Global Business Environment Operations Management Order Instructions:
Its critical that the writer pays attention to details here in this paper and use APA 6th edition.
Today’s global business environment has placed huge demands on production systems to respond with agility to rapidly changing customer requirements. This has generated new kinds of production systems involving multiple decision-making entities interacting to maximize global performance. Based on your readings this week, respond to the following questions:
•What are the role of multi-agent systems in operations, production strategy, and planning, and how effective can such systems be in helping the organization meet the requirements of the modern global business environment?
•What special features should be included in the design of an operations and production strategy by a company intending to launch a new product, in order to ensure that the organization will gain a competitive advantage in global markets?
Global Business Environment Operations Management Resources
Course Text
•Handbook of Global Supply Chain Management
Chapter 10, “Operations Management”
This chapter examines current perspectives on operations management while also considering future possibilities of development. Operations management is defined and a historical view is presented. The chapter also identifies factors causing changes and adaptations in the role of operations manager.
Articles
•Caridi, M., & Cavalieri, S. (2004). Multi-agent systems in production planning and control: An overview. Production Planning & Control, 15(2). Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.
The authors of this article argue that high investment costs and risks related to system effectiveness act as a strong disincentive when applying multi-agent systems to production planning and control.
•Chan, F. T. S., Swarnkar, R., & Tiwari, M. K. (2007). Infrastructure for the coordination of multi-agents in a network-based manufacturing system. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 31(9/10). Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
This study discusses a conceptual infrastructure for information-based control architectures and infrastructures for implementing agent technology in a manufacturing scenario.
Web Site
•Lapre, M. A., & Scudder, G. D. (2004). Performance Improvement Paths in the U.S. Airline Industry: Linking Trade-offs to Asset Frontiers. Retrieved from http://www.poms.org/journal/2004-02-Lapre.pdf
This article defines and describes efficiency frontiers in operations strategy and raises questions concerning how to improve operations.
Global Business Environment Operations Management Sample Answer
Chan, Swarnkar, & Tiwari (2007, p10) argue that the agent’s attributes are inclusive of the adaptability, which explains its capability to cope with the evolution of the environment and the capability to increment dynamically its own competence. The role of multi-agent is to control the production strategy of an organization; since the distributed decision-making systems are affected by the complexity of the agent’s control over it. The agent’s organization is comprised of features like the decision making the distribution in the production sector and the organizational structure as a whole. In a multi-agent system, communication is very necessary because it helps to coordinate all the agents in carrying out the different task assigned to them accordingly.
The agent’s communication can be classified according to a communication vehicle that interchanges information among various agents and the protocol, which explains the structure of the information provided. The multi-agent systems aids in discrete manufacturing since the main focus of the agent is a model definition (Lapre, & Scudder, 2004, p124). The multi-agent systems have brought flexibility and effectiveness in various organizations; whereby, the firms can be able to determine the functional specifications of their components. The agent’s flexibility also aids in acknowledging the least expensive organizational structure of an assembly line and chip in on matters to do with the induction of the engine assembly. The agent systems have also been applied to continuous processes, which later bring the benefit of paint savings due to the lower number of color setups that are used. The agent’s aid in the policy-making of jobs that entails the planning, cost analysis, process planning o the organization objectives and advertising the new product to the market. The agents also aid in the marketing of the product and procuring of the product. According to Caridi & Cavalieri (2004, p107), the agent leads to better manufacturing systems and improved coordination of various functional units in a given manufacturing company.
A company that is intending to launch a new product with the aim of gaining competitive advantage in global market ought to use the tradeoff method, which will help in the quick delivery of the product to the required destination. This can be best achieved through the maintenance of the high levels of finished goods inventories; hence, there will be flexibility in the operation process. Through the use of the trade-off method, the firm will improve their performances and the productivity frontiers by investing in new technologies. The trade-off method will aid the firm in bettering and improving its performance; since this leads to lowering the cost of production of the product. The firm needs to employ the data and method strategy because it will improve the quality of production in regard to the customer’s complaints. The quality of the product presented in the market is mainly dependent on complains and claims presented by the customers (Boyer, & Lewis, 2002, p14). Transportation of the product needs to be of a good standard; since; this interferes with the quality of the product. The quality of the product needs to be improved through the avoidance of any tradeoffs as this helps to meet the customer’s desire. The geographical location of the customers and the product should also be taken into consideration to reduce the cost that may be incurred in transportation. Congestion in time of transportation needs to be considered to avoid damaging the products and also the products need not be mishandled in the process.
Global Business Environment Operations Management References
Boyer, K. K., Lewis, M. W. (2002). Competitive priorities: Investigating the need for trade-offs in operations strategy. Production and Operations Management 11(1) 9–20
Caridi, M., & Cavalieri, S. (2004). Multi-agent systems in production planning and control: An overview. Production Planning & Control, 15(2). Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database
Chan, F. T. S., Swarnkar, R., & Tiwari, M. K. (2007). Infrastructure for the coordination of multi-agents in a network-based manufacturing system. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 31(9/10). Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database
Lapre, M. A., & Scudder, G. D. (2004). Performance Improvement Paths in the U.S. Airline Industry: Linking Trade-offs to Asset Frontiers. Retrieved from http://www.poms.org/journal/2004-02-Lapre.pdf
