Operations management is concerned with the production of goods and the delivery of services to meet customers' demands. It is one of the central functions of every business, government agency, and non-for-profit organizations. Sound and creative operations management can provide an important competitive advantage for firms to succeed in today's marketplace. Successful companies need to have the capability of delivering high-quality products/services to meet their ever-changing customer demands in a timely and cost-effective manner. It has also been realized that the operations function must integrate into the overall corporate planning and strategy to achieve such an advantage. Therefore, an understanding of operations management is important for all managers, and a working knowledge about the Operations function of a firm is an integral part of your MBA education.