1. Operations management involves managing processes that transform inputs into outputs through various activities like forecasting, scheduling, and quality management. It is a core function in most organizations.
2. OM interfaces closely with other business functions like marketing, which communicates customer needs, and finance, which provides necessary funding.
3. Recent trends in OM include lean production, supply chain management, e-business, and increased globalization. Models are important tools that help improve understanding, experimentation, and problem solving in OM.