The Web-based age has created ahighly competitive world of on-lineshopping that poses special challenges for operations management. The Web can be used foron-line purchasing of everythingfrom CDs, books, and groceries to prescription medications andautomobiles. The Internet hasgiven consumers flexibility; it hasalso created one of the biggestchallenges for companies: delivering exactly what the customer ordered at the time promised. As we saw with the exampleof Kozmo.com, making promises on a Web site is one thing; delivering on those promisesis yet another. Ensuring that orders are delivered from “mouse to house” is the job of operations and is much more complicated than it might seem. In the 1990s many dot-comcompanies discovered just how difficult this is. They were not able to generate a profitand went out of business. To ensure meeting promises, companies must forecast whatcustomers want and maintain adequate inventories of goods, manage distribution centersand warehouses, operate fleets of trucks, and schedule deliveries while keeping costs lowand customers satisfied. Many companies like Amazon.com manage almost all aspects of their operation. Other companies hire outside firms for certain functions, such as outsourcing the management of inventories and deliveries to UPS. Competition amongetailers has become intense as customers demand increasingly shorter delivery times andhighly customized products. Same-day service has become common in metropolitanareas. For example, Barnesandnoble.com provides same-day delivery in Manhattan, LosAngeles, and San Francisco. Understanding and managing the operations function of anon-line business has become essential in order to remain competitive.
đang được dịch, vui lòng đợi..
