Operation Management for Competitive Advantage

Introduction

Many writers wrote that the word strategy came from the Greek word “strategos” with the word itself bean derived from the words “army” and “lead”. This, in ancient time a strategy was used as a plan to lead an army to a battle felid but now a days a strategy have a lot of uses and this paper trays to explain some.
The purpose of this term paper is to elaborate on the meaning of strategy and to further understand what a service operation strategy and a manufacturing strategy constitute. In order to achieve this purpose, the paper attempts to address some basic questions in regards strategy in general and service operations and manufacturing strategies in particular. These questions include looking into the definition of strategy and the processes involved in formulating strategy. Further, the paper looks into the underlying theoretical approaches that shape the understanding of strategy and its practical applications in the service and manufacturing sectors.
Accordingly, the paper is organized into four parts; the first part covers the introduction and the methodology, the second part deals with what a strategy is, the basic definition and continues in the explanation of what operation strategy mean and the way of formulating a strategy. The third and fourth part of this paper tray to see the differences between a service giving firm and a manufacturing firm and there approaches, theories and practical works accordingly.

Methodology

In preparing the term paper, secondary sources of data such as books, journals, studies and different papers extensively reviewed. Besides, key guiding questions were prepared and discussed with those knowledgeable individuals in the field.

Strategy

It is common to her the word “strategy” from different directions. The military man, industrialists, traders, footballers, politicians etc are seen using the word so often. Depending on the type of activity /discipline/or purpose, a strategy can be