Time-Based Competition: Operations Management and the Supply Chain [Procter & Gamble (P&G)]

Running head: TIME-BASED COMPETITION
Operations Management and the Supply Chain
[Procter & Gamble (P&G)]
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1TIME-BASED COMPETITION
Executive summary
The study aims at discussing the time-based competition or speed-to-market approach. In doing
so, it covers a brief of a number of industries and companies to see the impact such companies
are making with their agile supply chain. The study finds that the fashion industry is the fastest to
adapt to the agile supply chain. Amzon.com and eBay do also impress with their accelerated
supply chain. P&G makes the most of the impact in FMCG industry. With the help of flexible
strategies like reduction in signatories, P&G continues to deliver the accelerated development of
products.

2TIME-BASED COMPETITION
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Discussion....................................................................................................................................3
2.1 A brief overview of time-based competition and how organizations have evolved to make
their supply chain process faster..................................................................................................3
2.2 Literature on time-based competition....................................................................................4
2.3 Application of ideas/concept of time-based competition to P&G.........................................9
Management of speed-to-market.............................................................................................9
PESTLE analysis...................................................................................................................10
2.4 A critical evaluation of its effectiveness compared to industry standards......................11
3. Conclusion.................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

3TIME-BASED COMPETITION
1. Introduction
The entire focus, which once was on mass production to meet the global demands, the
structural efficiency and management of workers’ productivity, is now shifting towards the time-
based competition. Now, the time-based competition is in regards to the reduction of production
and distribution times and the time required for products to reach to the market. In recent times,
the time factor has become a source of competitive advantage. Few firms are aggressively
looking towards this trend with their flexible and strategic responses. This study aims at
understanding the importance of time in production, distribution and reaching of products to its
end users. It also discusses an organisation which has its focus increasingly shifting towards the
speed factor.
2. Discussion
2.1 A brief overview of time-based competition and how organizations have evolved to
make their supply chain process faster
Today in the digital age, mobile customer base responds faster than any other customers
to any new product or service. Customer nowadays purchases seamlessly through a number of
purchasing channels. They also actively participate on social media platforms to share their
feedbacks and remain updated with latest from their brands. These practices do not just create
enormous opportunities but also a number of threats. Consumers nowadays do not just expect the
quality products but also a responsive approach from their brands. They want their
disappointments being treated on an urgent basis (Roh, Hong and Min 2014). These situations
just make a sense that agile companies can only fulfilthe increasingly growing demands of
consumers.