Effective management of the business operations undertaken within an organisation is the key to its overall success. No organisation will be able to achieve its objectives without effective management of its operations. This module is divided into six sections, each of which deals with one aspect of the management of business operations

The first section describes the key features of a business environment, looking specifically at the different types and structures of organisations

The second section discusses the key financial concepts used in all organisations, including details of accounting information, use of information and types of stakeholders

The third section explains the importance of quality and customer service excellence, identifying ways of satisfying customer needs and making improvements

The fourth section shows why planning is important and how it is carried out. Key business concepts, such as vision, mission statement and strategy, are described and the process of developing a business plan is discussed

The fifth section contains details of the process of operational control, explaining the difference between monitoring and controlling, and the types of information which enable managers to take control

The final section outlines how decisions are made and how important they are to the secure future of any organisation. Examples of business decisions are included to demonstrate the impact made by good and bad decision making