Note: This post was created in 2013 and the LinkedIn groups featured here may no longer be active.
The individuals who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day efficiency and effectiveness of a business are generally the members of the operations management team. These individuals are responsible for a wide variety of duties and are often interested in recruiting the most qualified individuals to join their team and help them find success. Operations management professionals who are looking for an opportunity to network with other qualified individuals in their field or who are seeking the most effective way of finding new employment opportunities have found that LinkedIn provides them with the type of networking that other social sites simply cannot deliver. Of course, in order to get the most out of any group, it is important to choose the one that best suits the individual’s particular needs.
With this in mind, below are listed five of the very best LinkedIn groups when it comes to being operations management professionals from all over the world together so that they can discuss a wide variety of topics and issues.
#1 Group Name: MOM – Manufacturing Operations Management
Group Description: Manufacturing has always been the backbone of the modern economy, which means that individuals who work in the field of operations management for manufacturing companies have a unique set of needs that this group is designed specifically to meet. Whether an individual’s looking to simply network with other like-minded individuals or is interested in discussing new ideas and innovative techniques, this is the group for them.
Current Discussions: “How do you keep your employee involvement teams energized?” “You are what you measure.” “6 steps to empowering workers to create change within your organization.” “Do you tend to wait until there’s a crisis to act?” “What is the biggest challenge you face in driving a continuous improvement culture in your operations?”
Members: 12,900
Group Manager: Henry Costa
Group Stats: Very Active—133 discussions this month
Demographics of Members:
LOCATION—3% Greater Chicago Area
FUNCTION—44% Operations
INDUSTRY—9% Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
SENIORITY—37% Manager
#2 Group Name: Operations Management in Practice
Group Description: Putting new research findings to use in a practical way is one of the challenges that operations management professionals face on a daily basis. This is why so many qualified individuals who work in this field find this group to be especially valuable to them since they are able to discuss a wide variety of topics and gain new insight into how they can best put the newest practices and techniques to use in their company. The topics that are discussed in this group include everything from management of the supply chain to services management, quality management, and even project management, which means that there is always something new to discuss and learn.
Current Discussions: “What are the three most significant Ops Mgt challenges to you today?” “New operating models.” “What are the best metrics used in manufacturing?”
Members: 7,595
Group Manager: Dr. Elliot Bendoly
Group Stats: Active—5 discussions this month
Demographics of Members:
LOCATION—5% Greater Atlanta Area
FUNCTION—28% Operations
INDUSTRY—10% Higher Education
SENIORITY—34% Manager
#3 Group Name: Operations/Distribution Managers
Group Description: While networking is a crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when it comes to the different LinkedIn groups that are available to operations management professionals, there are often specific needs that an individual is looking to meet when they join a group. Professionals who are looking to share business leads, discuss relevant articles and news stories, gain more expertise in the industry that they are employed in, or simply explore some of the many job openings that are available have found this particular group to be of great value to them.
Current Discussions: “Bridgestone saves $190,000 per year with lighting upgrade at factory.” “Manual vs. automatic DC.” “How would measure the influences of personality on team and company culture?”
Members: 8,666
Group Manager: James Crawford
Group Stats: Very Active—91 discussions this month
Demographics of Members:
LOCATION—5% Greater New York City Area
FUNCTION—57% Operations
INDUSTRY—26% Logistics and Supply Chain
SENIORITY—44% Manager
#4 Group Name: Operations Managers “Alive”
Group Description: Working as an operations manager is at times of rewarding and frustrating. The frustration often comes from having to deal with issues that are completely new. Of course, solving these types of problems is part of what makes this such a rewarding field to be employed in. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to discuss issues or ask questions of individuals who had even more experience and expertise in order to come to the best and most practical solution possible. That is exactly what this group is designed to do. Any individual who works in the operations management team will be able to discuss their concerns and gain insight into how other supervisors, directors, or managers would handle a particular issue.
Current Discussions: “If you were asked to sum up your role as an operations manager in one word, what would that word be?” “What should the key work be that an operation manager concentrates on mainly?” “Managing risk through effective project management.” “The difference between price and value.” “Presentation nerves and the solutions to overcome them.”
Members: 6,122
Group Manager: Dan Lessard
Group Stats: Very Active—66 discussions this month
Demographics of Members:
LOCATION—3% Greater New York City Area
FUNCTION—70% Operations
INDUSTRY—5% Logistics and Supply Chain
SENIORITY—69% Manager
#5 Group Name: Facilities Management Professionals International
Group Description: Because operations management can include a wide variety of actual job duties, those individuals who are actually tasked with managing the physical buildings and facilities for a business often find themselves with a very unique set of concerns. This group has been designed specifically with these professionals in mind and allows them to discuss topics that deal with the actual management of buildings so that a business can operate as efficiently as possible while also providing the occupants with a safe environment in which to work or even shop.
With a very specialized purpose in place, this is the perfect group for individuals who find themselves responsible for the day-to-day management of everything from a single building to an entire group of facilities.
Current Discussions: “FMs using advanced software to achieve green goals.” “What are your thoughts about doing business with LinkedIn members or those you are connected with?” “Are you and your team feeling productive in your workspace?”
Members: 31,957
Group Manager: Chris Dawson
Group Stats: Very Active—262 discussions this month
Demographics of Members:
LOCATION—5% Greater New York City area
FUNCTION—27% Operations
INDUSTRY—34% Facilities Services
SENIORITY—31% Manager
Related:
- 23+ Online MBA in Operations Management
