Operation Management Practice in Unilever plc

Operations
Management and
Service

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
1. Identify one operation management practice within a chosen organisation............................3
2. Critically analyse how this operation management practice impacts the organisation in
regards to efficiency....................................................................................................................5
3. Evaluate how technology could be embedded in this process or evaluate how this has
already been achieved..................................................................................................................7
4. What supporting functions are linked to this operation management practice and evaluate
how can they assist with ensuring organisational success?.........................................................8
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Operation management practice is related to those practice under which the managers of the
organisation develop the highest level of efficiency in the organisation at possible level. It is very
important for the success of business operation and to achieve the cost advantage in business
activities that all the activities are performed effectively and efficiently. operation management is
also related to the conversion of labour and material into finished goods and services efficiently
with the help of effective techniques and technology (Mehra, 2018). The organisation which is
chosen here to demonstrate this report is the Unilever plc. This report states operation practice
use by the management of Unilever plc which helps them to establish the efficiency in their
business. The impact of operation practice on the organisation efficiency are stated in this report.
This report also involves the impact of technology in this aspect and various supporting function
are linked with this operation practise are also describes in this report.
About the company
Unilever plc is a British multinational organisation which deals in a retail industry of the United
Kingdom. The main decision related to the operation of business are taken from their
headquarter which is located in the London, United Kingdom. Company deals in multiple
product range such as skin care products, home care products and health care product. Currently
the organisation manage 200 brand in more than 150 countries of the world.
TASK
1. Identify one operation management practice within a chosen organisation
It is very important for the organisation to achieve the efficiency in the business and the
management of Unilever has operation practice in their productivity department. To achieve the
efficiency in the productivity management takes several decision which are described below.
Quality management
One of the most important aspect which is considered to achieve the efficiency in the
production department of the organisation is the quality of the product. The quality of the
product should be developed on the basis of the needs and preference of the customers and also
price of the product. It is the duty of the managers of the organisation to use those measures and
technique in the process of production which increases the efficiency of labour so that the cost
become minimised and the company is able to provide the quality product at reasonable price

which enables the company to increase their customer base. The managers of Unilever utilises all
the resources effectively to achieve the efficiency in the department.
Process and capacity design
The objective of the operation manager in this aspect is to use those process in the
process of production which gives higher return and efficiency in the work. The production
department of the Unilever is very huge because the company manage multiple product range so
it is required for the managers of the organisation to achieve efficiency in their operation to
produce the adequate capacity of the product. Unilever applies the automation and robotics in
most of their production process which helps the company to achieve the efficiency and be able
to provide the product to their huge customer’s base. The managers of Unilever regularly
evaluate the process and capacity of the production process so that the product are developed on
specified quality on time
Location strategy
This aspect is related to the cost efficiency in the transportation of company’s goods from
one place to another. It is very important for the organisation to become success in their business
that it successfully evaluates the cost bear by the company in transportation and location of the
factory. To reduce the location cost unclever is set all their factories and production hubs near
the supply areas which helps the company to achieve cost efficiency. Another decision which the
company is taken in this aspect to find those location for the production hub where the
availability of cheap labour is high.
Job design and human resource
Under this aspect the management of the organisation has to take decision related to the demand
of the workforce in the process of production. It is very important for the human resource
department of the organisation to employee the skilful and hard-working employees in the
production department because it impacts the efficiency of the production very strongly. It is the
duty of the human resource manager of Unilever to develop effective pay structure and timing of
job which attracts the workforce from the market towards the organisation and provides them
proper training to them so that they work in the production department of the organisation
efficiently.
Supply chain management