Analysis of Quality Management and Benchmarking Practices

The given assignment is a comprehensive analysis of quality management and benchmarking practices. It draws from multiple sources, including academic papers, books, and online resources. The primary focus is on understanding the key concepts and principles of quality management, as well as the importance of benchmarking in various industries such as engineering asset management, oil and gas production, and total quality management. The analysis covers a range of topics, including the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) model, hoshin kanri, remote working, managing visibility for career sustainability, and sustainable supply chain management. The assignment aims to provide insights into the practical applications of these concepts in real-world scenarios.

UNDERSTANDING
OPERATIONS, LOGISTICS
AND SUPPLY CHAIN
MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1) MANAGING QUALITIES.........................................................................................................1
2) MANAGING PEOPLE IN OPERATION AND SUPPLY CHAINS.........................................5
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

ILLUSTRATION INDEX
Illustration 1: Factors of PDCA model............................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Managing all operations and quality of services produced by any entity is considered as a
challenging task. In this regard, several issues are occurred related to business operations that
impacted on production and distribution system and supply chain management of the
organisation. Present report is based on understanding operations, logistics and supply chain
management for Ealing hospital of UK. It is district general NHS hospital of London, UK which
provides treatment services and hospitalisation to care takers in wide range. Likewise, Total
Quality Management (TQM) and related tools can be introduced in this assignment for managing
entity's entire operations. However, just-in-time, benchmarking and other tools are to be
identified which influences performance and quality of services of the hospital. Likewise, aspects
for managing its staff members and motivating them towards better coordination in achieving
goals can be recognised. Therefore, issues occurred in Ealing hospital and methods to control
over will be described in this report.
For improving quality of performance in Ealing hospital, it is needed to analyse its actual
position in terms of economy, social and environmental position. It is done through triple line
method in which three accounts are prepared and maintained of the entity as; profit and loss
account, people account and planet account (Al-Tarawneh, 2014). Therefore, current
performance of the hospital is identified same as variety of ideas to create balances and
improving quality services. On analysing these accounts, issues related to inadequacy of fund
and accommodation, shortage of consultants and specialists, lack of coordination among workers
to build team and working for achieving goals are identified. Thus, triple line method is essential
to analyse actual performance of the hospital and working for improving its performance
effectively.
1) MANAGING QUALITIES
Total Quality Management (TQM) is essential to manage entire operations and services
of treatment as well as accommodation of Ealing hospital. It is key tool to achieve satisfaction of
patients with treatment facilities and hospitalisation of the entity. In this regard, all aspects are
emphasized in context to patients' satisfaction, technologies used for treatment services and staff
members' performance etc. Including this, improvement of operations and other factors are done
at every level effectively (El-Wardani and Liyanage, 2015). However, it is considered as
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challenging task for managing all operations and decision making in all angles for effectiveness
of the hospital. In addition to this, it works for appropriate decision making and future term
strategies in respect of entity's efficiency.
However, managers of Ealing hospital face different issues during managing services and
further improvements. For instance: managing each and every operation as patients' satisfaction,
quality performance of accommodation, staff members' coordination towards treatment services
and so on. Similarly, changes in environmental factors and technologies used for providing
surgery and treatment affects financial as well marketability of the hospital (Larkin and et.al.,
2015). In addition to this, several issues are occurred in terms of management and business
operations. Thus, it is essential to prepare strategies and appropriate decisions regarding services
provided by Ealing hospital and improving its performance efficiently.
TQM tools are used for maintaining and improving quality performance of Ealing
hospital. It includes as check-sheet, Scatter diagram, cause and effect diagram, Pareto chart,
flowchart, Histogram, statistical process control chart etc. In this regard, histogram is to analyse
variety of data as number of patients yearly, staff's performance, accommodation and so on.
Therefore, appropriate decisions are made regarding further operations and accommodation for
the care takers at maximum level. Including this, cause and effect diagram is presented to
recognise causes of a particular disease and its impact on human body (Dale, 2015). Similarly,
pareto charts are for finding out solution of any specific issue occurred within hospital. In order
to this, most frequent complaints and prevention aid are recognised to improve operations and
services provided by the entity. However, scatter diagram is used to evaluate cause and effect
relationship between two variables and working for its improvement. Thus, tools used for TQM
for the entity are effective to reduce issues and improving services of the hospital at higher level.
Continuous improvement is linked with improving product, services and process of
Ealing hospital in terms of its operations and other factors. However, it is effective for improving
quality and reducing wastage of excess materials as well fund. For continuous improvement is
hospital services and quality performance, PDCA model is used. It is a systematic process for
solving out issues occurred during operations and improving quality services efficiently (Mehta,
Verma and Seth, 2014). According to this model, current performance of Ealing hospital is
identified in terms of quality and other aspects firstly. It involves planning for reducing issues
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and preparing strategies to improve them. Including this, planned strategies and tools are check
out by which entity's effectiveness can be achieved effectively. It is critical evaluation which
includes both positive and negative aspects for improvement and reducing issues occurred within
hospital. Further, determined plans are implemented into action for meeting targets and
improving service qualities of the entity (Talib, Rahman and Akhtar, 2013). Afterwards,
performance is evaluated as planned action is working on regarding meeting goals and enhancing
its efficiency.
However, critical evaluation is created on actual and expected performance of the entity
in terms of quality and reducing issues. Therefore, identified gap between the actual and standard
position can reduce effectively. As implementation plan is created to reach the expected result as
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Illustration 1: Factors of PDCA model
(Source: PDCA model, 2016).

well improving services of treatment and accommodation for patients of the entity. It impacts on
satisfaction level of patients with its services and reducing issues identified within hospital (Klee
and Westgard, 2014). Thus, continuous improvement in context to treatment and hospital's
services can achieve effectively. Including this, it also influences positive and peaceful
environment of the entity as good coordination among staff members to meet set target. Hence, it
is recognised that PDCA model is a systematic process of continuous improvement in services
provided by the hospital effectively.
Employee empowerment is an approach of giving authority and power to lower level
workers of the entity regarding decision making appropriately. It remains effective to solve out
issues occurred within Ealing hospital as its positive environment is created. In addition to this,
authority to take decision regarding any issue of the entity impacted on performance and
atmosphere of the entity positively (Nicholas, 2016). However, variety of ideas are generated to
solve out issues and managing performance effectively. Including this, it influences increasing in
productivity and staff members' commitment towards organisational goals at higher level.
Therefore, occurred issues within hospital regarding quality and coordination among staff
members can be reduced. Likewise, workers will be more responsible towards their job and
working together to meet targets. Hence, employee empowerment is an effective tool for
reducing issues of Ealing hospital as well appropriate decision making to improve its efficiency
at higher level.
Benchmarking is a competitive tool used to identify actual performance of Ealing
hospital in terms of patients' satisfaction level, quality of technologies use for operations etc. In
accordance to this, comparison of business and market position of the hospital is done with its
competitive entity. Therefore, several ideas are generated to improve quality in services and
facing competition at higher level. In impacts on productivity, profitability and marketability of
the hospital work for enhancing quality services (Khanam, Siddiqui and Talib, 2016). Along with
this, it is suitable for appropriate decision making regarding further implementations and creating
innovations in its services. However, benchmarking is effective for reducing issues related to
marketability and competitiveness of the hospital which impacted on its goodwill as well.
Similarly, Just-in-time (JIT) in an effective approach for improving quality of Ealing
hospital's performance and its services as well. In accordance to this various tools are applied for
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adopting innovative technologies and reducing issues occurred in it. However, it is suitable for
preparing production strategies and implementing quality of treatment as well accommodation
for the patients. Including this, it is good for maximizing care takers' satisfaction at higher level
influences profitability and marketability of the entity on large scale (Talib, 2013). Likewise, it
is considered as a method to improve retinue performance of computer programs used for data
collection and decision making in relation to treatment services and accommodation of the entity.
Including this, JIT approach also works for improving learning outcomes and quality standard of
treatment services for patients in wide range. Hence, this approach is useful for reducing issues
and improving quality services at maximum level impacted on further implementations.
It is also recognised that ISO 9000 standard series is used for managing quality and
improving it for effective treatment and appropriate accommodation of Ealing hospital. In order
to this, it has 7 principles which are linked with performance of entity and other tools top work
on its improvement (Dooren, Bouckaert and Halligan, 2015). However, quality management
principles included as customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach,
improvement, evidence based decisions and relationship management sequentially. Including
this, it is an appropriate approach which emphasis on increasing patients' satisfaction level with
treatment services and accommodation of the hospital. Besides this, it is an effective approach to
build up good relations with stakeholders and managing all factors efficiently. Therefore,
appropriate decisions can make related to improve performance of hospital and enhancing its
efficiency at higher level.
Thus, total quality management and its tools are effective for improving performance and
decision making regarding achieving entity's effectiveness. It is suitable for management and
improvement of entire operations including patients' satisfaction, relations with stakeholders,
quality of technologies used for treatments etc (Zheng and et.al., 2016). Hence, TQM tools are
appropriate to achieve entity's growth and maintaining its goodwill in market for longer time
period efficiently.
2) MANAGING PEOPLE IN OPERATION AND SUPPLY CHAINS
It is essential for Ealing hospital to manage performance of staff work influences quality
of treatments and accommodation (Wang and Sarkis, 2013). However, staff's contribution linked
with achieving entity's effectiveness and appropriate decision making regarding further
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implementations. Therefore, different motivational tools and theories are applied to encourage
them towards better contribution in team building as well meeting its targets.
Hiring is a process of recruitment and selection to appoint a new worker for gaining their
contribution towards achieving entity's effectiveness. It includes different aspects as job
specialisation, job expansion, psychological components, self-directed terms and incentive
schemes etc. Therefore, appointment of new staff members and their promotions are identified
for their growth and further implementations. Including this, for hiring process, job is
advertisement, specialisation and other factors are recognised to gain their effective participation
in team building and achieving goals efficiently (Dowling, 2014). Therefore, number of service
providers are get increased for performing job in the hospital.
For enhancing working efficiency of workers, different theories are used such as;
Hackman and oldman’s core job characteristics, Maslow’s self-actualisation theory and
Hertzberg’s motivators theory etc. It aims to encourage staff members for working together in
group and improving their performances. Including this, it influences their personal and
professional development as well considered as tool to maximize their satisfaction level at higher
level. Under Maslow's theory of motivation, different level of needs are analysed for an
individual worker as; basic, psychological, social, self-actualisation needs. However, it is
recognised that if these needs are fulfilled then worker will perform better to meet tasks of team
and organisation as well (Richardson and Kelliher, 2015). Likewise, according to Hertzberg’s
motivators theory, needs of an individual worker is divided into two factors as psychological and
job specification related. Therefore, an individual will get motivated towards team building and
meeting its goals efficiently.
Work measurement and control over staff members' performance is created for managing
their performance and encouraging them towards better performance as well. In order to this,
selected tasks are analysed at first and all collected data recorded. Further, work measurement
with suitable technique and graded performance is implemented. However, workers'
performances identified in terms of standard time and allowances. Similarly, on the basis of
critical evaluation, further strategies are prepared to maintain their performance and motivating
them on larger scale (El-Wardani and Liyanage, 2015). On the other hand, commitment is a
process of committing workers with any task and conditions of Ealing hospital. In accordance to
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this, all terms and conditions are determined for engaging people towards it. Thus, there are
differences between both stages impacted on workers' performance and commitment in context
to provide treatment and accommodation for patients of the entity.
Scheduling criteria is considered as setting time for accomplishing any task and meeting
goals effectively. In order to this, several aspects are identified such as; forward and backward
scheduling, finite and infinite scheduling, sequencing job etc. However, these criteria are used
for reducing wastages of resources and meeting goals in appropriate time. Similarly, on behalf of
a worker's efficiency, work is segmented to that people. In this regard, different tools are applied
for setting a time limit regarding work allocation and accomplishing tasks effectively (Dale,
2015). While, infinite scheduling criteria in health care sector includes as emergency cases like;
accidents, attack etc. Besides this, sequencing scheduling is related with accomplishing tasks in a
sequence and implementing strategies to meet them. Therefore, schedule criteria is setting shifts
of staff members according to work and cases occurred in the hospital.
RECOMMENDATIONS
On behalf of analysing all tools and factors, it is to suggested that it is needed to emphasis
on patients' satisfaction level with treatment and accommodation of Ealing hospital. In addition
to this, considering TQM tools are needed to be used for improving quality of treatments (Talib,
Rahman and Akhtar, 2013). However, staff performance of the entity is also required to work on
therefore good coordination can achieve regarding hospitalisation and its services. Therefore,
management of all services and performances can obtain for Ealing hospital influences its
positive environment.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that understanding operations, logistics and supply chain management is
needed for Ealing hospital. In this regard, total quality management and its tools are discussed
for managing entire operations and improving them as well. Moreover, different ways to manage
people and quality of the entity are identified in this assignment. However, all aspects related to
improving entity and staff members performances are identified for proper balances and further
implementations effectively.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Al-Tarawneh, H., 2014. The Utilization of Benchmarking in the Jordanian Banking
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Dale, B., 2015. Total quality management. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dooren, W., Bouckaert, G. and Halligan, J., 2015. Performance management in the public
sector. Routledge.
Dowling, M., 2012. Enabling remote working: protecting the network. Network Security. 2(3).
pp. 18-20.
El-Wardani, R. and Liyanage, J.P., 2015. An assessment of benchmarking practice relating to
complex engineering assets: a case study from an oil and gas production company.
In Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management. 89(5).
pp.207-216.
Khanam, S., Siddiqui, J. and Talib, F., 2016. Role of information technology in total quality
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Klee, G.G. and Westgard, J.O., 2014. 7 Quality Management. Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical
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Larkin, S. and et.al., 2015. Benchmarking agency and organizational practices in resilience
decision making. Environment Systems and Decisions. 78(2). pp.185-195.
Mehta, N., Verma, P. and Seth, N., 2014. Total quality management implementation in
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Quality Management & Business Excellence. 7(2). pp.124-140.
Nicholas, J., 2016. Hoshin kanri and critical success factors in quality management and lean
production. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 27(3-4), pp.250-264.
Nickson, D. and Siddons, S., 2014. Remote Working. Routledge.
Richardson, J. and Kelliher, C., 2015. Managing visibility for career sustainability: a study of
remote workers. Handbook of Research on Sustainable Careers. 45(3). pp. 116-123.
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Talib, F., 2013. An overview of total quality management: understanding the fundamentals in
service organization. Browser Download This Paper. 9(7). pp.90-99.
Talib, F., Rahman, Z. and Akhtar, A., 2013. An instrument for measuring the key practices of
total quality management in ICT industry: an empirical study in India. Service Business.
76(2). pp.275-306.
Wang, Z. and Sarkis, J., 2013. Investigating the relationship of sustainable supply chain
management with corporate financial performance. International Journal of Productivity
and Performance Management. 62(8). pp. 871-888.
Zheng, L. and et.al., 2016. Pointing out the gap between academic research and supporting
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Online
PDCA model. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.slideshare.net/RIZWANKHURRAM/heizer-06-15124618>.
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