Operational control is the heartbeat of every successful organization. It's the mechanism that ensures all business activities are aligned with the company's goals and objectives. Without it, an organization is like a ship without a rudder, drifting aimlessly and at the mercy of the currents.
Effective operational control is crucial for several reasons:
Efficiency: It ensures that resources are used optimally, reducing waste and increasing productivity.
Quality Assurance: It helps maintain the quality of products or services, leading to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Risk Management: It helps identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring the smooth running of operations.
Performance Measurement: It provides a basis for measuring and improving performance.
A manufacturing company uses operational control to monitor production processes, ensuring they are running efficiently and producing high-quality products. They use systems like quality control checks and performance metrics to achieve this.
Different organizations use different systems to achieve operational control, depending on their specific needs and objectives. Some common systems include:
Management Information Systems (MIS): These systems provide managers with the information they need to make informed decisions about operations.
Quality Control Systems: These systems monitor the quality of products or services, ensuring they meet the required standards.
Performance Management Systems: These systems track and measure performance against set goals and objectives.
Risk Management Systems: These systems identify and manage potential risks that could disrupt operations.
A retail company might use a Management Information System to track sales data, a Quality Control System to ensure the quality of their products, a Performance Management System to measure employee performance, and a Risk Management System to manage potential risks like inventory theft.
In conclusion, operational control is not just important, but essential for any organization that wants to succeed in today's competitive business environment. It's the steering wheel that guides the organization towards its goals, navigating through the challenges and obstacles that stand in the way.