The Strategic Role of the Operations Function in the Car Audio Industry

From a manufacturer's point of view, to identify the strategic role of the operations function is vital in the business success. This is also true in the car audio industry. Before judging or evaluating the contribution of operation of a car stereo manufacturer, it is important to know the role of the operation function in the first place. In other words, to understand the exact parts that it plays in the company. In the car audio company, the operational managers will fail to identify whether the operations in progress are really building a long-term success of the business, if the role of operations functions is not fully understood and appreciated in the company.

Before going for the role of the subject, a car audio supplier must figure out the core value, the mission and vision of the company at the first stage, as the role is based on this core information of the company of car stereo. Then the next step is to understand the underlying rationale of the operations function in the company, which is more than just the tasks or responsibilities. The operational managers can treat it as simple as the reasons that the operations function exists.
With the very reason why the operations function continuously exists in the car audio company, an operational manger can understand the major three roles, which are the implementing, supporting and driving of the business strategy.
1. Implementing the business strategy.
Implementing the business strategy is the first role. For most manufactures like the Car Audio Group, it is common to have some kind of strategies to win its business success. These strategies are put into practice by operations within the company. A business strategy is invisible; people can only experience how it works in the real practice. For example, if a car stereo supplier launches a sales campaign targeted in the new car owner market in the hope of increasing market share in this special sector, suitable marketing operations is supposed to be planned to attract new car owners. Discount prices and promotional activities may be arranged throughout the campaign. In terms of customer service operation, the company may build a new customer service team to improve the satisfaction of the customers. Most importantly in the product development operation, the new function may need to be built on the car radio products. The value of the role of implement of business strategy is very significant for the company, because business will not be successful without a capable operations function even though the business strategy is carefully planned.
2. Supporting the business strategy.
A second role is to support the company's strategy. In this role, it must integrate and develop resources to facilitate all activities to let the organization achieve strategic goals and objectives. Take a car audio manufacturer for example, if the manufacturer is trying to be the leader in the market for an available new product innovation, its operations function must be capable of dealing with changes and unexpected difficulties that the new innovation will bring. It must have new process or production line to support the production of new designs. It must also have comprehensive training courses for the staff to keep updated with the new functions and put the changes of operations in practice. A strong relationship with its suppliers is supposed to be built, for the quick response on novel materials sourcing. The operations function is also supposed to adopt a different practice and objectives if the car audio manufacture decided to change its strategy.
3. Driving the business strategy.
Driving the business strategy is a third role, to develop long-term competitive advantages for the company. Any bad practice such as low-quality product, broken promises, unsatisfactory services and limited choice of model numbers will ruin the business strategy, let alone the long-term business success. On the contrary, if the auto radio manufacturer can provide continuous good products, fast delivery, satisfactory customer services, it will drive successful business strategy, and finally contributes to successful business success and positive company image. All these short-term and long-term success will not to be built with good operations function. An operations function of a car audio manufacturer that is offering both short-term and long-term advantages is driving the business strategy to meet business goals and objectives. Moreover, if the operations function of a manufacturer is able to cope with uncertain challenges of the car audio market in the future, it will certainly bring future success for the company