Introduction
Operations management is an area that deals in managing the processes involved in production and distribution of goods and services. This means that it deals with management of business processes. It can also be defined as the field concerned with managing and directing the physical and technical functions of a firm or organization. The firm or the organization must be relating to development, production, and manufacturing (Weiss & Gershon 19).
Operational management is involved with many activities some of which are product and service management. The product and service management activities include creation of the product, development, production and product distribution. Other activities are purchase inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics and evaluation of processes.
The main purpose of operational management is to ensure that these business processes and activities are carried out efficiently and effectively. Operation management is therefore concerned with the internal processes of a business. However, the nature of how operational management works in an organization depends on the product and services that the organization deals with.
Operation management is the centre of all the changes that occur in the world of business. Some of the changes are changes in customer preference, changes in supply network caused by technologies and also changes in the quality of the product to suit the customer (Weiss & Gershon 21). Quality control is one of the very crucial activities of an operations management. It should be very effective so that a continuous improvement on the quality is observed.
Safe Kids Organization
This is an organization that aims in preventing accidental childhood injuries in the United Arab Emirates. The organization is one of the global networks of organizations called Safe kids worldwide. The organization has noted that accidental childhood injuries are the main causes of death in children. Accidental injuries take more children’s lives than diseases, violence or other causes. This mostly affects children of 14 years and below.
Most of these injuries are caused by motor vehicle crashes, falls, fire, bicycle accidents and other sporting related accidents. The organization believes that the injuries are preventable. This is possible if safety equipments are used and if the environment the children play is modified. Change of behavior can also help in preventing accidental injuries in children.
Safe kids have come up with significant progress in reducing the risk of accidental injury to children. Some of the progresses are provision of more advanced equipment in the hospital. It has also offered education to parents on how to prevent accidental injuries from occurring to the children. Safe kids also advocates for laws that protect children. They also provide safety device measures to families who need them.
The organization has brought together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, government and even volunteers. These people help the organization to effectively achieve its objectives.
Matching Operations Management and Safe Kid Organization
Operations management has helped Safe kids in achieving its goals. Setting up hospitals which take good care of injured children is one of the goals. The organization is also providing advanced equipments to hospitals which are specialized for children cases.
The operations management wants Safe kids’ organization to effect its operation of ensuring that all the kids are safe. That is why, the operation managers are always passing and strengthening child safety laws and regulations. Such laws make the whole country to take the initiative of ensuring a child safe. It also leads to a responsible country as no one wants to be fined or taken to court for breaking the law.
Education to parents and children is also an idea from operations management. Parents are taught on how to prevent children from getting injured. Children are also taught on how they should take care of themselves. The teachings have proven to the parents that prevention is better than cure. Since the accidents are unintentional, they can therefore be prevented.
Operating managers of Safe kids have also started conducting research. The research involves visiting different hospitals and collecting data of how many children have visited the hospitals due to injuries. This research will help the managers to know which area needs to be taught about children safety. They are also able to know which hospital need the specialized equipments for children safety.
Safety devices are also provided to some families. Most of the families given the devices are those with many children. Also, families living in a risky environment are provided with these devices. This keeps the children safe, even in the unfriendly surrounding. Some of the lifesaving devices provided are smoke alarms, helmets and safety seats.
How Safe Kids Operates
Safe Kids operates by teaching parents on how to prevent injuries to their children. This is done in hospitals, church and even in schools, where most parents are gathered. The organization also has experts who move from home to home talking to parents. Parents are taught on how to transport children safely in cars. They should check car seats and booster seats for proper installation. They are asked to first teach them how to ride motor bikes before buying them the bikes.
Children are also taught about their safety by the organization. They are taught what they should and should not do when around or in the vehicle. They are also taught on how to walk on the streets, especially when going or leaving the schools.
Safe kids programs are ongoing activities which get the members of community involved in child safety initiatives. One of the programs is creating safe environment. It is the work of every member of a community to keep the environment safe. A safe environment must also be clean. Community members can ensure a safe environment by not littering dirt around. This dirt is dangerous to the children as it can make them fall or hurt them. They can also get poisoned, especially young children who go eating anything they come across.
Assessments
Operations management has always been very effective in every business. Its results are always positive in every business enterprise where products are produced or services are provided. In our case Safe Kids organization offers services to the children. Operations management has helped the organization provide the service effectively. The rate of children injury has reduced especially in the United States, where it has reduced from 78% to 30%. There are also very rare cases of children injuries in different hospitals all over the world.
Suggestions
Introduction of complex and complicated equipments need qualified personnel. The organization should first train some of its employees on how the equipments are operated. This will ensure that the equipment performs its function effectively.
The safety devices provided to families should be more advanced such that they can protect a child from getting poisoned. This is because; most of these devices are about physical injury. This will help reduce the poisoning cases. Poisoning is even the most dangerous of all the injuries because it can even kill a child.
The number one cause of deaths of children in industrialized countries is the unintentional injuries. Therefore, Safe Kids Worldwide should ensure that the more advanced equipments are readily found in those countries. Operational managers of safe kids should send qualified and health experts in the area.
Educators are also needed to educate parents and children in industrialized area. Children need to know how they should carry themselves around and while in the industries. Many well equipped health centers need to be established near the industries for emergency cases.
Organizations should also promote corporate leadership. This can be achieved through effective and sustainable partnership. Corporate leadership will help in ensuring that the organization’s employees are carrying out their duties effectively. This will lead to a good relationship between the customer and organization.
Conclusion
There are two main functions of an organization. One is to provide a product or a service and the other function is to sell the product or service. However, Operations management mostly focuses on the first function of providing product or service. Operations management plans and controls all activities necessary for the provision of the firm’s product or service. Since the aspect of Operation management emphasizes on the product or service provision, it has some ways to make this possible.
It gives advice on the best techniques and equipment to use to make the goods or provide a service. It emphasizes on work force management, training of employees and measurement of quality assurance. Operational managers who adhere to the above ideas and technologies are able to improve productivity and reduce cost. They are also able to enhance the quality of a good and customer service. An organization is also able to meet the rapidly changing customer needs.
Works Cited
Weiss, Howard, and Gershon, Mark. Production and Operations Management. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. Print.