Operation Management in Ford Motor Company: Roles and Responsibilities Explored

OPERATION MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
a) Introduction of Ford and my role in contributing for the department................................1
b) External and internal customers and objectives of firm in context of models...................2
c) Process description and the way in which it helps in gaining achievement.......................6
Recommendations..................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is having key focus on administering different business
functioning which is concerned towards designing, decision-making and execution of operation
system. It is concerned with converting labor and material into goods and services as efficiently
as possible in order to maximize profits for an organization. The operational management is
considered to hold core significance in a manufacturing business.
Herein, Ford manufacturing company, which is one of the world’s largest automotive
manufacturers, is undertaken for this study. It is an American multinational company whose
headquarter is in Dearborn, Michigan. In this report, the role of an inventory marketing manager
of inventory marketing department of Ford has been taken. Responsibilities of it will be to
communicate organization product and services to market and analyze overall customer wants
and desires.
a) Introduction of Ford and my role in contributing for the department
Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational Automobile company, which is
specialized in selling automobiles and commercial vehicles under their own brand name. Ford
has developed two key methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale
management of industrial workforce, this method is known as Fordism. It sells a broad range of
automobiles under Ford marque worldwide and luxury automobiles under the Lincoln marque in
US. Ford has been producing not just cars but trucks, buses, motor sport/touring cars and
tractors. It also offers automotive finance through Ford Motor Credit Company. In this era of
constant change, it is important that one must raise their level of growth and step ahead through
innovation and expansion. Ford has significantly attributed itself to this fact and has sustained
itself in terms of innovation and technology worldwide (Drucker, 2012). Year 2009 proved out to
be a year of financial crises when the rise in fuel prices affected its sales very badly. Ford then
envisioned cars that were more affordable rather than luxurious by completely transforming
manufacturing process. This helped them to lead successfully despite the crises because of mass
production, enhanced supply chain, changes in lifestyles and advancements in technology.
The key motto of Henry Ford personally focused on “Help the other Fellow” which
motivated its employees. They provided them with mental and physical satisfaction with worthy
salaries for their work (Schneider, 2003). He also opened English schools at his plants and
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provided opportunities for their employees to pursue learning. This indeed had a positive impact
on their goals, working environment and corporate strategy of the company. Ford is recognized
to build everyday man's car focusing on reliability and quality.
In this company as an inventory marketing manager, it is imperative for them to hold
different type of role and responsibilities to perform for betterment of organization. Further, it
also helps in attainment of Ford goals as well as giving positive contribution for enhancement of
company sales. As a marketing manager, it is their duty and responsibility to be in contact and
coordination with the entire head department as well as hold prime knowledge about the external
forces, which drive customer needs and wants. It is their responsibility to ascertain the current as
well as probable demand for product. Further, to make researches and report onto the external
opportunities that lies outside the company. It is his duty to develop a marketing strategy and
plan that will best help in commercializing the company brand name. For this it may undertake
situation analysis, ascertain objectives, tactics and actions that will help the organization achieve
their objectives. The key duties of inventory marketing manager must be brand development,
gaining competitive positioning of company in the marketplace and enhancing its public
relations.
As an inventory marketing manager, it must also focus on enhancing customer
relationship management (CRM) and employee management. CRM will help him to collect
information from organization customer database and create a survey, which will reflect their
level of satisfaction with the company (Panneerselvam, 2012). Employee management on the
other hand is conducted by inventory marketing manager to take in charge of marketing
department and employees working therein. Being the manager, it shall duly coordinate and
manage work along-with supervising the same among personnel who are involved in researching
and gathering information about its customer needs and demands.
b) External and internal customers and objectives of firm in context of models
External customers- These customers refer to those who belong to external
environment. They enable and affect the revenue stream of organization through its purchases
and this is something every enterprise craves for its survival. Satisfied external customers often
make repetitive purchases. It is important for Ford to survive by effectively persuading their
external customer to purchase products and services through external customers. By providing
them with premium quality of automobiles, Ford customers can be instilled to make repetitive
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