A Unifying Central Figure introduces each chapter that embodies our philosophy of operations management, that adheres to the “building block” approach including: o  Part 1 a discussion on how to design and manage processes or  “journeys” at the firm level. These processes must effectively satisfy customer demands. o  Part 2 teaches students how firms forecast their demands and satisfy them with appropriate inventory and scheduling practices. o  Part 3 demonstrates how the building blocks are connected into supply chains, linking the process in one firm with those of another. All three levels of the diagram are linked with feedback loops. Five new Chapter-Opening Vignettes engage and stimulate students’ interest by profiling how real companies like CVS Pharmacy, Airbus, Microsoft, Ford Motor Company, and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, apply specific operational issues addressed in each chapter. Eleven new Managerial Practices provide current examples of how companies (successfully or unsuccessfully) deal with process and supply chain issues facing them as they run their operations. Examples range from the scheduling of major league baseball umpires to the use of drones in a disaster relief supply chain.  Chapter 3, “Quality and Performance,” introduces a systems approach to total quality management and emphasises its importance with an integrating diagram that explains the interactions between continuous improvement, employee involvement, management commitment, and analytical process thinking.   Chapter 1, “Using Operations to Create Value,” includes a discussion on the Internet of things (IoT), which relates to the interconnectivity of objects that can collect and exchange data without human intervention. Chapter 14, “Supply Chain Integration,” teaches students how a disruptive technology such as additive manufacturing (AM, also called 3-D printing) can reduce material inputs and make supply chains more flexible.   End-of-chapter resources enhance student learning Learning Goals in Review highlight where each learning goal is addressed in the chapter and cross references them with a rich set of MyLab™ Operations Management resources including Videos, Active Models, Tutors, Explorer, and POM for Windows at the student’s disposal. Active Model Exercises enable students to use provided spreadsheets to do “what-if” analysis of examples presented in the text to see what would happen if certain parameters were changed. Experiential Learning groups students into teams who work both in- and out-of-class on six exercises that actively involve them in team-based discussion questions and decisions. Each exercise has been thoroughly tested in class and proven to be a valuable learning tool.