Managing Operational Environment: A Case Study of BBQfun Initiative

Running head: MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE
MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE1
Assessment Task 1: Develop an Operational Plan
Summary of Operational Environment
a) As observed from the scenario information, BBQfun Initiative’s (BI) operational
environment and workplace functioning are largely regulated via key state and federal
level legal policies and procedures, mainly the: Privacy Act 1988, Queensland Anti-
Discrimination 1991, Fair Work Act 2001 and AS ISO 15489:2002 for the purpose of
compliance with Records Management. The prevalence of such governmental legislations
within the organization’s foundational objectives and principles largely demonstrate the
need to formulate and implement tan operational plan and related activities which are
non-discriminatory and respectful to the rights and responsibilities of all employees –
including those belonging to minority populations – irrespective of their age, gender,
ethnicity, race and religion. The organization’s inclusion of quality regulations with
respect to recording and documentation further demonstrates the importance of
implementing regular monitoring and record keeping operations of existing as well as
new operations and company activities.
b) Upon close examination of the BI’s scenario information, it is evident that the
organization prioritizes specific functions and activities for their daily operations. These
include: biennial group discussions and regular monitoring of employee performance.
The organization also necessitates provision of training assistance for underperformers,
informal as well as formal documentation performance documentation and
encouragement of direct employee participation in the organizational decision-making
activities. Thus, to ensure success as well as organizational compliance to the newly

MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE2
developed operational plan, there is a need to ensure inclusion of all the above
foundational policies and procedures within the same.
c) An operational plan is the name given to a detailed, elaborate and extensive framework
on the key strategies, objectives and goals an organization has to achieve and implement
collective for the purpose of fulfilling overall organizational success in general and
specific performance targets in particular. At present it can be observed that BI wishes to
implement a novel e-commerce strategy with respect to the developing an online store for
deliverance and availability of all its outdoor lifestyle products. With this respect,
development of an operational plan would prove to be beneficial in terms of determining
office reconfiguration requirements, staff education and training as well as specifications
of company technical changes.
d) While BI’s current operational plan demonstrates commendable comprehensiveness and
competitive advantage, there is a need to incorporate further improvements in terms of
social media and promotional campaigns, employee feedback and debriefing sessions,
employee participation via team creation, creation of customer profile and feedback
mechanism and development of customer loyalty programs. Thus, for the purpose of
implementation of the above identified operational actions, the existing operational plan
will be redeveloped to include customer centered, employee centered and
transformational leadership methods as key guiding models of operational goals, plans
and activities.
Consultation Role Play
Sales and Marketing Manager: One of the major human resources required for
implementation of a successful e-commerce strategy with an online store, as discussed in the role

MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE3
plan, are staff skilled in sales, marketing and customer management. This is because for the
purpose of promoting as well as development of an effective online e-commerce website, there is
a need to establish positive customer relationships online. Additionally, mechanism need to be in
place for the purpose of handling emergency customer complaints and concerns, possible
product returns as well as redressing of customer concerns. There is also need to keep customer
notified on organizational offers and promotions with the help of customer profile and customer
relationship management databases. Lastly, staff skills pertaining to obtaining customer feedback
is required with respect to feedback surveys or interviews. Thus, not only is there a need to
recruit or training existing customers on online marketing and communication strategies but also
for the purpose of using customer centered interactive skills to acquire feedback as well as
promote organizational offers. Additionally, there may be a need to recruit or train staff on
acquiring information technology skills for the purpose of handling online customer databases,
product orders, and invoice or product indentation software. Further, drivers, warehouse
employees as well as interior designing related skills may need to be outsourced, acquired or
trained for the purpose of product delivery, product warehouse management and reconfiguration
of existing office spaces.
Technology Consultant: In addition to the above human resource requirements, there is
also a need to incorporate changes in terms of physical or technological resources. In terms of
technology, software need to installed or incorporated with respect to online customer profiles,
customer relationship and detail database, online feedback forms and survey data calculation,
online inventory management, daily product and resource record keeping procedures as well as
social media and promotional platforms. Additionally, to ensure timely delivery of optimum
quality products, physical resources in the form of forklifts, warehouses, delivery wagons,

MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE4
packaging materials and customer feedback helpdesks or workstations are required, in terms of
the new operational plan and organizational strategy.

Running head: MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE
Action Plan
With respect to the above role play discussions, the following Action plan has been arrived at:
Appendix A: Action Plan Template
Milestone (Action/Objective) Date Person Responsible Budget or Resources
Physical Resourcing:
1. To procure transport
equipment of adequate
quality and quantity for
the purpose of timely
product delivery.
2. To procure cargo
equipment of adequate
quality and quantity for
the purpose of product
lifting and placement
across warehouses.
3. To procure packaging
materials of adequate
quality and quantity for
the purpose of
deliverance of
undamaged products
and product quality
retention.
4. To procure warehouse
facilities with adequate
space for the purpose
of product storage and
1st January to February, 2014 Information Technology (IT)
professionals, drivers,
warehouse personnel, human
resource department, sales and
marketing management,
quality control supervisor,
operations manager.
Forklifts, warehouses, delivery
trucks or wagons, telephones,
computers, internet
connection, product packaging
materials, software for
inventory management,
customer databases, social
media handles.
Estimated Budget: $ 861, 000

1MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE
inventory management.
5. To procure
telecommunications
equipment for the
purpose of customer
relationship, feedback
and complaint
management.
6. To produce informatics
and information
technology pertaining
to inventory
management,
spreadsheet, record
keeping, customer
profile, customer
feedback, social media
and customer
relationship database
software
Human Resourcing:
1. To recruit six
additional drivers and
four additional
warehouse workers for
the purpose of product
management as well as
timely product
delivery.
2. To outsource or recruit
interior designers and
1st December 2013 to 1st
January 2014.
Human resource management,
sales and marketing
department, quality control
supervisor, operations
manager, organizational
manager,
BI Recruitment and induction
policy and procedures,
Performance management
policy and procedures and
Principles of coaching
underperforming employees.
IT, Sales and Marketing
personnel and human resource
department for training and
educating existing employees.
Allocated Budget: $1,680,000

2MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONAL PLANS: BBQfun INITIATIVE
IT personnel for the
purpose of office
reconfiguration and
software installment
and management.
3. To train 8 existing staff
for the purpose of
enhancing skills
associated with
customer services,
sales, marketing and
promotion.
Timelines and Milestones:
1. Enhancement of
organizational profile
and client satisfaction
performance by 20%
and 25%
2. To reduce number of
injuries, complaints and
lost injury management
time by 0 and 2
respectively.
3. To achieve revenue and
profits of $ 11 million
and $ 1, 792, 286
respectively.
4. To expenses and cost
of goods targets of $ 5,
004, 714 and $ 5, 890,
000 respectively.
1st February to March, 2014 Human resources department,
Quality control Department,
Sales and Marketing
department, IT department,
operations manager,
Organizational management
and administration.
BI Recruitment and induction
policy and procedures,
Performance management
policy and procedures and
Principles of coaching
underperforming employees.
IT, Sales and Marketing
personnel and human resource
department for training and
educating existing employees,
Social media handle, customer
feedback surveys and
interviews, employee feedback
and group discussion
documental reports.
Allocated Budget: $1,680,000