Operations

Just as the human body needs to accomplish certain activities to live and maintain health, companies need to engage in primary business activities to survive—and thrive. In this LAP, students will discover the core business activities of financial analysis, human resources management, information management, marketing, operations, and strategic management. Students will also learn about the interdependence of these activities and how they shift and adapt during changing circumstances. LAPs...

Well-planned organizational design is crucial to the success of any business. In Designed to Work (Organizational Design of Businesses), students will learn the importance of structure within an organization and discover the many types of organizational design used by successful companies today. In the Gray Zone, students will evaluate a situation in which a manager potentially abuses their authority within an organization’s hierarchy. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive...

Businesses need plans when they undertake projects. Creating an effective plan can mean the difference between the success or failure of your project. Use LAP-OP-001—Chart Your Course (Developing a Project Plan) to teach your students more about the essential components of project plans, as well as how to develop and use them. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student...

All types of projects require resources, even the simplest one. Without resources, you would not be able to achieve the project goal. Get What You Need (Identifying Project Resources) explains the different types of resources and guides students through the step-by-step process for identifying them. With relevant examples and hands-on activities, students will master this skill and become stronger project managers. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that...

Show your students how shopping for the best deals can become a career with Buy Right. In this LAP, they’ll learn about the importance of purchasing, the types of purchasing, and the process that purchasing specialists follow. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about purchasing, a (So What?) discussion...

Production is all around us and crucial to businesses and society. This LAP gives a detailed look at the resources used in production and explains the importance of each stage of the production process. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about the nature of production, a (So What?) discussion of why it's...

Every business needs to manage its operating costs, or overhead expenses, if it wants to be successful. This LAP describes different types of operating costs, how they affect selling prices, and ways a business can keep its costs under control to increase profitability. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information...

The LAP Buck Busters highlights ways that employees can help control business expenses so that companies can reinvest more of their profits and improve their facilities, equipment, and products. When employees have a good work ethic, they can produce higher-quality work while also minimizing company costs and expenses. The LAP also discusses the importance of time management, limiting personal activities at work, and treating customers professionally. Activities ask students to consider...

Everything starts with a project—a short-term undertaking that creates a unique good or service. Projects help businesses maintain flexibility so they can take advantage of new opportunities quickly and effectively. Teach your students more about projects, the elements of a successful project, why projects are important, and how businesses manage them effectively. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented...

Quality control is a lot more than weeding out defective products! Teach your students about the quality-control methods and measures that contribute to customer satisfaction and business success. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about quality-control measures, a (So What?) discussion of why it's...

Teach your students the importance of every activity involved in the operations process—from production planning to expense control—and the impact those activities have on the overall production of goods and services. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about the nature of operations, a (So What?)...

Business owners, managers, and employees must learn how to handle big ethical conflicts as well as minor ones that come up in day-to-day operations. Teach your students more about the ethical dilemmas that arise in operations. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about ethics in operations, a (So What?)...

Quid Pro No (Ethics in Purchasing) introduces students to ethical practices in purchasing. This LAP discusses the impact of unethical purchasing methods on businesses and the importance of developing socially responsible supplier relationships, as well as warning signs of potentially unethical practices. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT!...

Top of the (Supply) Chain (Nature of Supply Chain Management) introduces students to the essential functions and activities powering supply chain management (SCM). Students will explore emerging trends within SCM, including changes in technology, the evolving workforce, and growing consumer demand. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT!...

Deliver the Goods (Concept of Supply Chain) introduces students to one of the most essential components of the business world: the supply chain. Students will learn about the different activities and roles within the supply chain, such as suppliers, manufacturers, and supply chain managers. Furthermore, this LAP describes various types of supply chain models and how different designs meet the needs of different businesses. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional...

Chain Reaction (Impact of Supply Chains on Business Performance) introduces students to the impact that effective supply chains can have on business performance. This LAP discusses the basics of supply chains, details the characteristics of an effective supply chain, and outlines how effective supply chains benefit businesses and their customers. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP...

No matter the size or nature of any project, they all require planning. Plan On It! (Planning Projects) focuses on teaching students the importance of planning ahead when completing all kinds of projects—at work, at school, and in their personal lives. This LAP includes the benefits of planning projects, factors that impact project planning, tools for project planning, and steps to planning a project. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all...

While working on a project, it is important to check on its progress periodically to make sure the work is turning out the way it should be. Check Your (Project) Pulse (Monitoring Projects and Taking Corrective Actions) explains why it is important to monitor projects and what aspects of the project should be monitored. It also provides step-by-step instructions so students can learn how to monitor projects and take the necessary corrective actions to get their projects back on track. LAPs...

Once a project has been completed, how do you know whether it was successful? At the end of any project, it is important to evaluate its success. This LAP guides students through the process of evaluating project success so they can understand what went well, what didn’t, and how to improve in the future. Students will also gain an understanding of why it is important to measure the success of a project. With hands-on activities and relevant examples, this LAP will help students master a key...

Many traits are beneficial to project management. One of the most important ways to lead a project to success is by being ethical. Projects With Principles (Ethics in Project Management) teaches students the importance of being ethical throughout the course of a project. Students will also learn about common ethical dilemmas in project management, as well as ways to be ethical role models to project team members. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that...

The Supply Chain Standard (Ethics in Supply Chain Management) introduces students to the ethical considerations within supply chain management. Students will learn the importance of ethics in supply chain management, ethical issues today’s supply chain professionals face, and ethical practices they can adopt to resolve them. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student...

Quality management is an integral practice of every successful business—from the smallest startups to the largest corporations. In Keep It Quality (Nature of Quality Management), students will study the characteristics of high-quality goods and services and discover the three main components of quality management: quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a...