Production & Operations Management books

Persistence and Vigilance: A View of Ford Motor Company's Accounting Over Its First Fifty Years is an exploration of the financial leadership that guided the company through periods of phenomenal growth amidst the economic and political upheaval of the early 20th century. Since its inception in 1903, the Ford Motor Company has implemented traditional accounting methods, as well as innovative financial reporting and business policies, to navigate industry competition, two world wars, and labor issues such as the famous $5 day. While much has been written on the presumption of Henry Ford's indifference to the financial details of operating the company that bore his name, there remains much to be said for the talented individuals working behind the scenes to spearhead the day-to-day financial and operational policies of the company. This includes initial co-founder James Couzens, super salesman and accountant Norval Hawkins, loyal Frank Klingensmith, and turn-around specialist Ernest Breech, among others. It was through their skill, persistence, and acumen that accounting policies and procedures evolved within the Ford Motor Company alongside the welcomed support of Edsel Ford, who was widely respected in his vision for strong financial oversight and organizational structure. From archival information found in the Benson Ford Research Center, this book describes the accounting and financial reporting methods utilized by the company through its years of growth, wartime production, economic downturns, and eventual restructuring under the presidency of Henry Ford II. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the Ford Motor Company, as well as those curious about the application of accounting within the fast-growing automotive industry in the early to mid-1900s.

Why do organisations decline, and what happens when they do? Strategy and Managed Decline: London Transport 1948-87 is a historical case study looking at how London Transport, a world beater in 1948, declined from being an international exemplar to dilapidation in 30 years. Strategy and Managed Decline considers the inheritance left by the founders of London Transport and subjects their legacy to a strategic and political audit. In three sections, the book examines archival data from the Transport for London (TfL) Archive covering the car revolution, strategic political clashes and the performance of the chairmen to challenge existing theory and extant histories. It offers hypotheses situated in management, leadership, politics and strategy which explain the decades of deterioration followed by a dramatic revival in the late 1980s. Examining the turbulent politics of the long conflict between London Transport, municipal and national government in detail, Strategy and Managed Decline: London Transport 1948-87 offers novel interpretations of events by objectively analysing the strategic stories that politics created about London’s transport. It concludes by asking whether a shift in managerial strategy away from maximising utility and towards cost minimisation caused, or was just coincident with, resurgence and explores what lessons there are for TfL today.

Our daily lives are permeated by the activities of logistics and supply chain, from food and clothing to doorstep deliveries. As these processes have the ability to significantly impact the natural environment, it has never been so important to develop and implement sustainable principles and practices.Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management is an essential textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students for understanding sustainability as it pertains to logistics operations. This book covers the direct environmental impacts of logistics and supply chain processes, including emissions and waste, as well as how wider changes such as globalization need to be given similar considerations. Presenting different pathways to guide readers, case studies and supported by extensive research, this book provides all the support needed to understand and implement a sustainable approach.Now in its third edition, Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management is fully updated with the latest research and data including trends in logistics and supply chain management and new cases. Online resources include instructor manuals and complied lists of figures and tables.

Looking beyond the complexity and theory of inventory management, authors Geoff Relph and Catherine Milner examine managing inventory and achieving targets. Whilst the first edition mainly focused on planning, this new edition of The Inventory Toolkit includes three new chapters that go beyond planning to implementation. Amongst other topics, the new chapters cover holding and moving inventory, working with suppliers and using stack and flow to identify pinch points and facilitate lean and agile operations. This comprehensive second edition of The Inventory Toolkit includes case studies from diverse industries such as retail and aerospace, and worked examples and regular exercises which illustrate how the inventory tools can be used in an operational setting. It is an invaluable reference guide for students and practitioners focusing on inventory management and operations management in manufacturing and retail, as well as operational staff involved in the implementation of the MRP and inventory management modules of ERP systems.

The Lean Practitioner's Handbook bridges the gap between the tools and concepts of Lean and the practical use of the tools. It offers a practical, easily accessible resource for anyone preparing for, implementing or evaluating lean activities covering key areas such as: aspects of a Lean Programme; scoping a programme; value stream mapping; 2P and 3P events; Rapid Improvement Events; managing for daily improvement; engaging the team; spotting problems and communicating progress. In addition, it offers a quick snapshot summary of the key tool and concepts of Lean plus easily applicable templates.Online supporting resources for this book include instructor's manuals on communications, events and standard work, templates for problem-solving and tables such as event summaries

WINNER: Les Plumes des Achats 2016 - Prix des Associations (1st edition)Over the last two decades Tesco has emerged as a dominant player in the UK market and a leading global retailer. The Lean Supply Chain explores how Tesco, over the last 20 years or so, has built its business around supply chain excellence. As a mega-retailer, Tesco has learnt to create a balanced supply chain system, supporting suppliers' needs as well as customers' requirements. This perspective, and an ambition to act sustainably, has underpinned a rebuilding of trust in the Tesco brand and a resurgence in commercial fortunes. This fully updated edition of The Lean Supply Chain contains new chapters on Tesco's current strategy, rebuilding brand trust and its CSR agenda. It charts the principles of lean thinking, customer loyalty and simplicity which were used by Tesco to frame its supply chain strategy and draws upon the authors' deep knowledge of how the retailer has dealt with challenges and market changes to provide lessons for other businesses, large or small, who wish to place how they manage their supply chains at the heart of their competitive strategy.

WINNER of the ACA-Bruel 2015 Grand Prix Businesses are going through rapid change due to an increased focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility, technological advances, geo-political and macro-economic change, and demographic shifts. If purchasing and supply chain managers are to embrace these challenges they must develop new ways of thinking about supply structures and processes as well as new skills and competencies. The Procurement Value Proposition examines these important changes that will have a profound effect on the way future procurement is carried out. It considers the implications of global economic transformation for procurement set against: changes in business contexts, purchasing strategies, organisational structure, roles and responsibilities, system development and skills required to work in the profession. This book discusses the value proposition offered by contemporary procurement to the sustainability and development of business. They examine how organizations that position procurement as a core business function will be able to drive a more competitive lever for change, and more readily adapt to the forces driving rapid change in the current global environment. The Procurement Value Proposition features case studies of companies that are moving through procurement transformation in a continual phase of movement and adaption to the multitude of shifts that are occurring. It features input, observations and case studies from CPO's, Commercial Directors and other Procurement and business leaders. The book considers a variety of geographical contexts and highlights differences between the US, the UK and China. Awarded the Grand Prix ACA-Bruel for its important contributions to the research and practice in procurement and supply chain management, it has been recognized for its ambitious vision of procurement. About Gerard Chick Gerard Chick is Chief Knowledge Officer at Optimum Procurement Group. He has considerable experience working with some of the keenest minds at the most senior level in supply management today. He is regularly invited to make keynote presentations and deliver workshops on strategic procurement issues to senior executive teams across the world. Gerard was until recently a visiting Senior Research Fellow at Curtin University in Australia, a visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management, and a member of the Logistics and Operations Management Board of Cardiff Business School. About Robert Handfield Robert Handfield is the Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at the North Carolina State University Poole College of Management, and director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative. He is Consulting Editor of the Journal of Operations Management, and has written several books on supply chain management. He was recently recognized as a "Pro to Know" in Supply and Demand Chain Executive. He is a leading speaker at executive forums, has consulted with over twenty five Fortune 500 companies and he has published more than one hundred articles in top management journals. Table of contents Chapter - 00: Introduction; Section - ONE: Foundations and establishment of contemporary procurement; Chapter - 01: What is contemporary procurement?; Chapter - 02: Procurement maturity: understanding performance versus value; Chapter - 03: From global trends to corporate strategy; Chapter - 04: Five game changers: their impact on procurement and supply management; Chapter - 05: Taking a practical approach to improvement: introducing the ACE model; Chapter - 06: It’s all about people: talent acquisition and retention; Chapter - 07: Cometh the hour cometh the man: realizing procurement’s potential by building winning teams; Chapter - 08: The dawn of procurement’s new value proposition: innovation, collaboration and focus; Chapter - 09: The future: from strategic procurement to value procurement; Chapter - 10: Reflections and conclusions; Section - TWO: Innovation debates: creating your own value from procurement; Chapter - 11: Introduction to innovation debates

Modern warehouses are capitalizing on cutting-edge technologies, new operating models and innovative practices to maximize their role in the wider supply chain. Understand how to successfully manage these warehouses with this bestselling guide.Warehouse Management guides the reader through all aspects of successfully managing a warehouse, its operations and distribution. This bestselling book covers an extensive range of key topics from defining the modern warehouse, detailing management processes, strategies and practices to outlining how to tackle environmental challenges to ensure a sustainable supply chain. With practical insights into how to improve operating costs, increase efficiency and reduce costs, this is a must read for optimizing warehouse performance. The fourth edition of Warehouse Management is fully updated to include up to date information across the board. The latest technologies in warehousing, such as robotics, cobots and AI, are explained and their impact is situated alongside discussions on the future of warehousing. Gwynne Richards provides expert advice with clear and easy to grasp solutions. New and updated online resources provide support to readers.