Production Management

You and Bunny Frank were good friends in high school. You graduated together and went on to attend the local university. Unfortunately, Bunny had to drop out during her first year when her mother became ill.

The economy in your area is not very strong; Bunny has had some part-time and temporary jobs, but she has had difficulty finding a good job. In high school, she was known for the cookies she baked and brought to special events. She has been able to make some extra money over the last 3 years by selling her baked goods to friends and relatives.

Recently, Bunny noticed that her cookie sales were increasing as word about her yummy pastries spread around the town. She began to think about going into business for herself. While the idea of being her own boss was attractive, she also knew that many new small businesses do not succeed. She had taken a marketing course before dropping out of the university, but she knew little about operating a business.

Bunny called you because she knows that you are now a senior at the university and have taken many business courses. After talking with Bunny about her cookie sales, you realized that her business would have to grow significantly in order for her to earn a living that way. At least initially, Bunny would be both the owner and the operations manager of her business.

Prepare a two-page paper for Bunny that provides her with the following information:

• the      definition of production management,
• the      responsibilities of the operations manager and your rationale for advising      Bunny to be the operations manager initially,
• ways      that she can benefit from technology,
• the      importance of quality and the factors her customers will use to determine      quality, and
• the      role of ethical conduct in her business success.