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Operations Management

The Operations Management (OM) Group focuses on the design, planning, control and improvement of operations in both manufacturing and service, private and public sectors. The group is known for its high quality teaching and research and has developed effective partnerships with many local and international organisations. It is the largest group of OM faculty in the UK. The research falls within five broad streams:

Lean Thinking and Continuous Improvement

Research areas include innovation in lean and agile operations in both private and public sector organisations in the UK, Brazil and China, and the nature and tools of continuous improvement.

Service Excellence

Research areas include complaint management, operationalising the service concept, service design and innovation, business-to-business relationships, and the 'servitisation' of manufacturing.

Supply Chain Management

Research areas include e-procurement systems, the intellectual structure of supply chains, and improving productivity through knowledge transfer in supply chains.

Performance Management

Research areas include understanding performance drivers, the service profit chain, organisational performance measurement and management, organisational gaming, and implementation of award schemes.

Health Service Management

Research areas include the application of advanced OM practices in health care, capacity management in emergency care, design of healthcare services, managing patient expectations and perceptions, and staff scheduling.