Operation vs. Administration: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Operation involves the actual running or functioning of activities or systems, while administration refers to the management, organization, and supervision of these activities.
Key Differences
Operation refers to the execution and functioning of processes or systems within an organization or activity. In contrast, administration encompasses the broader management and organizational aspects, including planning, policy-making, and overseeing operations.
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Dec 02, 2023
While operation is concerned with the day-to-day activities and the practical aspect of executing plans, administration focuses on strategic planning, decision-making, and setting policies. Operations are about doing the work, whereas administration is about ensuring that the work is done effectively and in alignment with organizational goals.
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Operations typically involve hands-on activities, dealing directly with the core functions of a business or project. Administration, on the other hand, is more about supervising and managing these core functions, often involving tasks like budgeting, staffing, and resource allocation.
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Dec 02, 2023
In the context of businesses, operation often pertains to production, services, and other direct functions. Administration, however, usually relates to the higher-level management tasks that create the framework within which these operations are carried out.
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Both operation and administration are crucial for the success of any organization but serve different roles. The operation is the engine that drives the organization forward, while administration is the steering mechanism that guides its direction and ensures its smooth running.
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Dec 02, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Focus
Execution and functioning of activities
Management and organization of these activities
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Role
Direct involvement in core activities
Overseeing and supervising operations
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Primary Concern
Practical implementation of plans and tasks
Strategic planning and policy-making
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Level of Involvement
Hands-on, involved in day-to-day tasks
Higher-level, focused on overall management
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Key Activities
Production, service delivery, maintenance
Budgeting, staffing, resource allocation
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Operation and Administration Definitions
Operation
The act of functioning or being active.
The operation of the machinery was smooth and efficient.
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Administration
The act of supervising or directing people and resources.
She was responsible for the administration of the company's finances.
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Nov 25, 2023
Operation
A planned activity involving many people.
The military operation was executed with precision.
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Nov 25, 2023
Administration
The executive functions of a government or organization.
The new administration introduced several policy reforms.
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Nov 25, 2023
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Administration
The management of public affairs or services.
His expertise in administration was crucial for the city's development.
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Operation
The state of being operative or functional
A factory in operation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The process of managing and organizing a business or organization.
The administration of the school focused on improving educational standards.
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Operation
A process or series of acts involved in a particular form of work
The operation of building a house.
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Administration
The act of dispensing, applying, or giving out.
The administration of the vaccine was well-organized and efficient.
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Operation
An instance or method of efficient, productive activity
That restaurant is quite an operation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The act or process of administering, especially the management of a government or large institution.
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Operation
An unethical or illegal business
A fencing operation for stolen goods.
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Administration
The activity of a government or state in the exercise of its powers and duties.
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Operation
(Medicine) A surgical procedure for remedying an injury, ailment, defect, or dysfunction.
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Operation
(Mathematics) A process or action, such as addition, substitution, transposition, or differentiation, performed in a specified sequence and in accordance with specific rules.
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Administration
The group of people who manage or direct an institution, especially a school or college.
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Administration
The dispensing, applying, or tendering of something, such as an oath, a sacrament, or medicine.
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Operation
Operations The headquarters or center from which a military action, flights into and out of an airfield, or other activities are controlled.
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Administration
(uncountable) The act of administering; government of public affairs; the service rendered, or duties assumed, in conducting affairs; the conducting of any office or employment; direction.
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Operation
Operations The division of an organization that carries out the major planning and operating functions.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The executive part of government; the persons collectively who are entrusted with the execution of laws and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his cabinet or council; or the council, or ministry, alone, as in Great Britain.
Successive US administrations have had similar Middle East policies.
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Oct 19, 2023
Operation
The method by which a device performs its function.
It is dangerous to look at the beam of a laser while it is in operation.
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Administration
The country's government under the rule of a particular leader.
The Obama administration
The Duterte administration
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Administration
(countable) A body that administers; a body of administrators.
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Operation
The act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
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Administration
(uncountable) The act of administering, or tendering something to another; dispensation.
The administration of a medicine, of an oath, of justice, or of the sacrament.
Oral administration of insulin
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Operation
A planned undertaking.
The police ran an operation to get vagrants off the streets.
The Katrina relief operation was considered botched.
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Operation
A business or organization.
We run our operation from a storefront.
They run a multinational produce-supply operation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
An arrangement whereby an insolvent company can continue trading under supervision.
The company went into voluntary administration last week.
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Oct 19, 2023
Operation
(medicine) A surgical procedure.
She had an operation to remove her appendix.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The act of administering; government of public affairs; the service rendered, or duties assumed, in conducting affairs; the conducting of any office or employment; direction; management.
His financial administration was of a piece with his military administration.
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Oct 19, 2023
Operation
A procedure for generating a value from one or more other values (the operands);
a function which maps zero or more (but typically two) operands to a single output value.
a function which maps zero or more (but typically two) operands to a single output value.
The number of operands associated with an operation is called its arity; an operation of arity 2 is called a binary operation.
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Administration
The executive part of government; the persons collectively who are intrusted with the execution of laws and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his cabinet or council; or the council, or ministry, alone, as in Great Britain.
A mild and popular administration.
The administration has been opposed in parliament.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The act of administering, or tendering something to another; dispensation; as, the administration of a medicine, of an oath, of justice, or of the sacrament.
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Oct 19, 2023
Administration
The management and disposal, under legal authority, of the estate of an intestate, or of a testator having no competent executor.
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Oct 19, 2023
Operation
The act or process of operating; agency; the exertion of power, physical, mechanical, or moral.
The pain and sickness caused by manna are the effects of its operation on the stomach.
Speculative painting, without the assistance of manual operation, can never attain to perfection.
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Administration
The persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something;
He claims that the present administration is corrupt
The governance of an association is responsible to its members
He quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment
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Operation
That which is operated or accomplished; an effect brought about in accordance with a definite plan; as, military or naval operations.
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Operation
Effect produced; influence.
The bards . . . had great operation on the vulgar.
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Administration
The tenure of a president;
Things were quiet during the Eisenhower administration
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Operation
Something to be done; some transformation to be made upon quantities or mathematical objects, the transformation being indicated either by rules or symbols.
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Operation
Any methodical action of the hand, or of the hand with instruments, on the human body, to produce a curative or remedial effect, as in amputation, etc.
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Operation
A business especially one run on a large scale;
A large-scale farming operation
A multinational operation
They paid taxes on every stage of the operation
They had to consolidate their operations
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Operation
A planned activity involving many people performing various actions;
They organized a rescue operation
The biggest police operation in French history
Running a restaurant is quite an operation
Consolidate the companies various operations
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Oct 19, 2023
Operation
A process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work;
The operations in building a house
Certain machine tool operations
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Operation
The state of being in effect or being operative;
That rule is no longer in operation
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Operation
A medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body;
They will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available
He died while undergoing surgery
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Operation
Activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign);
It was a joint operation of the navy and air force
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Operation
(computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction);
It can perform millions of operations per second
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Operation
Process or manner of functioning or operating;
The power of its engine determine its operation
The plane's operation in high winds
They compared the cooking performance of each oven
The jet's performance conformed to high standards
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Operation
(mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods;
The problems at the end of the chapter demonstrated the mathematical processes involved in the derivation
They were learning the basic operations of arithmetic
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Operation
(psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents;
The process of thinking
The cognitive operation of remembering
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Operation
The activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.);
Her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride
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Operation
A business or organizational activity.
She oversaw the operation of the new marketing campaign.
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Operation
The process of working or being in action.
The power plant is in operation 24 hours a day.
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Operation
A specific process or method in a task.
This mathematical operation requires careful calculation.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
How does administration differ from operation?
Administration involves the management, organization, and supervision of operations.
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Can operations exist without administration?
Operations can function independently but are more effective with proper administration.
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What is the main focus of operation in an organization?
It focuses on the execution and practical aspects of the organization's activities.
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Do all organizations have both operation and administration?
Yes, most organizations have both, though the scale and complexity may vary.
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Dec 02, 2023
Are there specific educational paths for operation and administration?
Yes, there are educational programs and courses focused on each area.
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Dec 02, 2023
Can a small business have separate operation and administration roles?
Yes, but they may be performed by the same person or a small team in small businesses.
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Dec 02, 2023
Is administration a part of operation?
No, administration oversees and manages operations, but they are distinct roles.
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Dec 02, 2023
Who typically handles operations in a company?
Employees directly involved in the core activities of the company handle operations.
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Does the scale of business affect its operation and administration?
Yes, larger businesses usually have more complex operations and administration.
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Dec 02, 2023
How do operation and administration contribute to organizational success?
They work together to ensure efficient functioning and achievement of goals.
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What skills are important for administration?
Skills like strategic planning, decision-making, and resource management are crucial.
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Dec 02, 2023
Is administration more about policy than practice?
Yes, it's more focused on policy, planning, and overall management.
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Dec 02, 2023
How does technology impact operation and administration?
Technology can streamline and enhance both operation and administrative processes.
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Is experience in operation valuable for administration roles?
Yes, understanding operations can greatly benefit someone in an administrative role.
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Dec 02, 2023
How do changes in administration affect operations?
Changes in administration can lead to shifts in policy, affecting operations.
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Do government organizations have a different approach to operation and administration?
The approach may vary, but the fundamental principles remain similar.
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Can poor administration affect the efficiency of operations?
Yes, ineffective administration can lead to poorly managed and inefficient operations.
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Dec 02, 2023
Are operations limited to specific industries?
No, operations are a part of every industry, varying in nature and scope.
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Dec 02, 2023
Can someone be skilled in both operation and administration?
Yes, many professionals develop skills in both areas.
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Dec 02, 2023
Can operation and administration have conflicting goals?
Sometimes, but effective communication and management can align their goals.
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Dec 02, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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