Operation and Project Management: A Case Study of Unilever

This report analyses the implementation of operations and project management principles in Unilever, a well-established consumer goods company in the UK. It includes a review of lean principles, six sigma, and continuous improvement plan.

Operation and project
management

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction of chosen organisation ............................................................................................1
Explanation of operations vs operations management ................................................................2
Reviewing and critique of the implementation of operations and project management
principles......................................................................................................................................2
Analysing of the extent to which operations management meets the requirements of the
organisation..................................................................................................................................4
Discussing the continuous improvement with lean principles.....................................................5
.....................................................................................................................................................5
Applying six sigma and its effectiveness.....................................................................................5
Preparing a Continuous improvement plan..................................................................................6
Analysing the effectiveness of a continuous improvement plan.................................................6
A continuous improvement plan, including your justified recommendations for improvement.7
Project management.........................................................................................................................8
Analysis of the project methodologies and tools used.................................................................4
Reviewing and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC in application to your project
using the appropriate theories models and concepts....................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Operations can be defined as the activities that are related to the products and the services
of the organisation. It consists of quality and the maintenance of the products. It is very
important for the managers of the organisation to effectively manage all the activities related to
the development of the products and the services. It helps in offering the quality products and
services into the market (Xu, 2021). Operations at the workplace consists of various elements
such as planning, forming techniques and at the last controlling part. Operations and
management is a very important part of the organisation that helps in effectively utilising the
available resources of the company. It also facilitate in smoothly carry out the operations of the
logistics, supply chain. It directly helps in the achievement of the goals and the objectives of the
company. In order to carry out this report, Unilever company has been undertaken into the
account. It is one of the well established consumer goods company that is situated in the UK. It
was founded in the year 1919 by the Jack Cohen. They sell various kinds of products such as tea,
coffee, minerals, food products, toothpaste. In this report, there will be the analysis of the
difference between the operations and operations management. After that there will be the
evaluation of the principles, theories such as lean principles etc. Along with that plan will be
undertaken in order to make introduce changes in the operations. Other part of the report will
contain life cycle of the project.
TASK 1
Introduction of chosen organisation
Unilever is one of the most established consumer goods company that is present in the
boundary of the London, UK. They owned and regulate several companies in the market that are
selling various kinds of products into the market. They have mainly operations in three segments
that are Foods and Refreshments, Home care and Personal & Beauty care. They are famous
across the world as they sell quality products at a reasonable price. Management department of
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the company always focus on to satisfy the needs of the customers in the market. They are
carrying out their operations in approximately 190 countries in the world (Unzueta and Eguren,
2021). They are also listed on the London stock exchange. Quality department of the company
ensures that they effective products and services into the market. In today's time, they are
planning to offer more healthy products into the market as COVID-19 has majorly affects the
health of the customers.
Explanation of operations vs operations management
Operations can be defined as the various activities related to the manufacturing of the
products and the services of the company. These activities takes place at the workplace. It is a
very wide terms as it includes maintaining the quality of the products and also effectively using
the resources in the company so that demands of the customers can be fulfilled in the
marketplace. It is very important for the managers of the project to take care that every activities
should take place in a effective manner (Wan and Yu, 2021). On the other hand, operations
management can be referred to as management of all the activities in relation to the practices that
are being carried out in the company. Difference between operations and operations management
are discussed bellow:
Operations Operations Management
 It involves all the activities that are
carried out at the workplace. It mainly
consists sales, inventory management
etc.
 Unilever has mainly operations in
selling out their products and services
into the market.
 It can be defines as the work of the
management in order to manage all
activities that helps in improvement of
the productivity of the company.
 In relation to this, Unilever is focusing
on to make changes in the their soap
products.
Reviewing and critique of the implementation of operations and project management principles
Operations and project management both are very important concepts of the organisation.
It facilitate the organisation to bring more efficiency in the products and the services. In relation
to the Unilever company, they are one of the most established company that are focusing on to
deliver quality products at the reasonable prices. There are different kinds of principles present
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that helps in preparing effectuate strategies in order to provide better products and the services
into the market. Applicability of these principles can helps them to save their costs from the
waste activities. Unilever is planning to launch healthy products into the market and these
principles can be applied by the organisation. Operational principles are describe below in
relation to the Unilever:
 Reality: It is one of the main principles of the operations and management. In relation to
the Unilever company, they should analyses the problem related to the product of the
company. Analysing of the problem related to the development of the product will helps
them to provide effectively solutions for that.
 Humility: This principles is related to the employees of the company. Managers of the
Unilever should take care of the employees with the development of the products. It is
very important for the managers of the company top create a healthy environment at the
workplace so that employee can carry out the activities in a smooth manner. It will helps
them to generate more productivity at the workplace.
 Organisation: It can be stated that each and every department of the organisation is
interlinked with each other. When each and every department is effectively co-ordinated
with each other then only the organisation become able to effectively carry out the goal
of the company (Jaafar and Zainuddin, 2020). In relation to the Unilever company, it
becomes very important for them to maintain the balance between the material, labour
and all other resources in order to effectively deliver the healthy and organic products
into the market.
 Accountability: Operations management is carried out on the specific rules and
regulations of the company. In relation to the Unilever company, managers should
become accountable in order to analyse the quality of the products that they are planning
to offer into the market. It will help the managers of the company to evaluate the
mistakes and the limitations in their organic products.
 Change: This principles is one of the most important principles that facilitate the
employees to bring changes in ways of carrying out the production process. In relation to
the Unilever, they introduce changes in the course of actions according to needs and
wants of the customers in the market.
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 Quality control: It is one of the effective principles of he operations management. It
helps in effectively evaluating the quality of the products that is to be offered to the
customers in the market. In relation to the Unilever company, they should check the
quality of the organic and healthy products that they are planning to offer into the market.
 Success: It is the most important principles that is to be applied to workplace (Molén,
Kadefors and Havenvid, 2020). It is very important for the organisation to carry out the
activities in a way through which they can able to become more successful in the
marketplace.
Analysing of the extent to which operations management meets the requirements of the
organisation.
Principles of the operations can be defined as the effectively ways which heps in increase
the profitability of the business. In relation to the Unilever company, they have operations in
several countries which sometimes becomes hurdles for them to effectively carry out the
operations. Operations management plays an major role in order to achieve the goal of the
organisation and it helps them to analyse and fulfil the demands of the customers. Some of the
points are mentioned below:
 Main requirement of the company is to provide quality products and services to the
customers. Now a days consumers are more attentive towards their health and therefore
they demand quality products from the company. It helps the company to get more
customers towards their products and services.
 Unilever mainly uses various kinds of effective tools in the operations and management.
They focus on to deliver quality products at a very reasonable pries so that they can
retain the customers of the company with the long time (Queiroz and Macadar, 2020). It
also helps them to make effective image in the eyes of the customers.
 Managers of the company focus on to maintain the workplace effectively and attractive
through which they can increase the engagement of the employees in the company. They
also ensures that they maintain healthy relations with the suppliers across the world
through which they fulfil the needs of the customers in the market.
 There are various principles of operations and management that are present in the
marketplace that helps the Unilever to deliver the products as per the trends and
preference of the market. It can be seen that customer satisfaction is the priority of the
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Unilever company. For example, they have introduced various flavours in the tea
according to the trends of the market . This also helps them to generate more revenues in
the market.
Discussing the continuous improvement with lean principles
This means to create an effective plans in order to improve the quality of the work. It is
an ongoing and continuous process that focus on to provide goods of high quality.
Lean principles
It is a framework that is used to control the wastage at the workplace. It also save the cost of the
company in producing goods and services into the market.
Value Defining: This means that customers wants full satisfaction in exchange to the
money they for products. Unilever mainly focus on to satisfy the needs of the customers with the
best quality products.
Mapping of Value stream: This part of the principles mainly focus on the key points
that generates more values for the customers. Unilever management department effectively
analyses quality, price etc. of the products (Leung and Kwok, 2019). It helps them to generate
more values for the customers.
Creating flow: This includes all the important resources of the company that are
machines, raw material, employees of the company. In relation to the Unilever company, they
can take so much benefit of this as they can become able to use effectively and skilled employees
in order to carry out the operations of the company.
Pull Establishment: This kinds of lean principles mainly ensures that inventory should
be used to the fullest in order to produce goods and services in the market. It suggest that there
should not be any any wastage of the resource in the workplace which unnecessarily increases
the costs of the company.
Applying six sigma and its effectiveness
It is an effective techniques that is undertaken in order to analyse the profitability of the
company. Applicability of Six sigma in relation to the Unilever company are as follows:
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 Define: It is very important for the manager of Unilever to set clear goals. They should
do continuous improvement in the workplace. They should analyse needs of the
customers.
 Measure: It means the managers of the Unilever should take necessary measures in the
order to make changes in the products of the company.
 Analyse: It is important for the Unilever to analyse the process of production (Alani,
2022). Through this wasteful activity can be minimised from the workplace.
 Design: It means that organisation should give effective designing to the organic
products. It will help them to attract large number of customers towards their business.
 Verify: It is the last stage of in which organisation analyses all the processes that has
been carried out.
Preparing a Continuous improvement plan
Continuous improvement plan is very important for the company. It is described below in
relation to the Unilever company:
 Plan: In regards to the Unilever, they should regularly analyses the needs and wants if
the customers in the market. Management department of the company should make
effective plans through which can offer organic products into the market.
 Do: It means that the organisation should starts taking actions in regards to the implement
the changes in the production process (Liu, Zhang and Wang, 2021). Employees of the
company should adopt new ways through which they can effectively produces organic
products into the market.
 Check: It is the important step that organisation should monitor the performance of the
products into the market. They should hire professional people in order to remove the
mistakes from the workplace.
 Act: It becomes very important for the organisation to take actions in order to produce
the goods and services into the market.
Analysing the effectiveness of a continuous improvement plan
Improvements plan is very necessary for the organisation in order to fulfil the needs of
the customers in the marketplace. Continuous improvements will helps the organisation to bring
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more productivity in the products and the services. This will also helps the organisation to
minimise the wastage the from the marketplace. In relation to the Unilever company, they can
give tough competition in the marketplace by implementation of continuous improvement plan.
A continuous improvement plan, including your justified recommendations for improvement
 It is very important for the Unilever to effectively consider the needs of the customers in
the marketplace (Huang, 2022). It helps them to make an effective image in the market.
 There is a need for the company to formulate effective strategies through which they can
use updated techniques of production.
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Project management
Project title and aim: The main aim of this project is to deliver on site based maintain and
catering a fitness based lifestyle to the employees in order to reduce absenteeism.
Overview of case study
The project life cycle is considered as major approach which includes different phases
which are there while managing and delivering a successful manner. In the functioning of a
business, the projects are important for a business in development of new approaches towards
management of key operations. In order to complete a project on deadline, it is necessary to
focus on following project life cycle (Dahal, Mishra and Aithal, 2022). The Cormwell tools is a
business related to Wetland and is having a strength of 1250 employees. The company is
focusing on minimising absenteeism at the workplace. In order to gain effectiveness in project
management, it is important for the Cormwell to develop major and effective strategies and
planning framework.
Project life cycle
The project lifestyle is considered as major techniqe or process which should be followed
by a project manager to complete a project before deadline. In order to develop a systematic and
precise approach in managing a project. The application of project life cycle for Cormwell is
mentioned below:
 Project initiation- This is considered as initial stage which is related to development of
new ideas and approaches to make a fine project. Cormwell will take into consideration
key project based ideas and development based approaches in order to develop well
defined approach in increasing project management.
 Project planning- In this phase, project planning is performed which increases chances
of strategic development of a project. This is one of the most important stages in project
management, which takes into consideration strategic approaches and tools to increase
planning and decrease risk associated with project.
 Project execution- The execution of project is most essential for a business which
includes implementation of planning. In executing project, monitoring is the major
function of Cormwell to achieve desired results.
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 Project closure- This is the final stage of project life cycle in which closing of project
takes place (Fadul, 2020). In this approach, company needs to focus on the key
perspectives which are essential to be analysed while completing the project.
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Building a case:
Executive summary This project is all about the tools which can be
sued to reduce employee absenteeism.
Company is having an aim to achieve peak
possible standards in their CSR practices (Ji,
2021). In addition to that, they want to provide
healthy food within on site catering.
Vision The company, Cromwell have vision to render
catering facilities by framing up a project.
Their vision is to create positive impact on
society by sorting their issues along with
taking care of well being of employees.
Mission The mission of company is to maximise
contribution of employees so as to make
company more proficient and productive.
Company wants to opt CSR activities in its
operations so that society would not be harmed
by operations of organisation.
Objective The core objective of Cromwell is to reduce
employees turnover and to make them more
productive by providing them with effective
training and development session. In addition
to that, by fostering positive environment can
lead to decline in employee turnover.
Strategies It is needed for company to formulate effective
strategy so that it can accomplish its objectives
within time frame period (Sun and Xiao,
2019). The objectives should align with quality
of food and services.
Innovation Company can provide smartwatch to

employees so that they can be alarmed at time
of lunch over. This will help in getting know
about lunch break.
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Improvement By taking regular feedbacks can help company
in making improvements. By this, company
can attract potential customer to opt their
services.
Required resources It is needed to have resources such as kitchen
equipments, raw material and software to
manage all other activities
Work Break Down Structure
This tool can be uses in breaking of an activity into smaller parts to make it more
effective. As per the needs of project, work can be divided into small task so as to make it more
effective (Alekseeva and Alekseev, 2022). It is required to have leadership traits to carry out
activities that flows in a hierarchical manner. It will help company in elimination of conflict as
roles and responsibilities are assigned to each and every employee.
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Gantt Chart
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Analysis of the project methodologies and tools used
Project life cycle can be referred to as the one of the most effectively ways through which
aims and objectives of the project can be analysed. It facilitate the project manager of the
company to carry out the work in a smooth manner (Li, Guo and Zhang, 2019). Various types of
methodologies helps the company to find out the right techniques and ideas through organisation
can become able to achieve the goals and objectives of the business. In relation to the Cromwell,
they should undertake various techniques and tools such as updated technology, devices through
which they can control the performance at the workplace.
Reviewing and critically evaluate the effectiveness of the PLC in application to your project
using the appropriate theories models and concepts.
It is an most Important document which main consists various components such as
planning, initiation, execution and at last closure of the project. These are the most important part
of the project that facilitate the organisation or the company to set up the targets and goals. It
also facilitate the managers of the company to achieves the target in a given time. In relation to
the Cromwell, they should execute these elements at the workplace through which they can gain
more success at the marketplace (Rindahl and Drøivoldsmo, 2020). In their case, there is a need
for managers to effectively manage the workforce, so that they can effectively carry out the
operations. It is very important for them to reduce the absent of the employees from the
company.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been analysed that operations management is a important
part of the organisation in order to deliver effectively product and services to the customers. In
the above report, there has been the analysis of the difference between operations and operations
and management. Along with that specific principles has been undertaken into the account that is
lean principles. After that there has been the evaluation of the plan that helps the organisation to
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introduce changes in the course of actions. After that other part of the report has been evaluated
which contains life cycle of the project.
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