Analysis of skills & job description

The same author also adds that innovation is a discipline that can be learned and practiced. Further, innovation is held as a process through which an opportunity is transformed into new ideas with the result being a wide adoption in practice (Tidd, et al. This relates to (Bentz, 1997) who held that innovation involves creates a new and enhanced process with improved products and services being delivered for the market. From the different authors, innovation can be held as a transformative approach through the generation of new processes that create a shift in the manner of conducting activities. In the end, there are beneficiaries who gain from improved products. , n. d. In addition, there is administrative innovation involving the organizational structure and administrative processes.

Innovations under this typology are directly connected to the management with high formalization and centralization needed. According to (Popa, et al. Reflective analysis Role of personal innovation in shaping external innovation Innovation at a personal level is necessary to ensure that I am empowered to undertake it an external level. In this case, external innovation implies other entities that I impact after developing my innovation capabilities. In order to impact my workplace and community, I realize that I must undertake innovation from within. In this line, my intention is to rethink my approach to daily activities and move beyond personal development. I recognize that approaches that have been effective in the past may fail in the future hence the need to introduce extra measures.

Notably, I have found more direct ways of researching online where I get the most appropriate content faster. As a result, I have achieved better grades than I thought possible. The final approach that I have applied under innovation at a personal level is surrounding myself with innovative individuals. As indicated by (Zenger, 2017), few innovations are the ones involving radical ideas. The same author adds that most innovations can be shared across different fields. A solution in this case is establishing the fraction of sales that is realized from innovative products. Productivity measurement Productivity refers to the quantity of output that can be produced by a firm or country with a specific level of inputs. Similar to the measurement of innovation, there are difficulties in measuring productivity.

A main area of concern is measuring the real values and maintaining a constant unit of measurement over time (Hall, 2011). However, with adjustments on the real inflation rate, estimates of values are possible. They examine empirical linkages between innovation, productivity growth and real incomes improvements within OECD countries. The focus is the role of government in improving innovation performance with the focus being on Canada. The authors state that the modern growth theory identifies three main factors driving growth in economies; accumulation of physical capital, human capital accumulation and innovation with technological change. In addition, they refer to the research and development concept where they advance that R&D spillovers, information asymmetry between innovators and consumers of innovation as well as economies of scale in innovation create sub-optimality in development of innovation in private markets.

According to (Rao, et al. This has made me appreciate the essence of adopting an innovative attitude at the firm level. The theory from the articles is relevant to my development in terms of productivity at my workplace. I have developed my innovativeness through application of ICT at the workplace. Given the multiple tasks at the company, I have applied software programs in designing the location of machines within the layout. As indicated by (Anon. I have engaged three schools where we have set incubation centers for innovative business ideas. Even though I participate indirectly, my efforts have borne fruit since the past year has seen three ideas come through the system. I believe this is the best approach to drive innovation at the grassroots as opposed to leaving it solely for blue-chip companies.

Innovation and competitiveness Innovation is held as a driver of competitiveness at the firm and national levels. In the study by (Distanont & Khongmalai, 2018) the authors explore the trends of innovation that result in a competitive advantage in the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In this case, the connection with my development is improvement of competitiveness for my employer. I find it essential to improve the competitiveness owing to the potential threat that new entrants may create to our company. A main issue concerning me is the efficiency of our supply chain. I have learnt on innovation in this area from the case of (Anon. , n. We are confident of responding to market pressures in the future by improving our competitiveness.

Conclusion From Part A, my choice for innovation is closely related to my personal achievements, societal developments and growth at my workplace. First of all, innovation has empowered me to make improvements at a personal level hence enabling me to unlock my potential. As a result, I have attained some personal gains along with passing the benefits to my workplace. Of importance has been the contribution of innovation to productivity at our company. Given the approaches I have used to improve productivity and competitiveness using innovation, I am satisfied by their effectiveness. Part B Introduction Perspectives on operations management Operations management encompasses activities that are involved in the transformation of inputs into outputs. Operations management involves the systemic transformation that converts a set of inputs into outputs.

The inputs range from labor, equipment, information and capital resources and they are used to generate goods and services (Bayraktar, et al. It serves as a continuous improvement process that enhances quality, productivity and satisfaction of customers. In the article by (Bayraktar, et al. , 2007), the authors detail the changes that have occurred within operations management. They recognize the shifting role of external stakeholders from ‘selling what you produce’ to ‘selling what the customers want’. As opposed to solely focusing on profit maximization for the benefit of shareholders, (Bayraktar, et al. , 2007) note that modern companies are focusing on meeting the needs of customers. After this, the paper looks into the possible solutions to the challenges in the post. Operations challenges Technical challenges The advert is for an operations manager whereby an excellent career progression opportunity is promised.

The first challenge is that the holder of the position will be required to understand the values that activities under this post will offer to the company. This will be a technical challenge emanating from the different business processes and practices that the operations manager must harness to create customer satisfaction and improve business performance (McFarlane, 2014). Specifically, the operations manager must handle the different tools and techniques within operations management and create a seamless working relationship despite the abstract nature and complex interrelationships within this managerial area. In addition, the trend also means that operations managers face competition from neighboring entities, the nation as well as the globe. In the current post, there is concern in relation to management and ownership of conversion costs on site.

Further, globalization trends will influence systems and operations standardization and improvements. Sustainability Adherence to sustainability is another challenge that the operations manager will encounter. The post will require the holder to create long term customer and employee strategies that acknowledge the impact on the social, economic and cultural environment. This challenge closely relates to the job description whereby the operations manager is expected to lead and develop their team managers to ensure their engagement and high performance. This will require effective communication at all times with different team managers who may have varying terms of engagement and expectations (Reid & Sanders, 2016). Corporate reporting Operations managers are expected to adhere to corporate reporting. The operations manager is expected to compile performance data and communicate the same to stakeholders.

This is the case in the current job posting where the operations manager is expected to manage capital funding requirements in meeting the development needs for new products. Further, operations managers can attend workshops and seminars to learn about the core pillars of this field. Likewise, they may engage in informal learning such as online tutorials on operations management. Armed with this knowledge, operations managers will bridge the gap between operations management theory and application. Practicality in application The solution to the practical challenge of implementing operations management within an unpredictable business environment is staying abreast of changes within the business environment. This calls for teamwork whereby the management must exercise goodwill and commit resources to research and development within the field of operations management.

Given the wide scope of innovation, effective implementation within operations management will lead to competitiveness within different global cultures. A classic case of the impact of innovation in improving competitiveness is shown by (Anon. , n. d. Toyota engaged process innovation through Just in Time technique with additional benefits realized through reduction of waste and improvement in productivity. Transparency in the sustainability plans is also necessary. An operations manager who holds it as integral to the operations of a business will create a sense of accountability. As a result, the business will improve its relations with external stakeholders and improve its image. Effective communication Challenges related to effective communication and reporting can derail the efforts undertaken by an operations manager. For the operations manager, effective communication can be attained through learning a combination of oral and nonverbal communication skills.

It is also explicit that solutions are present as supported by cases of well established companies. An individual aspiring to be an operations manager must be wary of concerns such as technical and practical issues arising from operations management. The technicalities emanate from the scope of operations management since it is multidisciplinary in nature. The applicant is required to possess knowledge from many fields. However, there is a solution in terms of education – from theory to practice. It calls upon the operations manager to learn and practice effective communication. Finally, the applicant for this position must undertake corporate reporting in a manner that reflects the allocation of resources within the unit. This will be needed to prove allocation of resources within operations and production.

In addition, the operations manager along with other internal and external stakeholders can use it in evaluating the performance of operations management within a specific period. From the paper, it is clear that operations management is a challenging but exciting field. com [Accessed 13 October 2018]. Anon. , n. d. Lean or agile? You need both for a well working supply chain. Bayraktar, E. , Jothishankar, M. C. , Tatoglu, E. & Wu, T. Distanont, A. & Khongmalai, O. The role of innovation in creating a competitive advantage. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, pp. Drucker, P. Nordic Economic Policy Review, pp. Kettering, 2016. What are the 5 Current Challenges of Operations Management?. [Online] Available at: https://online. kettering. McFarlane, D. A. The Challenges of Operations Management for Business Managers. International Journal of Operations and Logistics , III(1), pp.