The value (quality, lead time, due date performance, variety, consistency, after sales service) that customers experience when buying a product or service is primarily created within and the primary responsibility of the operations function. Improving on these value proposition components lead to an improved selling price and building the company’s brand. It is therefore of the utmost importance to ensure that the operations function is correctly aligned with the target market segments to ensure that the promises can be delivered on. This course will focus on how the operations function can become the strategic competitive edge for the business. It is based on systems principles which are universally applicable to manufacturing and service companies, irrespective of size or industry classification. Both a strategic and day-to-day approach will be followed.