Operation Management Fundamentals

Introduction: This publication forms part of a series looking at Citywide Inclusive Sanitation in terms of three closely related requirements for achieving safe, inclusive and sustainable urban sanitation: clear responsibility, strong accountability, and fit-for-purpose resource planning and management (Figure 1). Responsibility defines what entity has a mandate to deliver a service. Accountability mechanisms are then required to make sure that mandated responsibilities are fulfilled. Effective resource planning and management are required to so that mandated entities are sufficiently resourced to be able to fulfil their mandate. These three functions(responsibility, accountability, resource planning and management) are introduced in three short initial publications released in May 2021. This paper is one of three complementary publications that explain these functions in more detail, on the basis of specific case studies: this publication focuses on resource planning and management.

Introduction This chapter discusses good management practices for community drinking-water supplies. A community drinking-water supply is a reticulated, publicly or privately owned, drinking-water supply connecting at least two buildings on separate titles, and serving at least 1500 person days a year (eg, 25 people at least 60 days per year). An integrated management system should be designed to meet the requirements of the Drinking-water Standards for New Zealand 2005 (revised 2008) (DWSNZ), statutory requirements and the consumers’ needs, as well as environmental and cultural considerations. The most important constituents of drinking-water are undoubtedly those that are capable of having a direct impact on public health. It is up to the water suppliers to demonstrate to their consumers that the management of the water supply system is being undertaken in a responsible and efficient manner.

Companies have to develop innovative and high-quality products faster than their competitors to create temporary monopoly periods with maximum profitability. However, they usually have tight deadlines and limited budgets for new product development projects. To overcome this challenge, high-performance companies apply a “lean” business analysis, design, and development approach that has its origins in the Toyota car production system. Lean mainly focuses on eliminating muda (waste) throughout the product development lifecycle (PDLC) and passing resource savings to innovative projects.