Technical English - Chapter 1

A Production management is concerned with planning and controlling industrial processes which produce and distribute products and services. Techniques of production management are also used in service industries; here they are called operations management. During production processes, inputs are converted into outputs. These processes take many forms: from basic agriculture to large-scale manufacturing. Much manufacturing takes place in factories, where assembly lines allow a steady flow of raw materials (inputs) and finished products (outputs).

People in production focus on efficiency and effectiveness of processes in order to maximize productivity. To achieve overall success, it is important to measure, analyse and evaluate these processes. However, other activities also contribute to success: purchasing, inventory control, quality control, storage, logistics.

B Production varies according to the inputs, processes and outputs. Other important factors are the place of production and the resources. In addition, stock, a major cost, needs to be carefully controlled, and the equipment must be regularly maintained to remain productive and prevent breakdowns.

C Study the Productivity Conceptual Model below:

A simple way of looking at productivity in a business organization is to think of it in terms of the productivity model. The Productivity Conceptual Model below takes the form of a 'productivity tree'. The roots denote the inputs to the system, the trunk the conversion process and the leaves and fruit the system outputs.