Review and Critique of Operations Management and Project Life Cycle at Marks & Spencer

ID
Unit Number and Title Unit 187 – Operations and Project Management
Title Review and Critique of Operations Management (Part 1)
Project Life Cycle (Part 2)
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Table of Content
Part 1: Business Report
1. An introduction to chosen organization p
2. An explanation of operation vs operations management p
3. A review and critique of the implementation of operations
management principles within the chosen organization p
4. An analysis of the extent to which the operations management of
the organisation in the case study meets the requirements of the
organization p
5. Discussion of continuous improvement as a philosophy and
describe the Lean principles p
6. A continuous improvement plan, including your justified
recommendations for improvement, based on your review and
critique of operations management principles within your
organization p
7. Conclusion p
References p
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1. An introduction to MARKS & SPENCER
Marks & Spencer is luxury clothing brand which comprise comfort as well as
style for each and every fabric, clothing has fashionable pattern and finished
outlooks. It is major British multinational retailer having them headquarter in London.
They are having specialization in clothing, home, food and beauty products. It is
public limited company situated over 1463 places and cater their effective services.
The organization is also listed into London stock exchange; it has also gained major
significance in its market share. There are several stores which stocks apparels as
well as there are supermarkets for food products as well. The company is known for
bringing quality in terms of clothing, home ware and great valuable food for millions
of customers across the globe (Schleper and et.al., 2021). On the other hand, they
also provide some financial service included with credit card, insurance and savings.
2. An explanation of operation vs operations management
The term operations are balanced and it has optimum output from several
inputs, as operation management on the other hand is multidisciplinary sphere of
concern in which there are different resources as well as inputs within operations.
For instance, quality control, raw materials, production system and market tactics are
some suitable aspects for operation. Such methods connect with organization
internal working procedures and it aids in assessment of running business easily and
get in touch with productive output. The most preferable example for this can be
daily basis activities which comprises with market share and size of business.
Operation management is interrelated with distribution and manufacturing of
products and services. In regard with same this factor might provide significance for
Marks & Spencer to achieve its aims and objectives by increasing loyalty, fast
operational process, and customer retention. The fundamental concept of this
process is to convert labor good and materials into product and services for
maximizing profit of organization. Leaders in this process are included in
coordination and formulating innovative process while measuring present structures.
Productivity and organization known as key principles of being operation manager,
so on the work often wants innovation and skillfulness. They can control production
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process and operations in most significant way as possible. The experts try to
balance operating cost with revenue to increase net operating profits.
3. A review and critique of the implementation of
operations management principles within the chosen
organization
M&S principles of operational management rely on outsourcing non-core
activities to focus over business core aspects (Braganza and et.al., 2021). In
respective way company perform their sources of outfits from diverse range of
manufactures rather than operating own factories. The primary concern for them is to
make fashion culture and providing quality at favorable price. Also, concentration
over production for garments can be improved through avoiding outsourcing
production and intermediaries. It enables several users to make significant use of
trendy product with superior quality and value. The manufacturing operations are
totally dependent on better collaboration with clients as well as suitable techniques
which reduces tracking time period for keeping up trendy products current. In present
circumstances they are providing effective service in different areas such as clothing,
food, house product etc, in which price for commodity usually changes. In similar
way M&S continue to keep their pricing strategy more lucrative for commodities.
Also, there are two major elements in operation principles, at first it identifies rapid
and convenient approach in which company evaluates working capability and
improve practices through getting valuable feedback. Secondly, it works over
producing powerful workforce at their several outlets on the scale of managing daily
activities and operations as well.
Taylor's theory of scientific management is suitable in this progress which
depicts that provision of superior training to workforce leads to major productive
outcomes in business. There are some limitations in the operation management of
M&S multi-level dependency due to inefficiency in collaboration of several factors
direct to negative impact. Although, implementation of useful strategy at right place is
essential for company other than it may formulate failure in operations. On the other
hand, example in this context can termed as human errors within manufacturing
operations of Marks & Spencer. Moreover, transition problematic concerns appears
in most of the cases from manufacturing to sales in which it is most significant to
cover operation management relevantly working with other areas such as finance,
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sales and marketing. Clothing sector is extremely competitive industry as company
and their operating methods point them as market leaders. Outsourcing activities
allows them to focus on convey the hottest designs at best prices, while reducing
cost and enhancing their resources. Marks & Spencer setting up long term growth
markets and business model through forming up better relations with manufactures,
managing inventory, placing orders in bulk.
4. An analysis of the extent to which the operations
management of the organization in the case study meets
the requirements of the organization
M&S is having flat organization structure in which limited levels of
management among administrative levels and front line employees. The structure is
reliable to influence individuals to be involved in decision-making process
(Esoimeme, 2020). It was figured out that most of clothing retailers in UK are forced
to introduce new strategies to survive in market focusing towards customer buying
perspective. To perform this change, company introduced to alter its organizational
structure to flat as old structure was unable to serve better collaboration with
employees. The purpose of business is allied with increasing competitive advantage
in industry with affordable price strategy to formulate better customer relations. With
the help of effective workforce business will be able to go through such outcomes. In
other terms improved management function is major aspect by which company can
tend to follow their marketing plans. Whereas with effectual practices of advance
technologies' entity can figure out access to reduce cost and increase their
productivity through taking place in different newly formed desirable target markets.
Operation management in Marks & Spencer enables them to follow with
significant requirements of their stakeholders by benefited monitoring progress. For
instance, it can be stated as local retail outlets of organization in UK as well as
recruitment and selection of strong workforce can reduce chance for customer to
wait in queues. This allows for customer to get benefit by getting in touch with rapid
services. So operation management is significant aspect for organization and it
enables company to rely with basic fundamentals to fulfill requirements of
stakeholders. They can also work as looking after procedures of automation in
several stores to develop seamless experience for customers. Overall with the help
of such effective standards organization is capable to make sudden changes or
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enhance their productive outcomes. Whereas operation management serves various
factors through which company can grow to higher extent by fulfilling the
requirements of company.
5. Discussion of continuous improvement as a philosophy
and describe the Lean principles
Continuous improvement is also concluded as continue improvement, it is
termed as ongoing process for enhancement in product and services with suitable
breakthrough improvements. Whereas efforts seems to be incremental improvement
with time and breakthrough transformation at once (Görçün, Zolfani and
Çanakçıoğlu, 2022). Continuous improvement in lean methodology aims to increase
each and every process of business as concentrating on major activities which allow
to generate more value for customer. Similarly, in the context of lean principles six
sigma is effective data driven strategy for continuous improvement as it requires
quality management aspects non-moving in statistical analysis. There are some
measures which usually varies over infrastructure within organization which can be
stated as experts for such process. With the help of six sigma all kind of errors are
reduced and creates deviation into production procedures.
Six Sigma model analysis techniques that is usually applicable into
continuous improvement. It consists of five principles that reduces imperfections in
provision of framework for change. The lucrative outcomes of this model is suitable
for M&S to evaluate customer perspectives to fulfill their demands. With this process
it is essential to reduce waste in organization for enhancing their productivity as
catering better quality experience for audience in marketplaces. Thus, through this
model business can introduce some changes and form flexibility in their working
concerns as well as they would be getting enough capability to accept with sudden
change.
Kaizen continuous improvement is another relevant model that is often
considered for building block of lean production methods. It is essential to focus on
increase in productivity, eliminating waste, and to achieve continuous improvement.
There are five major elements of this model such as team work, better morale,
personal discipline, quality circles and some lucrative suggestions for overall
development. In context of Marks & Spencer this model will be appropriate as such
they create continuous improvement in their business through involving employee as
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