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Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE FIELD Review and Discussion Questions What is the difference between OM and OR/MS? Between OM and IE? Operations Management (OM) is a synthesis of concepts and techniques that relate directly to production systems and enhance their management. Operations Management has a distinct management role that differentiates it from OR and IE. Operations Managers use the tools of OR in decision making and are concerned with many of the same issues as Industrial Engineers. Operations Research/Management Science (OR/MS) is a branch of applied mathematics, while Industrial Engineering (IE) is an engineering discipline. How would you distinguish OM from management and organizational behavior as taught at your university? Management and organizational behavior is concerned with the formulation of corporate strategic policy. Operations Management is concerned with the operations strategy, which specifies how the firm will employ its production capabilities to support its corporate strategy. Take a look at the want ads in The Wall Street Journal and evaluate the opportunities for an OM major with several years of experience. The following are some examples of jobs available to OM graduates with several years of experience from the Wall Street Journal, January 18, 2000. Some additional advertisements. What factors account for the resurgence of interest in OM today? With the expanding objectives of productive systems combined with increased applications to services and increased efficiency of Japanese producers, there is increased interest in nuts and bolts issues. 5. Using Exhibit 1.2 as a model, describe the input-transformation-output relationships found in the following systems: a. An airline Inputs: passengers Components: planes, crews, equipment, terminals Primary functions: transportation Output: satisfied, safe customers A state penitentiary Inputs: criminals Components: legal system, physical plant (pris