Operations management professionals are tasked with evaluating work and manufacturing environments and with recommending strategies to improve current operations. By enhancing operations performance, companies can cut costs, increase response, gain competitive advantage, achieve differentiation, and promote their overall missions and strategies. There are $10$ critical decision areas that help operations managers assess a company's current operations.

To learn more, read Walmart: Operations Management $10$ Decisions, Productivity and reference OM's Contribution to Strategy. The $10$ critical decision areas in operations management are as follows:

Product

Quality and sustainability

Processes

Location

Layout

Human resources

Supply chain

Inventory

Scheduling and delivery

Maintenance