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11 Examples of Operations

John Spacey, updated on March 28, 2024

Operations are the processes within an organization that directly create value for end-customers. What qualifies as operations differs by industry and how that industry views its core value. In every industry, operations is a focus for improvement efforts such as automation, optimization and training designed to increase operational efficiency. The following are common examples of operations.

Manufacturing Operations

The process of producing products including steps such as fabrication, assembly, packaging, quality control and managing supply chains.

Retail Operations

Managing retail locations including supply chain, inventory, merchandising and delivery of customer service.

Banking Operations

Banking operations is completely focused on systems and the complex transaction processing that is required to deliver financial services. This includes processing financial transactions, settling trades, conducting transfers, compliance reporting and assessing applications.

Media Operations

Media production, distribution and venue management.

Hotel Operations

Facility management, safety, security, housekeeping, guest services and delivery of food and beverage services.

Restaurant Operations

Menu planning, purchasing, inventory management, cooking, kitchen management, customer service, front-of-house operations and point of sale.

IT Operations

The process of operating, maintaining and delivering highly reliable infrastructure, systems and services.

Education Operations

Administration, admissions, student enrollment & registration, facility management, faculty management, staff management, support services and technology.

Construction Operations

Project planning, procurement, logistics, construction management, site operations, safety and quality assurance.

Farm Operations

Crop cultivation, livestock management, machinery maintenance and harvesting.

Government Operations

Policy development, implementation of laws, public administration, regulatory enforcement, regulatory compliance, public safety & security, infrastructure development & maintenance, public health, government services, taxation & revenue collection, public communication and international relations.

Summary

Operations are the core value generating processes of an organization that are often continually monitored, measured and improved with techniques such as automation, process re-engineering and optimization.