Operations Management For Dummies

Good one

As an almost complete beginner to the subject yet with some crossover and related competencies to draw on, I found this new recent edition to be well worth the purchase price and technically challenging in a good way. The Andersons and Parker come across as old hands and cover so many bases that it would be hard put to imagine not succeeding with any operational venture if you disciplined yourself to their compiled way of becoming a "smooth operator." Minus the chapters on Lean/ Quality Management; Supply Chain Management and Project Management (including Agile and Risk Responses) often covered in many business trainings, such as a MBA, then really it is only the two chapters at start that set out the fundamentals of Operations Management in a technical language requiring some extra absorption due to the mathematical formulae involved. However, the level of detail in other aspects also acts as a reference source of techniques, processes and methods so well are these explained, for example, on Earned Value and Critical Path Analyses. The history of OM is reinforced throughout: from Roman logistics, Smith's division of labour, interchangeable parts, scientific planning and mass production, statistical quality control, Lean/ TPS/TQM, supply chain management, computerised supply chain coordination and electronic commerce. These subject areas so much define the 21st century large-scale corporate machine it would seem remiss not to be clued-up more!

Not the best book if its for a revision aide- too much info and the layout is busy. Okay as an aide memoir if you have operations management experience.