Introduction to the Operations Function

Firstly, consider the economy where gross domestic product (GDP) has been subdivided into its major divisions which are agriculture, manufacturing and services. The following tables show the changes in contribution for a number of countries between 1980 and 1996 and employment projections. Note that primary, secondary and tertiary sectors refer to the evolution of activity where the first or primary activity was applied to basic needs such as food followed by manufacturing (secondary) and finally services (tertiary). 

You may wonder why we are starting here? When you are contemplating this data pause and think of the contribution of the operations function because operations is all about transforming resources including money, people, capital and resources into goods and services. GDP, in a sense, is the scorecard.