Operations and Project Management: Review and Critique

This report discusses the implementation of principles of operations management and continuous improvement plan in Mc Donald's. It also analyzes the efficiency of the continuous improvement plan and justifies the strategies used. The report further explores the stages of the project life cycle in the Cross rail project.

Unit 16 (Operations and
Project Management)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Review as well as critique of implementation of principles of operations management.
.....................................................................................................................................................1
M1 Review or critique usage of operations management.....................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Continuous improvement plan related on review as well as critique.............................3
M2 Analysis of efficiency of a continuous improvement plan..............................................5
D1 Justification strategies of continuous improvement plan................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Stages of Project life cycle...................................................................................................6
M3 Analysis of rationale for project methodologies.............................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Review or critique effectiveness of Project life cycle.......................................................9
M4 Critical analysis of how implementation of theories and concepts in PLC ...............11
D2 Critical evaluations and recommendations...................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Operations management could be referred as an administration of various business
practices which creates higher level of efficiency and effectiveness which can be possible in
business companies and project management is said to be a combination of all paths that are
involved in implementations and execution of a particular project in companies (De Boer and
Andersen, 2019). Operations and project management is considered as a important element of
any business company which allows them to manage their projects and activities in smoothly
manner. This report is based on operations management of Mc Donald's, that is an American
multinational fast food company which operated as a restaurant and deals in Hamburgers,
Cheeseburgers, Milkshakes, Cold drinks and so on that includes review of implementation of
operation management principles and review of continuous improvement plan. Second part of
report is carried on project management of Cross rail that is a railway infrastructure project
stated in Europe and it is single investment project plan which is carried up in UK which
includes stages of PLC which supports documentations and review of effectiveness of PLC
through theories and concepts.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1 Review as well as critique of implementation of principles of operations management.
Operations are defined as activities that is used by companies to achieve their desired
objectives smoothly in their companies. Likewise operations management is referred as planning
of whole management and implementing execution of set actions in companies (Kim and
Irizarry, 2019). There are many operations management principles which are important to have
effectiveness in carrying out and managing of operations in companies. In terms of Mc Donald's
various operations management principles that company follows are: Principle of education and training management: This principle of operations
management refers to provide training and improving employee's management. It states
that it is essential to direct and enhance performance of employees so as a result their
performance can be enhanced. In terms of Mc Donald's, company is using principle of
education and training to make their employees aware about job roles which they have to
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perform at workplace and enhance their performance by providing them training so that
they will be able to perform work with their effective higher performance. Principle of quality control: This principle of operation management is states that quality
control is important in company's operations. It is essential to have quality to be produce
as without quality, it will create a negative affect on company's performance. In terms of
Mc Donald's, company is using principle of quality control in their operations to serve
quality food items to customers so that customer satisfaction can be increased. Principle of change: This principle of operation management states that it is important to
manage and make changes in company's operations according to needs of markets for
sustaining in markets for long run and maximizing profitability (Creţoiu, 2019). In Mc
Donald's is using this principle of operation management to manage changes in their
operations according to changed needs and demands of customers in order sustain in
market for longer time and fulfilling the needs of customers. Principle of success: This principle of operations management states that for achieving
success every company should plan its aims and objectives specifically that could lead to
accomplishing its targets well. Mc Donald's is adopting principle of success in their
operations in order to achieve planned and set targets well and maximize profitability. Principle of reality: This principle of operation management states that companies
should aims at focusing on problems rather then focusing on techniques as because no
technique will be able to solve a universal problems. In terms of Mc Donald's, company
is using this principle to analyse various problems that are occurred in their operations
and solved properly.
 Principle of collaborating with customers: This principle of operation management
states it is important for companies to understand mindset of customers that what they
purchase and what they use as this will help in providing a insight of customer's taste and
preferences. Mc Donald's is adapting principle of collaborating with customers in their
business operations so analyse needs, tastes and preferences of customers and according
to that build their strategies to maximize their profits.
M1 Review or critique usage of operations management.
Six sigma is referred as a method which gives various techniques to enhance capability of
business processes of companies. It helps in enhancing performance of companies and reduction
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in process variations which helps in decreasing defection in resources and enhancement in
profitability, quality of products and services and increasing employee morale (Keramatipour
and MOSLEMI, 2018). In terms of Mc Donald's, company is using different food management
system at their workplace that consists better manufacturing practices, health approved hazard
analysis and sanitation programmes to improve operations of their company and achieve their
goals.
Lean principle is said to creating values to customers with few resources. As lean
companies understands customer value as well as aims at focusing its key processes to enhance
its values as well as quality. In terms of Mc Donald's, company is using a principles in their
operations for enhancing their performance. As they take take orders of customers and ensures
that order is being delivered to customers on time so that customer satisfaction can be increased
that will lead company to sustain in market for long run and by maximising their profits and
building brand image. Lean principle is said to be useful and beneficial for Mc Donald's as this
techniques of operations management helps company to enhance its quality services that helps in
gaining customer satisfaction towards company that helps them to survive in corporate markets.
Just in time inventory could also be used in operations management of companies. As it
refers to make delivery and make products and services available to customers within a specific
period of time. In terms of Mc Donald's company can adapt just in time inventory technique in
their operations that deals in delivering food items to customers with in specified period of time
with quality insured food to gain customer satisfaction.
TASK 2
P2 Continuous improvement plan related on review as well as critique.
Continuous improvement plan is combination of activities that are made to have gradual,
continuous improvements to products, services by a regular review, action and measurement. It
is referred to a critical dimension of all major quality framework or theories that consists six
sigma, ISO and Baldrige. As for company like Mc Donald's, it is important for company to
monitor its well performance in terms of its delivery actions as well as manufacturing of
products or services in markets. Hence it is important for Mc Donald's to identify its
improvement plan in their management. And based on review and critique of operations
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management principles, it is essential for company develop a continuous improvement plan to
check a specified application of principles and well achievement of company's needs.
Basis Current methodologies Proposed methodologies
Cost Mc Donald's is applying principle of
variance in their operations that is
used to cut costs. Hence this principle
is presently used by company to
enhance their diversity and instead of
decreasing costs.
Principle of variance should be applied
by Mc Donald's to implement tools and
techniques which helps in cutting up
cost of manufacturing food items. While
, company should use technology
advancement like taking online orders,
latest machine to prepare food that cut
up cost of monitoring processes and
provide training of its staff members.
Delivery Principle of reliability has been
ineffectively been used by mode of
innovation regularly in delivery
processes.
As principle of reliability should be
applied by Mc Donald's in order to
ensure suitable solutions to issue of
delivery to customers. For this company
should use technique like just in time
which will help Mc Donald's in storing
and delivering their food items with ease
without adding cost.
Quality Mc Donald's is lacking in effectively
implementing principle of
organisation in their operations as a
result it affects interconnectivity of
activities that reduces quality of their
products.
Mc Donald's should ensure that every
activity and operation is consistent and
connected to each another to have
desired results. As company should
make changes in their products
according changed customer's taste as
well as preferences by providing total
quality management in their operations.
Production
and
Mc Donald's is taking use of various
production techniques to have a
Company should make regular
innovation in their products and services
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innovation supply and delivery of their food
items to customers.
in order to maintain their production and
survival in markets. It is essential
produce and provide products and
services to customers according to their
tastes and preferences to generate
revenues.
M2 Analysis of efficiency of a continuous improvement plan.
In order to evaluate and evaluate effectiveness of continuous improvement plan, six
sigma model of operations management could be used as six sigma methodology consists of
various tools and techniques that ensures regular improvement in company's operations (Yong,
Lim and Ilankoon, 2019). As it provides several ways by which efficiency and quality could be
enhanced. In terms of Mc Donald's, company is enhancing their operations and activities that
could in long run. Company is using six sigma methodology to enhance company's
performances. It helps in solving issues in company like taking online orders co-ordination of
staff members and providing training and development to their staff members in order to
generate efficiency.
D1 Justification strategies of continuous improvement plan.
There are different theories and concepts which justify strategies of continuous
improvement plan. In terms of operations management principles Mc Donald's various theories
and concepts of continuous improvement plan of company is as follows: Fundamentals: In operations management, continuous improvement plan of of
fundamentals defined as performing all works and collection of data which is efficient in
companies. For this continuous improvement plan is necessary as while performing
various roles and duties that are performed because of some reasons by project teams. In
Mc Donald's is managing its operations by maintaining and carrying its duties in order to
increase performance of company. As when fundamentals are managed properly Mc
Donald's will able to increase its potential and its profitability will be enhanced. Managed passion: It is important for each business companies to design a mode of
motivation and enhance morale of employees who are working their company. It is
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essential to keep their motivated so that they can be able perform their job tasks with their
efficiency. In terms of Mc Donald's, company is constantly focusing on motivating its
employees on timely basis by providing incentives and rewards to them so that their
performance can be enhanced and their operations can be well maintained.
 Success: To have success of companies, they are using various continuous improvement
plans and success plans which can be determined by their management team to perform
its operations properly (Trad and Kalpić, 2019). Companies faces various issues and
challenges in carrying operations and for resolving that continuous improvement plan is
needed. Mc Donald's is carrying its continuous improvement plan by ensuring that its
planned performance is matching with actual performance of company by keeping a
control over its operations.
TASK 3
P3 Stages of Project life cycle.
(Source: Project management life cycle, 2020)
Project life cycle consists of various stages that are related well defined and effective
planning and implementation of a project in a company (Markert, 2020). There are basically five
stages which consists of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closure. In terms of
Cross rail project, various stages of product life cycle are as follows: Initiation stage: It refers to first stage of project life cycle that states from where project
is being start. This stage aims at defining and authorizing project (Maher, 2018). Project
manager takes provided information as well as designs project charter and includes
information like project's aims, vision and mission, achievable objectives and
achievement criteria and concerned stakeholders. In context of cross rail project, 200 to
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250 passengers should be present in train that have an improve by 10% in its capacity. As
it also identifies that Elizabeth line is first as well as largest as being underground rail line
or should help them in travelling in 45 minutes to reach central London. Planning stage: This stage of project life cycle aims at laying down a detailed strategy of
how project has to carried and how to achieve success. As it includes strategic planning
in which overall approach to project is developed and designed and implementation
planning design that states methods to apply decisions that are made to carry project. In
terms of cross rail project, process of engineering and tools for identifying performance
are used to construct their railway line that helps in comparing design with schedule and
cost. Various areas that requires enhancement such as risk, planning of resources are
selected yo carry on. Execution stage: This stage of project life cycle involves activities and decisions which
are defined when planning stage is implemented. In execution stage, project manager has
to ensure project and protect from any mistakes (Pham, and Gobetto, 2021). As it states
whether project will success or not. In terms of cross rail project, for having any details
and information related designing and planning process six pillar method could be used.
In this project it also takes various responsibilities that are allocated to different
individuals such business finance analyst, community relation manager and agreement
system that has main responsibilities which maintain and promote awareness and
producing high quality forecasts in order to have successful project. With this initial stage
this project assigned with proper implementation of work in related to their project
initials such as formation of tunnels to stations built. Cross rail project enhancement
agreement and associated with sponsor needs. By having design related with Cross-rail
programme functional needs. This project designs delivery model which are handled and
implement by CRL and its supply chain was worked by various key inputs in it which
consists with accountabilities as well as authority. Monitoring or controlling stage: At this stage of project life cycle, it checks that every
task and activity should be done in a planned manner that was decided to perform
(Donohue, Katok, and Leider, 2018). This stage overall ensures that all tasks and metrics
that are required to guarantee and which agreed and are approved project that are
undertaken in a scope, on a specific time and within a specified budget so that project
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results with a minimum risks. In terms of cross rail project, every data and information is
identified in a efficient way which could lead to have better decision making. As this
project controls budgets by providing programme. It also helps in decreasing anticipated
final cost and output which ensures that final cost remains with in a funding envelope.
 Closure stage: it refers to last stage of project life cycle that is referred as follow up stage
(Hossan, 2020). As it identifies that whether project is ready or not and all tasks and
activities that are involved in project are closed. As project is being formally closed and
afterwards report is being produced to project sponsor in order to have overall level of
success of project. There could be various reasons behind closing of any project. As cross
rail project was successful and its construction was completed and trail journey was
conducted before travelling of any passenger.
M3 Analysis of rationale for project methodologies.
The project cross rail is largest railway infrastructure and construction project which is
undertaking central London. Focus of this project is to give a high frequency sub urban
customers service crossing London from west towards east. Cross rail project management is
taking use different techniques and tools which leads to success of project that are as follows: Cross rail fleet: Cross rail fleet presents as well as focuses on building energy or
sustainability that can be efficient or effective for high performance of trains. It is twin
five car dual voltage as well as with that project is able to deliver the its high
performance which management could deliver train. It basically helps in determining
motive behind project, source of energy that is required to be efficient and high
performance trains, dual voltage or with this project train could reach to station in each 2
minutes. Signalling as well as communication: This method is used by management team during
method of construction (Solem, 2018). It consists traffic to be on its line as well as tunnel
which is much deep and because of this high security level is needed or if any emergency
gets occurred while construction then those services would be provided.
 Utilize visualisation: By having a systematic and specific representation with a way that
is a beneficial for project. As with proper utilisation of visualisation, visuals boards could
helps passengers to direct their ways with tunnel.
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TASK 4
P4 Review or critique effectiveness of Project life cycle.
For having a review or critique in having effectiveness of project life cycle various
strategies and theories that are used by project. For this strategy of innovation is being developed
in companies that ensures them to have competitive advantage for them. In terms of cross rail
project, they are using various corporate strategy theory. This concepts helps in determining
potential and capabilities that changes regularly and helps in gaining competitive advantage. In
this theory various components that are included and relates to searching, selecting, configuring,
deploying and learning. Searching refers to evaluating all kind of opportunities whether in
context with market or use of technology (Blanding, 2020). There are few companies that
welcomes new information, methods as well as suggestions in their project area. In terms of
cross rail project, all new suggestions or information were welcomed in order to accomplish
competitive advantage. process of selection is carried to choose most effective and best option
for their future aspect and also identifying all available resources. Projects could selects those
technologies which could serve them more advantage and will help in achieving success. In
terms of cross rail project, when they were constructing railway line most effective technology
was used in context with internal or external base (Mulder, 2018). Method of configuring
consists to put focus on concept of coordination so that all employees are communicating in an
effective way as well as proper coordination is maintained. Method of deploying consists
delivering all innovation being done on exact time within the budget been planned and cross rail
project did this in an effective way because their project was build within their budget only. And
with this work breakdown structure could be used to have effectiveness in their project that
relates to a effective tool of taking up operations of projects. As activities are broken down into
small tasks for accomplishing a specified task. It refers to a method of determining and breaking
it into tasks for increasing performance. It generally divides activities that is based on same
nature and to monitor its progress in a specified manner. And Gantt chart for increasing
effectiveness of project that relates to a taken as a basis for timescale of project. Gantt chart is
divided sides where left portion identifies project operations and tasks and top side shows time
frame of project. Length of charts that relates activity's time chart of completing activity. It is a
pictorial representation that makes easy to evaluate progress of project and beneficial for
analysing activities. In cross rail project when they were constructing railway line most effective
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technology was implemented in terms with internal as well as external sources. Method of
configuring consists to put focus on idea of coordination so that all employees are
communicating in a proper manner as well as proper coordination is present. Process of
deploying has delivering of all innovation which is being carried on exact time within the budget
been set as well as cross rail project did this in an effective way because their project was
constructed within their budget only. Work breakdown structure of cross rail is as follows:
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M4 Critical analysis of how implementation of theories and concepts in PLC .
There various theories and concepts that are used in project life cycle to carry it
effectively with high performance. In terms of cross rail project various some of the theories and
concepts which is being used in project are as follows: Spiral SDLC model: This model is refers to as a accumulation of waterfall and iterative
model (Singh, 2020). As this model in project life cycle is applied in project before
having next stage stage as it is beneficial in identifying that which is right time to carry to
next stage. This model is generally being applied by large scale businesses as well as
models is based on statistical data. In context of cross rail project this model helps in
identifying different stages of project life cycle as well as analyse that what is correct
phase to carry project to next level. Iterative SDLC model: This model in project life cycle states development with all
materials that are required to build up and carry project effectively. This model is
basically used by large companies to identify various tasks and activities. In terms of
cross rail project iterative model helps in identifying and determining various task and
cost which are incurred to carry project effectively.
 Waterfall SDLC model: This model in project life cycle helps in analysing idea of
developing process that is considered as a step by step method by following concept of
analysing, testing, monitoring and controlling implementation that are being done with
project . This model is mostly used by small scale companies. In terms of cross rail
project waterfall SDLC model helps in identifying various stages and strategies that are
used to carry project and according to that implementation of strategies in project.
D2 Critical evaluations and recommendations.
From cross rail project analysis it has been examined that this is a large scale project
where various phases of project life cycle is mentioned that consists of initiation phase where
project was started planning phase where various goals and objectives are planned where project
analyst plans to determine performance and various cost and risks that are related to project are
identified(Gudmestad, 2019) . After that execution stage consists its execution and applying of
strategies which are made project team to run on project. Following this with monitoring or
controlling phase in which performance are measured with help of various models and concepts
and closure is being done for project by making an evaluation and analysis of measuring results
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whether cross rail project is succeed or not. As also monitoring as well as controlling phases
where the performance could be measured with the help of using various present models or
theories that leads to the efficiency in running out the project through closure of the projects with
the different evaluation or analysis and examining of the results with the helps of various models
in the project to run it by efficiency and with effectiveness to have profitability and
accountability of the projects.
CONCLUSION
From above report it can be concluded that operations as well as project management
considered as an essential element of companies that results in efficiency in various projects of
companies. It is necessary for companies to have systematic implementation of operations
approaches in business activities. For this continuous improvement plan is to made to have high
performances in companies. With that various stages of project life cycle is briefly explained and
a review of effectiveness in various phases of project life cycle is mentioned.
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