Increasing productivity – A way to improve efficiency of operational management in hard coal mines

The article contains considerations on possible actions directed at increasing productivity of hard coal mining industry. It is necessary to improve the state of the industry, and ensure its survival. Basic definitions and measures concerning productivity and management were presented to illustrate examples referring to a mining enterprise. Then, basing on organizing, one of the management functions, the issue of productivity in a mining enterprise and its influence on improving effectiveness of operational management, was analysed. An assumption was presented that solutions concerning identification of sources and volume of costs, hitherto existing in mining enterprises, ought to be complemented with the planning function following process approach. It can be the starting point for decisions of economic feasibility of given deposits, seams or parts of them, before mining operations start, and to control incurred costs in process approach. The article is summed up with a process algorithm of cost management.