4. •So that
goods are produced
they are despatched
efficiently
and transported on time
5. Functions of the
Operations Office
1. Coordinating production activities.
2. Protecting workers and the environment
3. Maintaining factory records
4. Quality control
5. Cost of finished goods
6. Liaising with other departments
6. The production department brings
together:
• Machinery
• Raw materials
• Consumables (e.g. machine oil)
• Production workers
Coordinating Production
Activities
8. Protecting workers and the
environment
• Providing equipment and materials that are safe to
use
• Ensuring safe methods of work
• Giving staff proper training
• Adhering to the laws to protect workers in the
Factories Act
OSHA
9. Maintaining factory records
• Records used in manufacturing
include inspection reports,
efficiency figures and maintenance
schedules, which must be
completed accurately and filed
carefully so they can be retrieved
easily.
10. Quality control
•The factory office must check
the inspection records which
outlines any faulty products.
This information is passed
promptly to someone who can
correct the problem.
11. Cost of finished goods
• Costing a product means calculating how
much it costs to make. This information
is important because the sales
department uses it to decide how much
to charge a customer.
• The selling price should cover these costs
and include a contribution to profits.
12. Liaising with other
departments
• In order for efficiency to occur in the
manufacturing goods the operations office
will liaise with other department responsible
for product costing, delivery dates, requesting
production materials, assisting in costing
products and selection of staff.
13. KEY TERMS
• Coordination
This means ensuring that different aspects of a
factory work together effectively. For example,
stores must deliver materials to manufacturing
when they are needed.
• Quality control
Means checking for any faults that occur,
recording the reason for the problem and taking
action to correct it. Checks are made during
production as well as final inspection.
14. • Direct costs
These are monies spent in direct proportion to
the number of items produced and sold.
• Variable costs
These fluctuate depending upon the number of
items produced.
• Indirect costs
These arise no matter how many items are
produced.
15. • Overheads
This is another name for indirect costs.
• Fixed costs
These are not linked to the number of items
produced and sold.
16. REFERENCES
• Carysforth, C. et al (2012), Office Administration for
CSEC – A Caribbean Examinations Council Study
Guide, Nelson Thornes UK.
• Jacob, A. (2014), Office Administration for CSEC,
Nelson Thornes, UK.
• Ramtahal, F. (2013). Office Administration, (2nd ed.)
Caribbean Educational Publishers Trinidad.
