Operations Management: Process Analysis and Improvement

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the current operation process of Humphries Weaving, a British manufacturer of custom Jacquard fabrics. It discusses the tools and techniques used for finding possible improvements in the operations management framework. The document also critically discusses the benefits of the improved process and reflects on the observations of the organization. Get study material and solved assignments on operations management at Desklib.

Operations
management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Detailed map of current process.........................................................................................1
2. Analyse the process for possible improvements using operations management frameworks.
................................................................................................................................................3
a. Process improvement mean to organisation.......................................................................6
b. Factors influence future state..............................................................................................6
c. What processes exist to ensure continuous improvement? Are these processes adequate and
if not, how could they be improved?......................................................................................7
d. How does the organisation map onto models of operation strategy-transformation-impact –
CSR factors.............................................................................................................................7
3. Critically discuss the benefits, quantitative and qualitative, of your ‘improved’ process and
reflect your observations of the organisation.........................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is regarded as administration of entities activities for developing
the largest efficiency level possible into firm. This is related with transforming material as well
as labour into products or services as efficaciously as possible to enhance organisational
profitability. Moreover, it is an obligatory for entities in managing their day to day practices
smoothly (Bazmohammadi and et. al., 2018). As by this, firm may able to make effective
utilisation of their resources such as money, raw material and many more The organisation
undertaken in this report is Humphries Weaving which is a growing British manufacturer of
custom Jacquard fabrics. Its headquarters is in UK. This report covers detailed map of current
operation process, operation management, tools and techniques used for findings and
recommendations and analysis of process for possible improvements using operations
management frame work. Apart from this, benefits, quantitative and qualitative, of firm's
‘improved’ process and reflection related to their observation are discussed in this report.
MAIN BODY
1. Detailed map of current process.
Operation management generally involves planning, organising as well as directing
procedures as well as perform essential developments for gaining more profit. Operation process
converts the raw material into finished products. In simple term, it have been said that this
process transforms inputs to outputs. Inputs are things such as labour, equipment, information,
money and many others. Moreover, outputs are goods, services and the consumer satisfaction
level which they feel after purchasing goods (Copil, Truong and Dustdar, 2015).
In addition to all this, their textile research and consultancy of respective organisation
shows an integral part of weaving as well as designing procedures for Humphries Weaving. As
in it, they undertake in- depth research for its customers. Also, the manufacturing of fabrics
initiates with pre-production team who develop warp as well as weft yarns that involves
specialists on site dying as well as testing. Respective organisation perform into conjunction with
weavers who operates their latest Jacquard looms generations. Also for its historic restoration
work, the respective organisation utilise traditional structures of fabrics woven like satin, lusting,
ottoman, amure, damsk, tissue as well as brocatelle that specially famous into silk. It another
interesting plans are woven in wool or cotton mixes for developing bombazine, repps and ribs.
1

Regularly, they develops its own unique as well as modern structures for contemporary
development in which it utilises the dryer linen handle, viscose flax as well as cotton. Humphries
Weaving's specialise to design custom Jacquard weaving so its operation process includes yarn
operating, warping, wavering, tackling, inspection and despatching by their production system in
efficient manner for assuring that clients receives standard quality of woven fabric. Moreover,
this is the production procedures of respective company that they are utilising currently. Also, its
production teams of yarns operatives, wrappers, weavers, tacklers, inspectors as well as despatch
employees who assures every order is considered through their manufacturing system effectively
for assuring that its consumers receives standard quality of woven fabric. Each job they
undertake is custom woven. It may weave as little as 15 metre into length upon stock yarn shades
as well as may accommodate custom lengths for particular dye colours. They plan every scheme
upon individual basis wile assuring that they manage the consumers needs at each level. Their
team related to yarn operative delegate wrap as well as weft thread to individual jobs form a
secure stock controlled atmosphere. As this allocation is developed into wraps on- site utilising
upgraded machinery. Then they trained their weavers as well as tacklers for operating as well as
maintaining its art jacquards looms state, observing quality throughout their weaving process
then try to resolve the issues which they are facing.
As trial is an essential parts of Jacquard weaving as well as design development process.
But they do not produce trail for an individual project, it undertake hand-loom sampling upon
select project an weaving of Jacquard with the help of loom equipments as this allows them to
become flexible and manufacture small part of material for customers to approve the colour and
quality.
Key Issues:
They are facing some kinds of issues that are more wastage, inconsistent works and
others. Moreover, their each and every project is unique as well as they develops ordinary
custom colour so this leads time so they are also going through the problems of more time
consuming (Helleno and et. al., 2015). Also, as the respective organisation produce their
products as per customisation of customers due to which they do not hold any kinds of fabrics
stocks. This will be also the issue for them as if clients wants to see the fabrics they can not able
to shows them in tangible way which impact its sales in negative manner.
2

2. Analyse the process for possible improvements using operations management frameworks.
For the possible improvement the Humphries Weaving's utilise operations management
frameworks that is DTI/ Cambridge Group Methodology as this help them to understand the
marking position through determining the what actually the market wants from our company,
identifying its opportunities and threats as well as recording all the performance of the systems.
Thereafter, also, this will aids respective organisation in assessing the operations through
evaluating the existent system. Moreover, this will assists in determining the requirements of
improvement and revising strategy as it aids them to develop new strategy which performing the
improvement, attaining organisational objectives and accomplishing the requirements of their
customers (Ischuk and Kudria, 2016).
Frame work used for improvement
As Humphries Weaving's are facing some issues such as more wastage, high material
cost, inconsistent work and others. But the major key problems are they do keep stock due to
which they can not show its fabrics quality to its potential clients and another one is very much
time consuming. In order to resolve or make improvements, DTI/ Cambridge Group
Methodology which includes three stages that are Understanding the market position, Assess the
operations and Develop new strategy. Therefore, its application in context of Humphries
Weaving's are discussed below:
At initial stage: Understanding the market position. Humphries Weaving's try to understand the market position so for this, they determine
the requirements of markets as currently in silk fabric industry the demand of spider silk
is emerging. Thereafter, it have to find opportunities and threats regarding this. As spider
silk is boosting so manufacturing of this type of fabric help them to expand their business
in effective and efficacious manner which is an opportunities for them. And the threats
for grabbing this opportunities are higher material cost, time consuming, competitors and
many more. Then, it have to record their whole operational system process either they are
performing well or not as per current market trends.
Stage Second: Assess the operation At this stage, respective organisation can able to assess their operations they are currently
using (Kangand et. al., 2016). So, their present system that they are using is to allocate
warp as well as weft the threads thereafter they develop within warps on-site by utilising
3

advanced machinery. Thereafter, tacklers as well as weaver are trained for operating and
maintaining their state of art jacquard looms then observe the quality by its weaving
procedures and try to resolve issues it occurs. Also, inspect each meter of cloth and
assuring the quality of woven fabric.
Last Stage: Develop new strategy
 In this stage, some improvement have to be performed in their production and operational
process. As they have change their yarn operatives instead of this it should do the
research upon spider and utilise more advanced technology and manufacture high quality
of spider silk with innovative design.
 After this, review and examine all this process as well as do corrections if required.
Moreover, in this stage the respective organisation have to checklist their all works for its
own revision so that they can able to review as well as evaluate their overall procedures.
Also, they have to revise their framework that respective organisation are using. As all
these help them to know that whole methods are going in systematised manner or not and
accomplishing the work in effective and efficacious way.
In organisational operations, numbers are considered as all the things but at present they
utilises 5 KPIs models. This is considered as the quantifiable value of expressing the
performance of business into short time duration level. It is utilised into various industries for
tracking its procedures, developing effectiveness as well as developing aids business in
understanding and reflecting upon results (Oti and et. al., 2016). Within Humphries Weaving,
this is crucial to set up certain metrics as well as KPI for measuring, following, calculating as
well as evaluating as this help them to measure their business performance. So, for instance
respective organisation usages 5 key performance indicators for operational success that are:
 Return on investment: This is considered as benchmark which is utilised for measuring
financial gain or losses of project in respect to their cost. Basically, this is utilised in
ascertaining either a process will yield optimistic payback as well as has value for
enterprises. Such as the respective organisation plan to invest on spider silk as it is
emerging into market so for this they have to set the benchmark. This aids them to
evaluate their monetary gain or losses in terms of its cost in effective and efficient
manner.
4

 Operating Margins: Through comparing operating income to net sales, operating
margins represents how firm's management have been at producing income from business
operation. Operating margins provide investors as well as analyst an ideas of how much a
firm gains upon each sales (Peng and et. al, 2015). As Humphries Weaving are adopting
the changes into respective industry that is spider silk as they have higher operating
margins. This means that respective organisation have larger cash to spend upon fixed
cost or expansion instead of product to be sold.
 Productivity: Within competitive atmosphere, entities do not continue to enhance
productivity. Measuring productivity may be tricky as not whole procedures are
repeatable or standardised. Based on business nature, metrics of productivity may vary
broadly. So, into manufacturing the simple productivity measurement is through number
of units, or transactions per unit time. In Humphries Weaving company for productivity,
KPI considered an average handling time as well as staff deflects rates.
 Customer satisfaction score: Customer satisfaction is considered as the essential KPI
for whole sales, organisation seeking for future development as well as attain success.
There are various metrics which may be utilised for gauging consumer satisfaction. The
voice of consumers (VOC), customers satisfaction as well as net promoter score (NPS)
are known as the most famous measures (Shayeghi and Shahryari, 2017). So, through this
respective organisation have get knowledge about how firms are serving their consumers
and this score assists them to zoom into their procedures gaps as well as operation lapses
into entities.
 Employees turnover rate: An employee turnover rate drives towards higher recruitment
as well as training costs, lowering the average skills as well as more expensive
operations. As per the website of leadership development press, on average their £ 17000,
for replacing a staff developing median wages within U.S. In case they has handfuls of
workers leaving, they only has these costs to prefer but they have to think carefully
regarding reasons these workers want to jump ship. For example: In Humphries Weaving
company, employees turnover rates is not more but so they leads towards more cost
related to training and recruitment (5 Must-Track KPIs for Successful Business
Operations, 2019).
5

Six Sigma:This is defined as collection of tools as well as techniques in order to improve
process used while manufacturing products. It is the strategies used for improving quality of
output of process through removing and identifying causes of defects and minimizing business
process and variability in manufacturing. The respective organisation uses such method in their
manufacturing process for improving process in proper manner.
Kaizen: This is considered as term that means change for better or continuous
improvement. Its key objectives is to control quality, standardized the task and others. Moreover,
with the help of this particular tools respective organisation can able to control their quality as
standardised the task in well defined manner.
Pareto analysis: This is considered as a statistical tools within developing decision
utilised for choosing a limited number of task which generate essential whole impact. So, this is
utilised through respective organisation so they they may get knowledge about the
disproportionate improvement that may be attained through ranking several causes of issues as
well as focusing upon solutions.
Problem (Step 1) Cause(step 2) Score (Step 3) Number of
complaints
Wastage Lack of proficient
employees
4 8
Inconsistent works Lack of staff
management and co-
ordination.
3 5
Time consuming Development of
unique projects and
custom colours.
6 12
Fishbone diagram: It is also considered as a cause and effect diagram which aids
managers in tracking the cause for defects, failures, variations and others. Moreover, it just look
like fish skeleton. This aids respective organisation to categorised the potential reasons of
problems for identifying their root causes. In this the Humphries Weaving, at first they discussed
about the main problems or issues. So the main problem is time taking and wastage. So for the
6

cause for this is their each and every project is unique as well as they develops ordinary custom
colour so this leads time. Also, its process and people are in consistent. So, they adopt some new
process and fabrics such as spider silk. For improving this, respective organisation used some
model and make their product quality more effective and efficient.
a. Process improvement mean to organisation.
Process improvement within organisation means that is considered as the proactive task
to identify, analyse as well as improve on existent business procedures for optimising and
meeting new quotas or standards of quality. It is also known as continual improvement process
and is a continuous effort for developing products, methods and services (Thaler, Priest and
Fuchs, 2016). Moreover, these efforts may seek incremental improvement over a time or
breakthrough development whole at once. So, the process improvement means to Humphries
Weaving is resilient as it is regarded as both a procedures as well as characteristics of entities to
to adopt rapidly changing environment and requirements. This is an organisational traits which
permits them to accomplish their mission or business despite operational disruption and stress
presence. Moreover, this is its capability in anticipating, planning as well as handling all
external pressures as well as disruption so that it can able to carry on their business operations.
Such as Humphries Weaving which operates into manufacturing silk so in respective atmosphere
the spider silk is emerging so this changes have to be adapted for grabbing more opportunities
within fabric silk industry. So, the resilient assists them to adopt rapid changes effectively and
simply. Silk is consolidated market within Asia pacific countries rendering to major demand as
well as supply share. Internationally, the China and India are known as the first and second
largest manufacturer of silk consequently. Within, March 2017 Bolt Threads includes begins
their initial product which is developed from spider silk (Spider Couture: The emergence of
spider silk for applications from fashion to protection. 2019). Also, spider silk is also known as
the one of the best natural fibres as well as have superior mechanical properties.
b. Factors influence future state.
There are various factors which influence their future state of Humphries Weaving. Some
of them are discussed below:
 Customer demands: Customers demands is whole about accomplishing as well as
exceeding desires of consumers, The rising power of customers as well as unmet
requirements around personalisation, customisation as well as co -creation are
7

influencing niche markets for proliferating (White, 2016). As within respective industry,
the spider silk is emerging so this influences their future state as Humphries Weaving
have to change their manufacturing process as per the changing demands of customers.
 Products: It is considered as the physical goods which is sold to consumers as well as
services provided to them for satisfying a requirements. As product features and
characteristics are changing so this influences Humphries Weaving production process as
different type of silk having different methods for produce effectively.
c. What processes exist to ensure continuous improvement? Are these processes adequate and if
not, how could they be improved?
For ensuring the continuous improvement they utilises the PDCA Model that plan, do,
check and act (Zhang and et. al., 2015). So, Humphries Weaving uses this process which are
discussed below:
Plan Do Check Act
Humphries Weaving is
planning to adopt the
spider silk into their
fabrics collection.
For this, Humphries
Weaving perform the
market analysis and
change their
manufacturing process
as the spider silk fabric
required different
process.
Whole operative
process of Humphries
Weaving related to
manufacturing spider
silk are check through
DTI/ Cambridge
Group Methodology
and 5 Key
performance indicator.
With the help of
various technologies,
techniques as well as
tools respective
organisation
manufacture it
effectively and
efficiently.
Yes, these process are adequate for Humphries Weaving as this facilitates continuous
improvement precisely as this performs in an cyclical manner. Every part of their activity will
goes through similar stage many times and assures that defects may be corrected as well as
adopted to requirements and exact condition of respective entities (Zhang and et. al, 2016).
8

d. How does the organisation map onto models of operation strategy-transformation-impact –
CSR factors.
As Humphries Weaving are moving towards adopting the new fabric related to silk that is
spider silk and for this they have to perform the various changes in respect of technologies,
process, methods, system, operations and many others which impact their CSR factors. As
respective organisation are adopting various new machinery equipment in order to manufacture
spider silk fabrics for their users which should not affect the environment. Also, they have to
manufacture the products that accomplish the requirements and wants of society as spider silk is
the emerging products so the demand of it is enhancing. In addition to this, through adopting as
well as performing all these they can able to gain the profit making which ultimately influence
the economic profitability (Zhen and et. al., 2017). All these changing process influence the
factors of CSR such as environment, economic and social in positively and negatively.
3. Critically discuss the benefits, quantitative and qualitative, of your ‘improved’ process and
reflect your observations of the organisation
With the adoption of various improved process, the Humphries Weaving gain several
benefits are through this they can able to obtain the higher profitability, goodwill and brand
value. As they are adopting something new which are emerging into market effectively and
efficiently. Humphries Weaving are adapting the spider silk which enhances their products line
in context of their silk fabrics. Moreover, this also benefits them to grab more opportunities into
competitive market which ultimately maximises its sales, as per the market analysis they
analysed that respective fabrics are very much in demand within the fabric manufacturing
industry.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report, it has been concluded that operation management is essential
into all manufacturing industry. As this is an obligatory for entities to manage its day to day
practices smoothly. Moreover, Operation process converts the raw material into finished
products. Also, for the improvement process firm's utilises DTI/ Cambridge Group Methodology
as this help them to understand the marking position through determining the what actually the
market wants from our company, identifying its opportunities and threats as well as recording all
the performance of the systems. In addition to this, there are various factors such as changing
nature of products, changing customers demands and many more all these influences their future
9

state effectively. Also, for assuring the continuous improvement organisation utilises the PDCA
model which will aids them to improve their regular process appropriately.
10

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Bazmohammadi, N. and et. al., 2018. Optimal operation management of a regional network of
microgrids based on chance-constrained model predictive control. IET Generation,
Transmission & Distribution. 12(15). pp.3772-3779.
Copil, G., Truong, H. L. and Dustdar, S., 2015, November. Supporting cloud service operation
management for elasticity. In International Conference on Service-Oriented
Computing(pp. 123-138). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Helleno, A. L. and et. al., 2015. Integrating value stream mapping and discrete events simulation
as decision making tools in operation management. The International Journal of
Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 80(5-8). pp.1059-1066.
Ischuk, S. O. and Kudria, Y. V., 2016. Management of Economic Development of Industrial
Corporations: The Functionalities Opportunities of Operation Management. Journal of
Applied Management and Investments. 5(2). pp.100-108.
Kang, N. and et. al., 2016. A Hierarchical structure of key performance indicators for operation
management and continuous improvement in production systems. International Journal
of Production Research. 54(21). pp.6333-6350.
Oti, A. H. and et. al., 2016. A framework for the utilization of Building Management System
data in building information models for building design and operation. Automation in
Construction. 72. pp.195-210.
Peng, C., Lei, S., Hou, Y. and Wu, F., 2015. Uncertainty management in power system
operation. CSEE Journal of Power and Energy Systems. 1(1). pp.28-35.
Shayeghi, H. and Shahryari, E., 2017. Optimal operation management of grid-connected
microgrid using multi-objective group search optimization algorithm. Journal of
Operation and Automation in Power Engineering. 5(2). pp.227-239.
Thaler, T. A., Priest, S. J. and Fuchs, S., 2016. Evolving inter-regional co-operation in flood risk
management: distances and types of partnership approaches in Austria. Regional
Environmental Change.16(3). pp.841-853.
White, P. R., 2016. Public transport: its planning, management and operation. Routledge.
Zhang, D. and et. al., 2016. Economic and environmental scheduling of smart homes with
microgrid: DER operation and electrical tasks. Energy conversion and
management. 110. pp.113-124.
Zhang, N. and et. al., 2015. Large-scale distributed photovoltaic power dispatching and operation
management review. Journal of Power and Energy Engineering. 3(04). p.326.
Zhen, J. L. and et. al B., 2017. An inexact optimization model for regional electric system steady
operation management considering integrated renewable resources. Energy. 135.
pp.195-209.
Hopkin, P., 2018. Fundamentals of risk management: understanding, evaluating and
implementing effective risk management. Kogan Page Publishers.
Peng, C., Lei, S., Hou, Y. and Wu, F., 2015. Uncertainty management in power system
operation. CSEE Journal of Power and Energy Systems. 1(1). pp.28-35.
Silberschatz, A., Gagne, G. and Galvin, P. B., 2018. Operating system concepts. Wiley.
Online
Spider Couture: The emergence of spider silk for applications from fashion to protection. 2019.
[Online]. Available
11

Through:<http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2016/07/21/spider-couture-the-
emergence-of-spider-silk-for-applications-from-fashion-to-protection/>
5 Must-Track KPIs for Successful Business Operations. 2019. [Online]. Available
Through:<https://blog.kryonsystems.com/pss/5-must-track-kpis-for-successful-
business-operations>
12