Dr.Olaniyi Opanuga’s highly educative and must-read articles on the professional practice of Production and Operations Management are part of the massive collections in Production Management Review- a Professional Journal of the Nigeran Institute of Production Management (NIPM) published by Steadfast Publications Limited.
Dr. Opanuga’s “Professionalism in Production And Operations Management”- in Vol.5 No.1 of Production Management Review (January- June Edition) published in 1999 and another- “Rationale For Professional Practice of Production And Operations Managemen in Nigeria” – in Volume 8.No.1 (January-June Edition) published in 2008 are available as a rich learning resource in the Institute’s Research And Publications Unit for the benefit of Members, Researchers, Academics, Consultants, Trainers, Students and other persons interested in understanding and upholding the tenets of Professionalism in this unique field.
These publications are adjunct to Dr. Opanuga’s papers, lectures, and presentations during his industrial visitations to Factories and Government Establishments, Universities and Polytechnics, training at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) workshops, advocacy in workplaces and at workshops organised for Industrial Workers’ Unions across the Country and the Nigerian Institute of Production Management National Conferences and Annual General Meetings.
Dr. Opanuga’s regular teachings of Professional Standards and Ethical Values feature prominently at the NIPM Mandatory Continuous Professional Education, Training And Development (MCPETD) Programmes for Membership induction and Retraining and during Training Courses he conducted for various multinational, international and indigenous manufacturing companies and Federal Government organisations nationwide
WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGER?
Professionalism is a demonstration of the highest level of capabilities and competence in the performance of a job. A profession is a calling that requires mastery, proficiency and authority. A professional is a member of a professional body. In Nigeria, you need to be a member of the Nigeran Institute of Production Management (NIPM) to be called a professional Production Manager or a professional Operations Manager.
YOU NEED EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Appropriate knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes and beliefs are expected from persons who perform professional roles, responsibilities, and duties in organisations .
Production And Operations Management is a professional job. It requires University, Polytechnic or Professional College Education, Certification, Advanced Skills and Sound Ethical Conduct.
NIPM conducts education and training programmes based on properly structured and regularly updated syllabuses involving administration learning systems, Certification Examinations, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Post- Graduate Diploma Courses, Training Workshops et cetera.
MARK OF PROFESSIONALISM
Basically, superior performance, excellence and success. Every professional knows s/he is accountable for results and without jettisoning ethical and moral obligations.
But, amateurs and mediocre competence and sense of professional or ethical conduct.
Professionalism is self- evident in capacity and service delivery expectations. Amateurism is self- evident in it nuisance value. Organisations that employ quacks should expect failure.
PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGERS CAN’T AFFORD TO BE QUACKS OR MEDIOCRES!
Mediocrity is not difficult to discover in this field. Today, most Production And Operations Managers in Nigeria are amateurs, quacks and mediocres….only a few are professionals. Many people occupy positions in Production And Operations Management without the right professional qualifications….and their employers and the Society are paying dearly for this misnomer.
Public and private sector organisations that are underperforming, unprofitable businesses, fake and substandard products manufacturers, service providing organisations that provide poor quality customer service, failure to deliver projects as specified on time and within budget, organisations whose customers are constantly or continually dissatisfied, poor resource management, capacity underutilisation, failed or poorly maintained infrastructure, insecurity and so on are characterized by mediocrity.
Worst still, many organisations have mediocre in leadership positions.
From the lower Operative, Supervisory, and Middle- Management to Top Management levels minimum requirements need to be set to prevent poor performance, bad Production And Operations Management practices, irresponsible conduct, failure or disaster.
NIGERIA NEEDS NIPM.
Made- in- Nigeria cannot be internationally or even locally competitive without professionalism.The entire country as a whole needs NIPM and its ideals for survival, growth and development.
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS.
Persons who practice Production And Operations Management come from different and varied backgrounds- Sciences, Engineering, Technology, Arts and Social Sciences.- At the base of the Management ladder, you find the Supervisors, Technicians, Team Leaders, Artisans or Skilled Tradespersons, Semi-Skilled and General Labour – they work in all the economic and industrial sectors globally.
The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of this profession makes it a field for serious, deep, wide and advanced learning. Compromises are not allowed and precision, accuracy, reliability, resilience, transparency, accountability, customer satisfaction, service excellence and integrity are cherished values.
You will find Dr. Opanuga’s article on “Professionalism in Production And Operations Management” very educative, instructive and enlightening especially if you need to know about the historical evolution of professional Production And Operations Management in Nigeria.
