Within the constraints imposed by its design, an operation has to
be run on an ongoing basis. ‘Planning and control’ is concerned
with managing the ongoing activities of the operation so as to
satisfy customer demand. All operations require plans and require
controlling, although the degree of formality and detail may vary.
This chapter introduces and provides an overview of some of the
principles and methods of planning and control. We also examine
information technology (IT), in the form of ERP (enterprise
resources planning) systems. The different aspects of planning
and control can be viewed as representing the reconciliation of
supply with demand. Figure 10.1 shows where this chapter fi ts
into the overall operations model.