Description
Resource planning and control is concerned with managing the allocation of resources and activities for process efficiency and effectiveness in satisfying customer demand (Slack et al. 2015). This is a useful way of thinking about this issue. In order to throw light on some of the key issues of short-term scheduling and planning, we have reproduced the following diagram where we used it to illustrate some basic aspects of operating processes.
This is a simple process but to set it up and schedule work through it requires that:
• The raw material supply is organised, scheduled to be ready at start-up, and available at the site.
• Workers (probably coming from other parts of the factory, together with casual labour) are scheduled to staff the process on time.
• Maintenance staff have been scheduled to check and service the operating equipment beforehand.
• An operations supervisor has been alerted beforehand to set the process up and make sure it is ready to operate.
• And the ‘customer’ side of the operation has been planned ready for the output to be moved to either a finished goods store (if work is complete) or a work-in-process location ready for the next process.
