Active learning ideas
Efficiency and productivity are the twin pillars of successful operations. Productivity measures the relationship between inputs and outputs (e.g., labour productivity), while efficiency is about performing tasks in the best possible way with the least waste. Students explore how businesses can improve these through training, better management, and the use of technology.
Activity 01
Groups are tasked with building a specific Lego structure. In the first round, they have a messy workspace and no plan. In the second, they apply lean principles (organising parts, clear roles, just-in-time delivery). They then compare their productivity and waste levels between rounds.
How is labour productivity calculated?
Activity 02
Provide groups with data on a UK car manufacturing plant from the 1970s versus today. They must identify how technology (robotics, AI) has changed labour productivity and discuss the social and economic implications for the workforce.
What is lean production?
Activity 03
Show a graph of the UK's 'productivity gap' compared to other G7 nations. Students individually brainstorm three reasons why this might be the case, then pair up to suggest one specific policy a business could implement to help close the gap.
How can technology improve operational efficiency?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Productivity and production are the same thing.
Production is the total amount made; productivity is how *efficiently* it was made. A simple calculation task comparing a large, slow factory with a small, fast one helps students see that more production doesn't always mean higher productivity.
Lean production just means firing workers to save money.
Lean is about improving processes and empowering workers to identify waste, not just cutting staff. Peer discussion about 'Kaizen' (continuous improvement) helps students see lean as a positive, collaborative culture rather than just a cost-cutting exercise.
Methods used in this brief
Setting Operational Objectives
Learn how operational targets such as unit cost, speed of response, and flexibility drive competitiveness. Students will also consider the growing importance of environmental sustainability in operations.
8 methodologies
Quality Management
Distinguish between quality control and quality assurance, and understand the financial and reputational impacts of poor quality. Students will explore Total Quality Management (TQM) as a holistic approach.
8 methodologies