCustomer Service
Customer service is an internal influence on the business but is covered separately in the specification. Customer Service is any activity conducted by a…
~3 min readThe rest of the course
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