Program Outline

The role of the Production Manager has changed radically over recent decades to take on a new importance.   Instead of being concerned solely with the factory production of a company’s products, many of today’s Production Managers are often responsible for all physical aspects of the production, quality control and physical distribution of a company’s goods or services.  The inclusion of the word “Operations” in the title of the Diploma reflects the fact that Production and Operations Managers may now be found in retail operations, the supply of technical services or the production and supply of factory products.  Thus, the production and operations manager may be concerned with other departments in supplying the right goods, at the right price, in the right place, at the right time or may, solely be responsible for ensuring the factory production of the right amount of quality goods and/or services.

This makes the Production and Operations Manager’s work more exciting and rewarding for those people willing to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for the efficient completion of such work and provides the opportunity for the most ambitious to rise to managerial or production director level. The certificate course provides students with the knowledge necessary for a fundamental understanding of production.

The certification program provides optional subjects so that working professionals can direct part of the program towards the area in which they see themselves working and prepares them for ultimately fulfilling a management role.

The Certified Production Manager program of the IEBA-Professional Certification Institute will provide the knowledge and skills for producing and supplying products that meet world quality standards and will fully prepare program members for their first significant post in this expanding area of business.

Certification Courses

The following subject syllabus outlines are provided in order that  potential students can obtain a firm appreciation of the major topics they will study in each subject of their chosen course. Bear in mind that major topics only are provided and students may have to study many sub-topics within a major topic heading. IEBA reserves the right to amend or change syllabuses and /or subjects  where it considers it appropriate for the effective provision of a courses.

 Production and Operations Management - The Production and Operations Function and the Organisation, Production/Operations Strategy, Planning and Controlling the Operations, Production/Operations Management and Financial Management, Production/Operations Management in Manufacturing and Service Environments, Marketing and Product/Service Design, Product/Service: Variety and Value, Quality, Reliability, Product, Service, Operations and Competitive Strategies, Location and Design of the Plant or Facilities, Layout of the Facilities, Equipment Selection, Maintenance of the Facilities and Equipment, Production/Operation Systems Design, Method of Study, Work Measurement, Controlling Quality through Measurement and introduction to ISO 9000. Operations Control: An Introduction, Forecasting, Capacity Management and Operations Scheduling, Manufacturing Planning Case Study, Data Capture and Release, Inventory Management, Manufacturing Planning and Control Systems, Project Management, Resource Allocation - Linear Programming, Purchasing, Despatch, Production/Operations and Personnel Management, Health and Safety Management.

Purchasing and Supply - Defining Purchasing and its objectives, Purchasing Organisation, Purchasing policy, procedures and documentation, Purchasing and EDP, The Right Quality, Buying in the Right Quantity at the Right Time, Buying at the Right Price, Supplies and Supplier Sourcing and Evaluation, Negotiation, Special Aspects of Purchasing, Purchasing Research, Performance and Ethics.

Commercial Essentials and Customer Care - The office as a Centre of Business Activity, Computer Systems, Controlling Debts, Commercial Terminology, Documents and their purpose, Staff selection and controls. Customer Care – Defining Customer Care:  Customer Care and Company Benefits, Considering a Policy and Plan, Customer Care and You, Customer Care and Service Plans, Motivating Staff, Standards and Monitoring, Selling the plan.

Quantitative Methods for Business - This subject introduces students to the major means by which numerical methods may be used to reduce risks when making business decisions.
Data Collection, Presentation of Data, Measure of Dispersion, Index Numbers, Mathematical Relationships, Matrices, Probability, Discrete Probability Distributions, The Normal Distribution, Correlation, Regression, Time Series, Linear Programming, Networks, Modelling, Stock Control -  Queuing Theory, Simulation.

Stores Control - Stores Management, Stores Functions and Responsibilities, Stock Record Systems, Stores Identification, Stock Control, Issue and Despatch of Stock, Quality Control, Stock Maintenance, Stores Management and Forward Planning, Stock Receipt, Training and Staff Development, Stock Obsolescence and Redundancy, Stores Management and the Law, Materials Management, Stockyards, Stocktaking, Stores Buildings, Materials Handling, Storage Equipment, Production Planning and Control, Purchasing, Distribution, Stores Management and Data Processing, Work Study, Transportation.

Business - Communications and Interpersonal Skills - Theory of Communications, Written Communications, Listening and Spoken Communications, Meetings; Presentation of Numerical Information; Forms of Address, Computers and other communication, Interpersonal Skills - Interviews, Starting a New Job, Staff Communications, Correspondence, Personal Relationships in the Workplace, Criticism, Dealing with Gossip, Punctuality etc., Customer Service and Complaints, The Business Lunch, Table Manners, Wine, Wardrobe and Grooming, Women at Work.

Cost Accounting - Introduction; Cost Ascertainment - Cost data; Absorption costing: overheads; costing methods;  Cost accounts; Process costing; Cost Analysis - Estimation;  Cost behaviour; Introduction to decision making; Short, medium and long term decision-making; Marginal costing; - Budgets; Flexible budgets and standard costs; Variance analysis; Aspects of profit control; Standard cost accounts.

Human Resource Management -  Elementary individual psychology; Motivation in work; Learning; Individual differences; Interviewing; Physical and psychological conditions of work; Social psychology at work; Leadership and participation; Communications and change; Other influences on employee behaviour.  Personnel management; Human resources planning; Job analysis and job specifications; Recruitment and selection; Promotion, transfer, demotion and retirement; Resignation and dismissal; Labour turnover; Appraisal; Training Principles and administration; Training methods; Job evaluation; Wages and Salaries; Safety and conditions of employment; EC dimension of personnel management; Personnel records and statistics; Industrial relations.

Information Technology - This programme introduces students to the uses of information,  software and systems used in business. Business Applications of Information Processing; The Need for Information in Organisations; Computer Systems; Filing Information; Peripherals;  Computer Processing Methods; Control of Information Processing;  Management Information Services; The Electronic Office; Computer Networks and Distributed Systems;  Software; Financial Systems and Packages; Programming; Systems Development and Implementation; Social and Organisational Effects of Computerisation.

Marketing,  Advertising & PR and Marketing (Market Research/International/Franchising) - Development, Concept, Definition and Need for Marketing, Integrated Marketing, Industrial and Consumer Products, Marketing Research, Marketing Communications / Promotions, Salesmanship and Marketing, Pricing Policy, Product Policy, Distribution Policy, Marketing Planning and  Strategies,  Franchising ; International Marketing.

Microsoft Office- PC operation and operating environment; Creating Word, Access,  Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook documents; Editing ; Formatting ; Saving, retrieving and printing; Managing Files;  Proofing Documents;

E-Business – Definition and Scope;  The Internet / WWW;  Website Construction;  Planning for an Online Business;  Dealing with the customer.

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