Operations management
1. One of the improvement initiatives that helped to win the Sunderland plant a new model was a four-year programme. It started eight years before the new model was due to start production. Why do you think it takes eight years for initiatives like this to come to fruition?

Definition
Operations management focuses on carefully managing the processes to produce and distribute products and services to its users. A great deal of focus is on efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, operations management often includes substantial measurement and analysis of internal processes, for example, retail, manufacturing, & whole sale.etc.
Background
One may generally consider that there are three distinct …show more content…

However, it is crucial for the success of any business improvement initiative, particularly manufacturing companies to eliminate any attitude problems prior to the project. This is why organisations such as Nissan invest in training schools whose primary objectives are to provide structured learning facilities to all employees, as well as acting as a catalyst in changing people’s attitude towards change. The important thing to remember when embarking on a culture change programme is to ensure that the rate of learning is always greater than the rate of change.
Nissan’s UK production.
In 1984 Nissan made its first commitment to manufacturing in the UK with the establishment of Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd, Sunderland plant. Bluebird was the first car manufactured in 1986. Since then they have grown to become Nissan’s centre of production for passenger cars in Europe, and in 2006 produced their four and a half millionth vehicle.
Efficiency of Sunderland
For eight years running Sunderland has been named the UK’s biggest car producers and the biggest car exporters for the last 10 years. The plant directly employs around 5,000 staff, with a further 15,000 posts in the supply chain. In the 2006 the arrival of Qashqai created one of the plants busiest periods in history with three new model launches within 16 months.
Nissan’s