Operations management is primarily concerned with the effective management of production and operations systems in manufacturing and service organizations. As a key functional area of an organization, operations management focuses on quality, reliability, productivity, flexibility and supply chain management.?

Managing the supply chain involves a variety of activities such as managing quality, suppliers, procurement, outsourcing and customer relationships. Integrating such activities is vital to the performance of organizations and their bottom lines as a ?chain is only as strong as its weakest link.?

Supply chain management has been gaining much popularity recently as companies recognize the importance of managing the movement of raw materials, inventory, and finished goods from point-of-origin to point-of-consumption in a cost-efficient manner.