Book excerpt: Introduction to Operations Management: A Supply Chain Process Approach details how firms buy, make, deliver, and return goods and services around the globe, providing students with a solid foundation of operations management concepts and techniques. The text offers a set of activities that guide the effectiveness of organizations and prepare operations managers and other employees to ensure their firms are competitive. The book is organized from a strategic to a tactical perspective, beginning with foundational concepts and ending with broader discussions of managing supply chains. Dedicated chapters address corporate strategy, services design, inventory management, aggregate planning, forecasting, lean systems, quality management, integrating processes along the supply chain, and more. Numerous real-world examples, cases, and engaging exercises allow students to place themselves in the shoes of working operations management professionals. The second edition features examples of real companies using analytical tools in decision-making situations, as well as extensive web-based content including flashcards, YouTube videos, and graded chapter quizzes. The textbook's coverage also includes emerging trends for most chapters, such as sustainability, customer relationships, and working in the global marketplace. Written for today's students and the exciting, ever-evolving marketplace, the second edition of Introduction to Operations Management is the text to bring operations management into the modern era.