Week #4 - Operations - Laura Bowen
This week I had a chance to look through all of the sections and there seemed to be an abundant amount of information in this unit. I found specific resources and information useful, while other applications seemed irrelevant.
The section on inventory management had some excellent information for tracking products and supplies. From my own experience this aspect of business can be a real headache and you have to figure out a way to protect yourself from theft. If I were doing a business course, I would use this section for a group exercise in class. I would have students set up a inventory management plan for a fictitious business using a specific list of products and supplies.
The section on maximizing capacity gave examples of excel spreadsheets that could be put into use with minimum training or work. The examples on how to prioritize your time seemed very basic. Why would you even have a category for “tasks not to do?” I think having a daily, weekly, monthly schedule would be much more efficient for business time management.
Hiring staff can get very complicated. While the section covered the basics for developing applications and interviewing, there was a lot it left out including tax forms, unemployment insurance, background checks, insurance plans, benefits, workman’s comp. These costs really add up and can make you think twice about adding employees.
The managing contacts section was helpful. I frequently write down people’s names and information on pieces of paper and then when I need anything I have to go through “The Pile.”
However, I was left a little unclear about what program they were using to collect the information?
Overall, this was a useful section with resources I would go back to.
I think you make some great points. Why would you have a category "tasks not to do" except that there were a few things I didn't think he should be doing at work. I put those items in that column.
ReplyDeleteHiring can be very complicated and this module only gave a very brief synopsis but I agree it really should have gone into a little more depth not to educate on the items you mention but to at least give a new entrepreneur some idea of WHAT all have employees entails.