Business Operations and Management

A career in business operations and management can include monitoring, evaluating and streamlining organizational processes in order to increase the efficient production or delivery of goods and services. Read on to learn more about career and education options for business and operations managers.

Is Business Operations and Management for Me?

Career Overview

As a business operations manager, you’ll oversee the organizational processes that are used to improve products and services. You may be employed as an operations manager, administrative services manager or industrial manager. Useful skill sets include the ability to plan and implement business processes and procedures. Communication, interpersonal and motivational skills can also be key when working in business operations and management.

Employment and Salary Information

As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), openings for administrative service managers, as well as general and operations managers, were projected to increase by 12% nationwide from 2012-2022. This figure represents average employment growth compared to all other occupations. During the same period, minimal to no change in employment was expected for industrial services managers.

As of May 2013, the average annual salary for general and operations managers was $116,090, while administrative service and industrial production managers earned $90,190 and $99,370, respectively (www.bls.gov).

How Can I Start a Career in Business Operations and Management?

Undergraduate Programs

Associate degree programs in business management can provide you with the academic foundation you need to transfer to a 4-year college or university. However, a bachelor’s degree program in business administration or management is the standard educational requirement for industrial managers, operations managers and administrative services managers. Bachelor’s programs may allow for a specialization in financial management, marketing or international business. After earning a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, aspiring operations managers need to gain considerable professional experience before being promoted to the supervisory level.

Graduate Programs

At the graduate level, you may pursue advanced coursework in your area of emphasis through a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Areas of focus may include operations management. Job candidates with master’s degrees are often more attractive to potential employers than applicants with only a bachelor’s degree. If you’re interested in university-level research or teaching opportunities, you might pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business Management.

Common Curriculum

In a business operations management program, you may study labor relations, computer applications or human resource management. You might also pursue courses in business law and accounting. Business operations and management programs typically include classroom time and internship opportunities, a key component that can provide you with valuable work experience.