Leadership & Management
Operations Strategy for Leaders
This 5-day course helps leaders align operations with competitive strategy, covering process design, lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, quality systems, and digital operational resilience.
Introduction
Operations decide whether a business can deliver on its promises at the right cost, quality, and speed. The Operations Strategy for Leaders Course helps senior managers connect operational capability to competitive strategy. Participants learn how to configure processes, capacity, technology, and supply networks so they support the business model rather than constrain it. Furthermore, the course covers productivity improvement, quality systems, and operational risk. As a result, leaders leave with a clear view of where operations create advantage, how to prioritise investment, and how to lead improvement that delivers measurable financial results.
Operations Strategy for Leaders Course Objectives
- Align operations strategy with corporate strategy using the operations strategy matrix.
- Apply the four competitive priorities: cost, quality, speed, and flexibility.
- Evaluate process types using the product-process matrix and Hayes-Wheelwright framework.
- Improve productivity through lean principles, value stream mapping, and 5S.
- Design capacity and demand plans using aggregate planning and queuing principles.
- Apply quality management systems including Six Sigma, DMAIC, and ISO 9001.
- Optimise inventory and supply networks with ABC analysis and EOQ models.
- Apply Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
- Integrate digital operations tools such as ERP, MES, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
- Manage operational risk, resilience, and business continuity planning.
Course Methodology
- Interactive workshops led by operations and supply chain practitioners.
- Case studies of manufacturing and service operations transformation.
- Group exercises using value stream maps and process analysis tools.
- Capacity and inventory modelling exercises in spreadsheets.
- Simulation rounds testing operational trade-off decisions.
- Structured debate on automation, outsourcing, and resilience.
- Capstone project: presenting an operations strategy for a selected business.
Who Should Take This Course
- Operations directors and plant managers.
- Supply chain and logistics leaders.
- Manufacturing and production managers.
- Service operations and process improvement managers.
- General managers responsible for operational performance.
- Strategy and continuous improvement professionals.
Operations Strategy for Leaders Course Outlines
Operations Strategy and Competitive Alignment
- • Role of operations in competitive advantage.
- • The operations strategy matrix: decisions versus priorities.
- • Competitive priorities: cost, quality, speed, and flexibility.
- • Order winners and qualifiers in different markets.
- • Product-process matrix and Hayes-Wheelwright framework.
- • Strategic fit between operations and business model.
- • Exercise: assessing strategic alignment of an operation.
Process Design, Lean, and Productivity
- • Process types and layout selection.
- • Value stream mapping and cycle time analysis.
- • Lean principles, 5S, and waste elimination.
- • Line balancing and bottleneck management.
- • Standard work and continuous improvement routines.
- • Kaizen events and rapid improvement workshops.
- • Workshop: redesigning a core process with lean tools.
Capacity, Demand, and Inventory Management
- • Capacity planning and aggregate planning methods.
- • Demand forecasting techniques and forecast error measurement.
- • Queuing theory basics and service level design.
- • Inventory types, ABC analysis, and EOQ models.
- • Safety stock, reorder points, and service level targets.
- • Sales and operations planning (S&OP) processes.
- • Exercise: building a capacity and inventory plan.
Quality, Maintenance, and Operational Excellence
- • Quality management principles and cost of quality.
- • Six Sigma, DMAIC, and statistical process control (SPC).
- • ISO 9001 requirements and audit readiness.
- • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
- • Root cause analysis and corrective action systems.
- • Benchmarking and performance measurement.
- • Case exercise: diagnosing a quality problem.
Digital Operations, Risk, and Resilience
- • ERP, MES, and integrated planning systems.
- • Industry 4.0, IoT, and digital twin applications.
- • Automation and robotics decision frameworks.
- • Operational risk assessment and mitigation.
- • Supply chain resilience and business continuity planning.
- • Outsourcing, nearshoring, and make-or-buy decisions.
- • Capstone project: presenting an operations strategy.
Conclusion
By successfully completing Operations Strategy for Leaders, participants will have acquired practical knowledge of operations strategy, process design, lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, quality systems, and operational risk. They will understand how to align operations with business priorities and prioritise improvement investment. In addition, they will gain confidence in leading digital and resilience initiatives. Gentex Training Center builds this programme around applied operations practice, so leaders return ready to deliver measurable performance gains.
FAQs
— What is the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course about?
It connects operational capability with competitive strategy. Participants learn process design, lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, quality systems, digital operations, and operational risk. The course focuses on where operations create advantage and how to lead improvement.
— What are the key benefits of the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
It improves cost, quality, speed, and flexibility performance by aligning operations with business priorities. Participants gain practical improvement methods, sharper investment decisions, and stronger risk awareness. Organisations benefit from higher productivity, better service levels, and more resilient supply networks.
— What skills will I gain from the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
Participants gain operations strategy alignment, process design and lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, and quality and operational risk management.
— What tools, methods, or standards are covered in the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
The course covers the operations strategy matrix, the product-process matrix, the Hayes-Wheelwright framework, value stream mapping, 5S, Kaizen, line balancing, aggregate planning, demand forecasting, queuing theory, ABC analysis, EOQ models, sales and operations planning (S&OP), Six Sigma, DMAIC, statistical process control, ISO 9001, TPM, OEE, ERP and MES systems, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
— How is the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course applied in real-world practice?
Leaders apply it by mapping processes, removing bottlenecks, and setting capacity and inventory policies. They also run quality and maintenance systems, evaluate automation and outsourcing options, build resilience plans, and review operational KPIs that connect directly to financial performance.
Contact our team and let us help you find the right option.
Introduction
Operations decide whether a business can deliver on its promises at the right cost, quality, and speed. The Operations Strategy for Leaders Course helps senior managers connect operational capability to competitive strategy. Participants learn how to configure processes, capacity, technology, and supply networks so they support the business model rather than constrain it. Furthermore, the course covers productivity improvement, quality systems, and operational risk. As a result, leaders leave with a clear view of where operations create advantage, how to prioritise investment, and how to lead improvement that delivers measurable financial results.
Operations Strategy for Leaders Course Objectives
- Align operations strategy with corporate strategy using the operations strategy matrix.
- Apply the four competitive priorities: cost, quality, speed, and flexibility.
- Evaluate process types using the product-process matrix and Hayes-Wheelwright framework.
- Improve productivity through lean principles, value stream mapping, and 5S.
- Design capacity and demand plans using aggregate planning and queuing principles.
- Apply quality management systems including Six Sigma, DMAIC, and ISO 9001.
- Optimise inventory and supply networks with ABC analysis and EOQ models.
- Apply Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
- Integrate digital operations tools such as ERP, MES, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
- Manage operational risk, resilience, and business continuity planning.
Course Methodology
- Interactive workshops led by operations and supply chain practitioners.
- Case studies of manufacturing and service operations transformation.
- Group exercises using value stream maps and process analysis tools.
- Capacity and inventory modelling exercises in spreadsheets.
- Simulation rounds testing operational trade-off decisions.
- Structured debate on automation, outsourcing, and resilience.
- Capstone project: presenting an operations strategy for a selected business.
Who Should Take This Course
- Operations directors and plant managers.
- Supply chain and logistics leaders.
- Manufacturing and production managers.
- Service operations and process improvement managers.
- General managers responsible for operational performance.
- Strategy and continuous improvement professionals.
Operations Strategy for Leaders Course Outlines
Operations Strategy and Competitive Alignment
- • Role of operations in competitive advantage.
- • The operations strategy matrix: decisions versus priorities.
- • Competitive priorities: cost, quality, speed, and flexibility.
- • Order winners and qualifiers in different markets.
- • Product-process matrix and Hayes-Wheelwright framework.
- • Strategic fit between operations and business model.
- • Exercise: assessing strategic alignment of an operation.
Process Design, Lean, and Productivity
- • Process types and layout selection.
- • Value stream mapping and cycle time analysis.
- • Lean principles, 5S, and waste elimination.
- • Line balancing and bottleneck management.
- • Standard work and continuous improvement routines.
- • Kaizen events and rapid improvement workshops.
- • Workshop: redesigning a core process with lean tools.
Capacity, Demand, and Inventory Management
- • Capacity planning and aggregate planning methods.
- • Demand forecasting techniques and forecast error measurement.
- • Queuing theory basics and service level design.
- • Inventory types, ABC analysis, and EOQ models.
- • Safety stock, reorder points, and service level targets.
- • Sales and operations planning (S&OP) processes.
- • Exercise: building a capacity and inventory plan.
Quality, Maintenance, and Operational Excellence
- • Quality management principles and cost of quality.
- • Six Sigma, DMAIC, and statistical process control (SPC).
- • ISO 9001 requirements and audit readiness.
- • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
- • Root cause analysis and corrective action systems.
- • Benchmarking and performance measurement.
- • Case exercise: diagnosing a quality problem.
Digital Operations, Risk, and Resilience
- • ERP, MES, and integrated planning systems.
- • Industry 4.0, IoT, and digital twin applications.
- • Automation and robotics decision frameworks.
- • Operational risk assessment and mitigation.
- • Supply chain resilience and business continuity planning.
- • Outsourcing, nearshoring, and make-or-buy decisions.
- • Capstone project: presenting an operations strategy.
Conclusion
By successfully completing Operations Strategy for Leaders, participants will have acquired practical knowledge of operations strategy, process design, lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, quality systems, and operational risk. They will understand how to align operations with business priorities and prioritise improvement investment. In addition, they will gain confidence in leading digital and resilience initiatives. Gentex Training Center builds this programme around applied operations practice, so leaders return ready to deliver measurable performance gains.
FAQs
— What is the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course about?
It connects operational capability with competitive strategy. Participants learn process design, lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, quality systems, digital operations, and operational risk. The course focuses on where operations create advantage and how to lead improvement.
— What are the key benefits of the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
It improves cost, quality, speed, and flexibility performance by aligning operations with business priorities. Participants gain practical improvement methods, sharper investment decisions, and stronger risk awareness. Organisations benefit from higher productivity, better service levels, and more resilient supply networks.
— What skills will I gain from the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
Participants gain operations strategy alignment, process design and lean improvement, capacity and inventory planning, and quality and operational risk management.
— What tools, methods, or standards are covered in the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course?
The course covers the operations strategy matrix, the product-process matrix, the Hayes-Wheelwright framework, value stream mapping, 5S, Kaizen, line balancing, aggregate planning, demand forecasting, queuing theory, ABC analysis, EOQ models, sales and operations planning (S&OP), Six Sigma, DMAIC, statistical process control, ISO 9001, TPM, OEE, ERP and MES systems, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
— How is the "Operations Strategy for Leaders" course applied in real-world practice?
Leaders apply it by mapping processes, removing bottlenecks, and setting capacity and inventory policies. They also run quality and maintenance systems, evaluate automation and outsourcing options, build resilience plans, and review operational KPIs that connect directly to financial performance.
Partners in Learning
Our Partners in Learning include leading companies and organizations that trust Gentex Training Center for high-quality training courses and professional development programs. Together, we deliver impactful training programs that support skills growth, leadership development, and organizational excellence.
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